Loyalty to players

[Coxy]

The chorus of people wanting lockyer dropped in 2006 was deafening. Loyalty kept him in the team.

Same situation NSW would've dropped him

 

[Jeba]

The chorus of people wanting lockyer dropped in 2006 was deafening. Loyalty kept him in the team.

Same situation NSW would've dropped him

Was a shame some people on this forum called for Lockyer to be dropped when he was deliberating abouth whether or not to continue playing rep footy. No points for guessing who I'm talking about ;-)

 

[Coxy]

Ha. I was in that boat too, but not because I didn't think Locky was good enough, I was being selfish for the Broncos ;-)

 

[Alec]

In NSW's defence, I guess they have stuck with their best player in Gallen, despite him being fairly average in Origin up until last year, and them having quite a lot of different back rowers available.

 

[Kaz]

I was in that boat too, but not because I didn't think Locky was good enough, I was being selfish for the Broncos

Joins the queue.

I wanted no Bronco players picked.

 

[Jeba]

In NSW's defence, I guess they have stuck with their best player in Gallen, despite him being fairly average in Origin up until last year, and them having quite a lot of different back rowers available.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Gallen has only played 2 full series since his debut in 2006. That doesnt seem very loyal to me.

 

[Kaz]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Gallen has only played 2 full series since his debut in 2006. That doesnt seem very loyal to me.

It's loyal for the NSW selectors.

 

[dukey]

Yeah Slater was the best ever fullback before he was picked. Thurston was persisted with at the start of his Origin career. Smith was also picked before his time but persisted with. If these guys were playing for NSW they would have been flicked well before we got to see how good they are.

I often wonder if their continued Origin selection has flattered the reputations of these guys. If Nathan Friend had been QLD's hooker for the past six years, would people call Cam Smith the best hooker around? Or if Thurston had never played for anyone other than the Cowboys, would he have the same reputation he has now?

 

[Broncoman]

A week or two from origin I will post a similar thread, saying why I think the passion talk from both teams is ridiculous.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Talking about loyalty, NSW have shown amazing loyalty to Kurt Gidley.

 

[Kimlo]

That's true, he's an automatic selection in every rep team in the game that he's eligible for, was even coaches pick in the all stars game...

 

[Broncoman]

Gidley is one of the fittest and most versatile players in the game, and if he was fit he would be some of the 1st players I would pick.

 

[Kimlo]

Gidley is one of the fittest and most versatile players in the game, and if he was fit he would be some of the 1st players I would pick.

Well I'll certainly support him being picked as halfback.

 

[dukey]

Love Gidley's attitude, love his versatility, can't find a place for him in the Blues side. He's not a specialist anything, and unless we want to waste a bench spot that could be given to a forward, he's just going to be shoehorned into someone else's spot.

 

[The Brizz]

Similar to Berro good in a lot of positions master at none, also like Berro a fantastic defender. His automatic selection especially for Australia is puzzling with the likes of Cronk, Bird, Scott and Lewis who are all quality versatile players all around playing good footy over the last few years.

 

[Foordy]

several of those players on your list shouldn't bet there

Matt Bowen - was injured a fair bit
Josh Hannay - was playing reserve grade (the park footy with the Sharks)
Paul Bowman - retired from rep footy

and FYI, Parker only made it back into the QLD side when Dallas Johnson went to the ESL, he missed many of the 6 series wins.

 

[pennywisealfie]

We would have won way more games, only if we selected Bruce Astill more!

 

[Big Pete]

When JT & Smith were selected all they had was potential.

If you could make a modern comparison it'd be like selecting Ray Thompson & Andrew McCullough.

Slater was basically like Barba when he was initially selected in '04.

Point is, they weren't the players they became when we selected them and I believe the confidence shown in them allowed them to become the players they did. When some of those NSW sides ran out you knew that the likes of Campese, Mullen & initially Pearce were under all sorts of pressure and were so petrified with f**king up they went into their shells. Fortunately NSWRL have seemingly realised this and have stopped this constant cutting and changing but really I reckon they ruined a lot of careers with some very cruel selection decisions.