Round 7 Discussion

[Huge]

Bird is the real deal...a purebred if there is such a thing, tough with it too. They targeted him and he did not wilt. Rep player almost certainly.

 

[Porthoz]

Are the Sharks just hooking Gordon after 35mins to play Barba as a winger/fullback?

Seems unfair on Gordon and just a completely weird ass thing to do.

Jack Bird seems to be going quite well in the halves too. Basically went from u20s to NRL.

What? That's unheard of! :aetsch:

Doesn't actually surprise me though, he was one of the best players in last season's NYC. What is surprising me, is that he is cutting it in the halves!

 

[Huge]

I watched Bird in his first game at 5/8 and thought it was an incredible performance . He looked like he'd played fifty games there. If we had him instead of Milford, we would be leading outright with a huge +points. I'm calling it early, I think he will play rep footy and if he stays injury free he will end up in the highest bracket.

 

[Huge]

Ha ha....seems like I preempted Tim Sheens ! He is already talking about Jack Bird and rep footy.

 

[BroncosAlways]

Agreed Bird looks the goods and definetly a player of the future, but I'm sick of rookies getting thrown into rep jerseys so early. Since Mata'utia made Australia it's turned the jersey into a joke. Something like 7 NRL games and he plays for our country ? Please.
If Bird gets picked for playing some good footy in an average team, that'll just make the event an even bigger farce.
It might be my old school style of thinking, but when the Australian team gets named I expect each position to be filled by the best player in that position.

 

[Huge]

Agreed Bird looks the goods and definetly a player of the future, but I'm sick of rookies getting thrown into rep jerseys so early. Since Mata'utia made Australia it's turned the jersey into a joke. Something like 7 NRL games and he plays for our country ? Please.
If Bird gets picked for playing some good footy in an average team, that'll just make the event an even bigger farce.
It might be my old school style of thinking, but when the Australian team gets named I expect each position to be filled by the best player in that position.

Yeah, totally agree . I'm pretty sure though that Sheens was thinking along the same lines as myself, that is give the reward ,the honour after a reasonable body of evidence has been presented. At least a full season. Must say though, I haven't seen anyone else look as comfortable in such a crucial position. Most of the time a centre or forward really only has a moderate team responsibility and could do a job in a rep squad. 5/8 on the other hand is a big job with many demands. If he continues like he started he may give Qld years of headaches.

 

[Socnorb]

Yes, nothing a winger should worry about too much... oh and lines, they would need to remove those too!

Removing lines has never been a problem at thr Titans

 

[Broncoman]

Ha ha....seems like I preempted Tim Sheens ! He is already talking about Jack Bird and rep footy.

He is being considered for NSW country mate

 

[Huge]

He is being considered for NSW country mate

Yeah, that's rep footy alright ! Brett Kimmorley, no shabby player himself has him on the bench for Origin ! A handful of games.....I've never seen a player's debut in a position that demands so much ,be as complete, as natural as did J Birds. The only things that could derail a stellar career are serious injury and/or runaway ego. I'd be having some serious money on us this year if he were here instead of Milf, nice kid that he is.

 

[Big Pete]

I would have gladly taken you up on that Huge.

Wouldn't surprise me if Bird ends up taking the Rookie of the Year but he has limitations at five eighth and feel he's being set up with all this talk of a NSW birth.

 

[Huge]

I would have gladly taken you up on that Huge.

Wouldn't surprise me if Bird ends up taking the Rookie of the Year but he has limitations at five eighth and feel he's being set up with all this talk of a NSW birth.

Mmmm...can you be a bit more descriptive about what you see as his limitations are, not that that I think your wrong or right, more curious about what you perceive . Also who do you think is trying to 'set up' Bird and why ? Once again not because I agree or disagree.

 

[Big Pete]

Mmmm...can you be a bit more descriptive about what you see as his limitations are, not that that I think your wrong or right, more curious about what you perceive . Also who do you think is trying to 'set up' Bird and why ? Once again not because I agree or disagree.

A lot of his limitations stem from his history where he predominately played in the backrow. He's never really had the time to develop his kicking game nor his passing and it's noticeable at times because the passing isn't as crisp as it needs to be or his kicks are just off target. That is of course, when he does get to kick because for the most part the responsibility is given to the likes of Robson, Ennis and Graham to handle.

Where he's excelling is his ability to go to the line, get on the outside of his man and put his outside support into space. Combine that with a strong running style and you've easily got the best five eighth at Cronulla.

However, I believe it would be a mistake long term to keep him there. If I was Cronulla, I'd be promising him the #11 as soon as Lewis retires and hoping that he turns out better than the other Bird.

To answer your other question, I'm concerned about the media attention he's receiving. He's only a young guy still learning the demands of first grade and while he is something of a natural, talking him up as an Origin hopeful is putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on the guy and we've seen what can happen when it backfires.

I don't have an issue with him being selected for NSW Country. I believe that will be a great experience for him but there are better candidates than him in Origin and think it would be premature to throw him into the deep end. I'd like to see him develop naturally before he's thrown into the deep end with the real sharks.

Aka The NSW selectors.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Agreed Bird looks the goods and definetly a player of the future, but I'm sick of rookies getting thrown into rep jerseys so early. Since Mata'utia made Australia it's turned the jersey into a joke. Something like 7 NRL games and he plays for our country ? Please.
If Bird gets picked for playing some good footy in an average team, that'll just make the event an even bigger farce.
It might be my old school style of thinking, but when the Australian team gets named I expect each position to be filled by the best player in that position.

It happens every year.......predominantly in NSW. The first sign of someone holding onto the ball and being able to make a tackle, the fans and the media swarm on them like seagulls to a bag of hot chips, touting them as the next super star of the game.

So many NSW players get over rated so quickly in their career only to crash back to earth a short while afterwards.