Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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BRONCOS veteran Benji Marshall has hailed Matt Gillett as the No. 1 back-rower in the NRL as the Maroons ace prepares to terrorise a star-studded Storm side on Friday night.
It is a tribute to Gillett’s work ethic and commitment that the Queensland Origin forward refused to rest after being ordered by coach Wayne Bennett to sit out last Saturday night’s clash against Canberra.
Having watched Gillett and Josh McGuire survive a torrid Origin II clash, Bennett wanted to place his star duo in cotton wool to ensure they were fresh for the Storm showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
But Gillett and McGuire insisted on playing. Both responded with superb displays, with Gillett particularly dominant, making a try-saving 40-metre cover tackle and scoring two tries himself to sink the Raiders.
Now in his eighth season of NRL, Gillett is in the best form of his career.
The 28-year-old was man-of-the-match in last month’s Anzac Test and Marshall says he is outperforming the code’s best back-rowers headlined by Boyd Cordner, Sam Burgess, Josh Papalii and Storm rival Tohu Harris.
“Gillo is definitely the form back-rower of the competition,” Marshall said.
“He doesn’t do anything fancy or above the role he needs to play. But in defence and attack, he is the full package.
“People don’t see the work Matt does off the ball. When you play with a guy like him ... he is the type of teammate who gets players’ player awards and everyone wants to play with him.
“The big thing last week was Josh McGuire and Gillo backing up. Wayne actually asked them not to play but they put their hand up and said no, we want to play.
“That shows what the Broncos club means to those guys. I’ve played a lot of NRL but I haven’t seen many guys as tough as Matt Gillett.”
Once a defensive liability, Gillett is now among the most ferocious one-on-one defenders in the NRL. He is averaging 37 tackles per game this season, including a season-high 51 against the Storm in the clubs’ most recent meeting in round three.
“It’s inspirational,” said Broncos prop Adam Blair of Gillett’s ability to back-up from Origin games.
“It’s always good if, at times in a game, someone can make an inspirational act.
“We saw on Saturday night Gillo played 80 minutes, scored a couple of tries and did (29) tackles.
This was just after Origin when he played 80 minutes again.
“I saw him grab one of the Canberra players on the try line and I was still up the other end. When you see someone do that, it gives you a lot of confidence. You don’t want to let someone like him down after everything he’s been through in backing up from Origin.
“He’s a leader for his side of the field. You see it week in and week out with Gillo, he’s making those big tackles that need to be made and doing those big runs that need to be done.
“To do those things, you are a leader in your own right.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...l/news-story/926193ab135f6f256d98a711fcd7895d
It is a tribute to Gillett’s work ethic and commitment that the Queensland Origin forward refused to rest after being ordered by coach Wayne Bennett to sit out last Saturday night’s clash against Canberra.
Having watched Gillett and Josh McGuire survive a torrid Origin II clash, Bennett wanted to place his star duo in cotton wool to ensure they were fresh for the Storm showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
But Gillett and McGuire insisted on playing. Both responded with superb displays, with Gillett particularly dominant, making a try-saving 40-metre cover tackle and scoring two tries himself to sink the Raiders.
Now in his eighth season of NRL, Gillett is in the best form of his career.
The 28-year-old was man-of-the-match in last month’s Anzac Test and Marshall says he is outperforming the code’s best back-rowers headlined by Boyd Cordner, Sam Burgess, Josh Papalii and Storm rival Tohu Harris.
“Gillo is definitely the form back-rower of the competition,” Marshall said.
“He doesn’t do anything fancy or above the role he needs to play. But in defence and attack, he is the full package.
“People don’t see the work Matt does off the ball. When you play with a guy like him ... he is the type of teammate who gets players’ player awards and everyone wants to play with him.
“The big thing last week was Josh McGuire and Gillo backing up. Wayne actually asked them not to play but they put their hand up and said no, we want to play.
“That shows what the Broncos club means to those guys. I’ve played a lot of NRL but I haven’t seen many guys as tough as Matt Gillett.”
Once a defensive liability, Gillett is now among the most ferocious one-on-one defenders in the NRL. He is averaging 37 tackles per game this season, including a season-high 51 against the Storm in the clubs’ most recent meeting in round three.
“It’s inspirational,” said Broncos prop Adam Blair of Gillett’s ability to back-up from Origin games.
“It’s always good if, at times in a game, someone can make an inspirational act.
“We saw on Saturday night Gillo played 80 minutes, scored a couple of tries and did (29) tackles.
This was just after Origin when he played 80 minutes again.
“I saw him grab one of the Canberra players on the try line and I was still up the other end. When you see someone do that, it gives you a lot of confidence. You don’t want to let someone like him down after everything he’s been through in backing up from Origin.
“He’s a leader for his side of the field. You see it week in and week out with Gillo, he’s making those big tackles that need to be made and doing those big runs that need to be done.
“To do those things, you are a leader in your own right.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...l/news-story/926193ab135f6f256d98a711fcd7895d
