Corey - Yes, man! Or Norman?

[ningnangnong]

No one seems to be in the middle when it comes to Corey Norman, so I'm keen to see who on the forum is a fan and who thinks he's useless - although I already know most of the people in that camp.

Anyway, I'm a fan. I think a lot of people have been far too quick to write him off, and he's shown enough promise to me that he can be a valuable player for us.

He had a good first half of 2012, but that seems to have been completely forgotten and everyone is on his back now, so I worry about how much of a chance BHQ will give him this season.

But whatever, I'm voting 'Yes, man!' on the poll!

 

[Porthoz]

I am in the middle actually, but I do believe he is a talented player.
I don't however believe he has an immediate future at 5/8 and would rather see him at fullback.

 

[Black Philip]

I think he is talented, but doesn't seem to have the bottle to be a first grader who delivers the goods on a regular basis. I think people were VERY quick to write him off in his first season (I had high hopes for him then), but now people are justified in wondering wtf he actually adds to the team. I was backing him up till last year, and I think your assessment of 'good' for his first half of 2012 is very generous, Ning. I won't be bothered at all if he goes, he has had long enough to try and prove himself.

As always though, if he stays and proves me wrong, I'll happily eat some humble pie.

 

[Ari Gold]

I'm pro-Norman. I thought he was very good in the two games he played at fullback in the second half of the season (the difference between he and Hoffman in that regard is enormous).

That's not to say he will definitely make it, but he certainly has the talent to. He just needs to understand his game a bit better, adjust to a better run/pass ratio and get some confidence.

 

[Nashy]

I think he's fucking useless, hopeless, terrible, any other word that means he is a shit footballer. I've never rated him, yet he just keeps getting wraps from people who clearly don't watch football.

 

[Allo]

Definite Yes. People keep bagging him for last year and yes he needs to pass more and look for cut-outs but it was his first full year in 1st Grade. He had to replace a future Immortal. How many other halves had to, especially in the current media-run environment? If (when) we didn't get to say the Prelim last year, he was also going to be blamed. He scored a fair few tries and played well for most of his games.

I'd like to know how many games he and Hunt played together in the halves. I clearly remember the Canberra game at home where they both carved up (yes it's against Canberra, still) but I would've liked to have seen that persisted with a bit. I would gladly endure another "semi-average" season as a lot of people believe it was purely to keep him. Locky says he's the man to replace him long-term, and I don't doubt him

 

[pennywisealfie]

I would like him more if he played for Parra

 

[Browny]

What Nashy said

 

[Bucking Beads]

I am on the fence on Corey. He is capable of so much. If he could just throw the pass instead of running it we would have scored dozens more tries last year IMO.

 

[GCBRONCO]

It's quite a gamble at this stage to get into a bidding war to retain someone who at present has been given a good timeframe to really stamp himself down as a must have player to retain, the problems in his game aren't just limited to his passing either, its his general decision making after making a break that worries me the most(and his running game is supposed to be his greatest asset), it's almost like he found ways to gift opportunities for the opposition to shut them down, that could be a lack of experience granted and could learn to improve but it could also be an area of his game he may never overcome too.

I really really want Norman to step upto the plate and cement that 5/8th spot or even fullback, I really do, but a line has to be drawn how far do we go to retain him cause at present I just don't see how his worth overpaying just to retain him, if he doesn't deliver and then someone who does and decides to go elsewhere because we can't afford to retain them I can only imagine the backlash. Bottomline I'm happy to re-sign him, but not if it means getting into a bidding war for him. If the club does decide to go hard for him, I won't necessarily agree with that but I'll support it, I just sure as hell hope he delivers.

 

[Dexter]

I think he is better suited to fullback but I am a fence sitter. Maybe when / if he realises he can match it physically in top grade he will improve quickly.

 

[Alec]

He's definitely no half. I do think his limited ball playing skills would suit fullback or back row more, and he's obviously a strong runner of the ball.

 

[Big Pete]

[video=youtube_share;RiMOKmp0uZc]http://youtu.be/RiMOKmp0uZc[/video]

 

[Manifesto]

I'm in the middle as well. I beleive he has the talent and potential but has been fairly rubbish so far. He was good at the start of last year but dropped off a ridiculous amount. I think he is a useless half, but is/could be a much much better fullback. Maybe even a centre (a bit in the Joel Moon mold). I'd personally like to see him play FB this year and not be in the halves, although with the apparent good trial form of Hoffman, I really dont know what to do with Norman now

 

[Fozz]

I'm not really a fan, he's had some flashes of brilliance but he's not consistent and I don't think he's got that drive to win.

 

[Big Pete]

I think he should bide his time in Q Cup (which he should have been doing in 2011 but that's another story) and just study tapes of Lockyer running it to the line and throwing out balls to a charging second row. Simple, but bloody effective.

If Parra want to throw a gajillion dollars they can go right ahead. That's one less competitor to worry about.

While we're on the subject of halves, Wallace should be under just as much pressure if not more.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I think he should bide his time in Q Cup (which he should have been doing in 2011 but that's another story) and just study tapes of Lockyer running it to the line and throwing out balls to a charging second row. Simple, but bloody effective.

If Parra want to throw a gajillion dollars they can go right ahead. That's one less competitor to worry about.

While we're on the subject of halves, Wallace should be under just as much pressure if not more.

I definitely agree with Wallace, I've defended him in the past but now IMO this is the final throw of the dice for him time to step up or go elsewhere.

 

[Coxy]

He's got talent, but no heart. Don't want