Players who never reached their potential

[OXY-351]

Was having a big of a discussion with a mate the other day about the retirement of Carl Webb and how the guy never really reached his full potential. There was a couple of seasons there for the Cowboys where he was one of the form forwards of the comp and should have been selected for further rep duties, but from memory he got injured.

Anyway, made me wonder about who some of the other players are who could have made it in the game and perhaps been superstars.

Which players do you think fit in this category? Not overrated players who the media or fans talked up and who never delivered, but players who you think genuinely had the ability, but just never got to display that ability for one reason or another, whether it be injuries/poor discipline etc.

I think Webb fits in that category. I also think Willie Mason does too. That guy could have been something, but I think he got caught up in the media hype too early on, and never really showed what he was capable of. He certianly had the physique to be a machine, but I think his attitude really let him down.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Brett Seymour, should have been a superstar if not for his off field issues IMO.

 

[john1420]

I rate Mundine in this category. I thought he could have been one of the best in game, but he never became that because he thought he already was. And when the honours didn't come his way he cracked the poops and went home.

 

[Ari Gold]

Tim Smith: No player has achieved so little in the game relative to his potential than Tim Smith.

Sonny Bill Williams: Had he been fit and wanting to play Rugby League, the limit to what he achieved was almost limitless. He may have underperformed and thus been over-rated, but his abilities, highly talked about as they were, were never over-rated. He just didn't deliver on his talent.

William Hopoate: Because going on that mission is going to reduce the level that he could have reached as a player.

 

[Meat77]

Settle down Rocky - most of those try assists came from kicks rather than any real vision on Smith's part.

I agree he had great potential but in no way was he EVER going to be one of the greats

 

[Ari Gold]

Tim Smith had super vision in that rookie year. He was throwing 30m bullets and hitting his outside backs with precision. Remember this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L6lP26szQE

He's obviously turned out to be a mega bust, but he seriously had the talent to be the premier player of our generation. I don't know where it went wrong either, because the one rare thing he had as a rookie was absolutely confidence to back himself. I've never see any other young half back their ability so much in a rookie season than what Tim Smith did.

And actually, I probably lie about not knowing where it wrong. It was surely the booze. It'll take Carney's career soon enough as well.

 

[Coxy]

I think cherry Evans has been better this season than Smith in 2005. Not as spectacular but certainly a more complete player.

As for the topic, Dane Carlaw. Big, fast, strong, and too often a cat.

 

[Alec]

Karmichael Hunt. He was only 22 or so when he left. I think he would have been in the top 5 players in the comp right now... if he stayed around.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hunt to quit AFL in the next week or two and have a full preseason with the Broncos at 5-8! LOL

For me Ashton Sims...has a great hit on him and hits the ball up hard. Probably suffers from trying too hard at times and doesn't concentrate on the simple things he really needs to do.

 

[Kimlo]

I'm also jumping on the Smith bandwagon. I seriously thought he could be one of the best halves in the game but obviously turned out to be a nuffie.

 

[Dexter]

Paul Hauff, brilliant rookie season along with Willie Carne, meteoric rise to rep level and faded just as fast when he had a shocker Test debut and suffered some bad injuries. He could have been anyhting had he stayed fit and kept his confidence.

It would have been interesting where Locky fitted in if Hauff maintained his form.

 

[Coxy]

Meh. Smith had flashy moments. Was always a risk of being a flash in the pan

 

[Big Pete]

Smith had more talent than DCE but never involved himself in a game like DCE does.

 

[Coxy]

Nor have the composure DCE has. Number of games where Manly have looked in trouble and DCE has stood up and taken charge. Smith went MIA as you'd expect from a rookie in similar situations

 

[Big Pete]

Actually, Coxy you just explained my point better than I did. I agree that was Tim Smith's biggest issue, composure. Anytime things weren't going Parra's way Smith would panic and come up with poor option after poor option. This didn't come out too often in 2005 because Parra were awesome by about the mid-season on but games against Newcastle and North Queensland exposed this.

DCE on the other hand is always there to get his hands on the ball and doesn't need other players to set the table or so to speak.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

I could make a list a mile long i reckon.

Obviously some already mentioned here, tim smith is a big one, carl webb, carlaw, mundine, seymour.

id add Ben walker, motu tony, ali lauititi, antonio kaufusi, willie mason, leon bott, tame tupou

Now this one might seem a bit weird, but i think willie tonga never lived up to his potential. sure, hes a great centre now, but i remember when he was younger playing for the dogs, he was looking like he was going to be the next renouf. he had speed to burn, and that fend was amazing. remember the night he tore hodges apart? what happened to those skills? he seems to have lost that speed and the fend is rarely used. he seems to rely more on field positioning and using his size now.

 

[Kaz]

IMO Mudine thought he reached his potential & his love for himself, was his downfall.

 

[Meat77]

Ali Lauititi is a great one - that dude was awesome for the Warriors before he took the cash in England