Round 11 Discussion

[user_nat]

I don't think there was much in the elbow incident, still was fairly grubby.

Pretty poor performance by both teams tonight, more so the Cows who you would expect to do better.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Not really. Cowboys missing both starting props and their star playmaker. Penrith were inspired after beating the Dragons in Monday.,

 

[Alec]

Sucks for Tariq. First missing out on the Origin side when he clearly should have been there, then breaking his leg straight afterwards. Funny thing is that he wouldn't have even been in this game if NSW selected him. Ouch bro.

 

[Broncoman]

On Saturday we saw why Ashley Graham was overlooked for QLD.

 

[mrslong]

On Saturday we saw why Ashley Graham was overlooked for QLD.

Oh really?

 

[Browny]

Please enlighten us with your astute analysis Bman

 

[Ari Gold]

On Saturday we saw why Ashley Graham was overlooked for QLD.

On Wednesday we'll see why everyone should have been overlooked for NSW.

 

[OXY-351]

On Saturday we saw why Ashley Graham was overlooked for QLD.

He's the leading try scorer this year. He must be doing something right.

 

[Alec]

He's the leading try scorer this year. He must be doing something right.

Catching the ball and falling over with no one in front of him?

 

[Ari Gold]

Catching the ball and falling over with no one in front of him?

Don't be so dismissive, it's a skill that Dale Copley would love to have.

 

[Broncoman]

Please enlighten us with your astute analysis Bman

He missed tackles and 2 tries came in his corner, he also let Penrith breakaway which lead to a try. Perfect tipping week this week YEAH BRA.

 

[Ari Gold]

He missed tackles and 2 tries came in his corner, he also let Penrith breakaway which lead to a try. Perfect tipping week this week YEAH BRA.

To suggest this is why he was overlooked is just stupid.

The real reason he was overlooked is because there is this guy named Brent Tate, who has great experience and performances as a QLDer. Perhaps you have heard of him.

 

[Broncoman]

Congragulations Brent on making reps again.

 

[Anonymous person]

ashley graham is a good player, and wouldnt really be out of place in the origin. i thought he deserved to be there a few years ago, and i said as much on here. he was in the top 2-3 try scorers overall that year, 2008 or so i think it was. at the time, we didnt need anything more from our wingers than the ability to find the line given the chance. thats all darius boyd was there to do - stay next to inglis and catch the pass after inglis has put him on a clear run to the try line. graham was one of the best at that, and he has been within a whisker a few times of being selected.

reading his wiki, he had quite the 2011 too:

"In 2011 Graham was named the Cowboys Player Of The Year, after a very good year for him where he led the NRL for highest metres gained by an outside back, most hit-ups and highest avg metres 139. He was also the Cowboys top try scorer for the third time with 12."

if tate didnt have a history of growing an extra leg or 2 for origin matches, Graham wouldve been there a few times. hes just unlucky that tate could be in a wheelchair and missing all his toes, but would still play like a man possessed if picked for origin.

 

[Big Pete]

Graham is one of those players I hate to speak badly of but I wouldn't have him near Origin.

He's a good club player who had a very good 2007 where he scored all sorts of tries. Then in 2008 he was shifted around everywhere due to all these injuries and stunk it up until 2011 where he was up there with Perrett as the best dummy half runner in the game. He's kept that form in tact so far this season & he's a good finisher but that's essentially all you can say about him.

For mine, if they ran the play at him or kicked it to him I'd be scared s**tless.

With Tate, it sounds like he's going to attack on the wing & defend in the centres which is perfect.

 

[Anonymous person]

He's kept that form in tact so far this season & he's a good finisher but that's essentially all you can say about him.

the thing is, thats all QLD need from their wingers these days. we couldve had stu kelly on the wing for the last 6 years and he wouldve scored 6+ tries simply by being outside inglis.

the proof is in the pudding - boyd is there, despite probably being the most out of form player in the entire league. but he knows where to stay when hes outside inglis, and he can catch a pass thats put on his chest and then put the ball down 5 metres later when hes over the try line. graham can do that too, and hes in MUCH better form than boyd.

 

[Big Pete]

Difference is Boyd isn't a liability under the high ball and he's a good defender.

Graham can be found wanting in those departments + has bad hands. This would only be magnified in Origin.

 

[Jeba]

the thing is, thats all QLD need from their wingers these days. we couldve had stu kelly on the wing for the last 6 years and he wouldve scored 6+ tries simply by being outside inglis.

the proof is in the pudding - boyd is there, despite probably being the most out of form player in the entire league. but he knows where to stay when hes outside inglis, and he can catch a pass thats put on his chest and then put the ball down 5 metres later when hes over the try line. graham can do that too, and hes in MUCH better form than boyd.

Whilst I agree that it's pretty much all that is required, I think Boyd does a bit more than simply catch and dive. His rarely makes a wrong decision defensively and is reliable under the high ball. Plus he can fill in anywhere in the backline should injury occur. Overall he is more valuable and talented than Graham, despite Graham showing better form this season.