PLAYER Xavier Willison

[Johnny92]

I think that’s probably a bit too far-fetched. You’d be more likely to get Willison on the edge and them 4 that way. But **** it let’s go one better play Hetho at hooker, Carrigan lock, Willison left second row, Haas and Te Kura props for like 15 minutes after being up by like 30-40 already and I think we would genuinely make 13 grown men and a coach cry.

It's probably never going to happen but it's something you'd love to see that's for sure.
We would be rolling through teams and Walsh and Ezra can carve up off the back of it.
Willison looks like he's got potential to develop a lethal offload game aswell.

 

[Fitzy]

It's probably never going to happen but it's something you'd love to see that's for sure.
We would be rolling through teams and Walsh and Ezra can carve up off the back of it.
Willison looks like he's got potential to develop a lethal offload game aswell.

Saw a couple times when you could see there was an opportunity for an offload and he started to move the arm and you can just tell he decided not to. I don’t mind that as a young buck just getting through your work keeping it simple with the errors down. He definitely has it in him.

 

[McHunt]

It will be interesting to see how Kevvie handles the hookers, especially given the one who looks the odd one out is his own son. I wonder if Billy would be pragmatic enough to know he might not get a gig elsewhere due to his age and be willing to hang around as hooker/halves depth?

Exactly the slow moving disaster I got slammed for predicting at the beginning of last season, and why I suggested Billy should've jumped back then, to save his father the heartache.

But contrary to widespread expectations we did get a very good year out of him - and he even took us to a Grand Final - but here we are again a year later. Never mind Billy, it's a terrible and unfair predicament for his father, who only wants to see his son succeed.

I feel like we've already seen peak Billy, but I've been wrong about him before. I hope I'm wrong again.

It's interesting to hear an opinion on the current batch of hookers from outside our echo chamber. The opinion here - YMMV - is that we're a hooker away from a Premiership. I think Smoothy is a notch better than they've rated him, but for what it's worth:

 

[Sproj]

Let's say we get everyone back for the business end of the season, who is your bench? Obviously the starting pack is obvious with Haas, Jensen, Piaks, Riki and Carrigan.

Who are you going with at 14 and 17?

14. Smoothy / Mozer / other
15. Willison / other
16. Hetherington / other
17. Oates / Te Kura / Baker / Sailor / Hunt / Taupau / other

 

[Manofoneway]

Exactly the slow moving disaster I got slammed for predicting at the beginning of last season, and why I suggested Billy should've jumped back then, to save his father the heartache.

But contrary to widespread expectations we did get a very good year out of him - and he even took us to a Grand Final - but here we are again a year later. Never mind Billy, it's a terrible and unfair predicament for his father, who only wants to see his son succeed.

I feel like we've already seen peak Billy, but I've been wrong about him before. I hope I'm wrong again.

It's interesting to hear an opinion on the current batch of hookers from outside our echo chamber. The opinion here - YMMV - is that we're a hooker away from a Premiership. I think Smoothy is a notch better than they've rated him, but for what it's worth:

Billy probably eventually needs to accept his age will be a limit to his success. But don't think at all we have seen him peak as of yet. His last game was markedly an improvement from the start of this year. He had some excellent scoots from dummy half, completely bamboozling defence at one point. The only real stain was a missed offload when he was checking around to see where key players were etc. That was more on baker trying to push an offload.

If you take his 2022 form starting his career in the 9 he is much improved. 2023 was a breakout year and I dont think you have seen enough of him this year to say that he's past his peak.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Let's say we get everyone back for the business end of the season, who is your bench? Obviously the starting pack is obvious with Haas, Jensen, Piaks, Riki and Carrigan.

Who are you going with at 14 and 17?

14. Smoothy / Mozer / other
15. Willison / other
16. Hetherington / other
17. Oates / Te Kura / Baker / Sailor / Hunt / Taupau / other

IF Mozer is killing it.....

Mozer & Te Kura

 

[BroncsFan]

The only real stain was a missed offload when he was checking around to see where key players were etc. That was more on baker trying to push an offload.

Nah Billy fucked up on that... the offload was on and was perfectly to him, he just wasn't paying attention.

Tackle wasn't anywhere near completed and he's looking around instead of paying attention to the tackle.

 

[McHunt]

Billy probably eventually needs to accept his age will be a limit to his success. But don't think at all we have seen him peak as of yet. His last game was markedly an improvement from the start of this year. He had some excellent scoots from dummy half, completely bamboozling defence at one point. The only real stain was a missed offload when he was checking around to see where key players were etc. That was more on baker trying to push an offload.

If you take his 2022 form starting his career in the 9 he is much improved. 2023 was a breakout year and I dont think you have seen enough of him this year to say that he's past his peak.

Billy's always had a good dummy, even though we don't see it often. I reckon his old man taught him that one in the backyard when he was seven. He could've scored the other night if he had the legs.

 

[McHunt]

IF Mozer is killing it.....

Mozer & Te Kura

The Magpies could do with that combo killing it.

 

[Mr Fourex]

If you take his 2022 form starting his career in the 9 he is much improved. 2023 was a breakout year and I dont think you have seen enough of him this year to say that he's past his peak.

Not past it....but, standing on it or about to.

If we're lucky future wise, he'll settle into no.14 for us as a fixture.
Which I think is fine.

 

[theshed]

Exactly the slow moving disaster I got slammed for predicting at the beginning of last season, and why I suggested Billy should've jumped back then, to save his father the heartache.

But contrary to widespread expectations we did get a very good year out of him - and he even took us to a Grand Final - but here we are again a year later. Never mind Billy, it's a terrible and unfair predicament for his father, who only wants to see his son succeed.

I feel like we've already seen peak Billy, but I've been wrong about him before. I hope I'm wrong again.

It's interesting to hear an opinion on the current batch of hookers from outside our echo chamber. The opinion here - YMMV - is that we're a hooker away from a Premiership. I think Smoothy is a notch better than they've rated him, but for what it's worth:

Although Riki and Walters did directly contribute to our downfall, I don’t think hooker is what’s holding us back from a GF victory. Both Billy and Smoothy are doing their job at a level good enough to get us there.

 

[Manofoneway]

Nah Billy fucked up on that... the offload was on and was perfectly to him, he just wasn't paying attention.

Tackle wasn't anywhere near completed and he's looking around instead of paying attention to the tackle.

I think that was his only indiscretion and albeit I will concede that he's partially to blame. Still had a good game I thought.

To say we are a hooker away from a grand final is BS... We were 15 minutes away from a GF and I think if Herbies pass didnt hit the ground in the second half the momentum would never have shifted.

 

[Big Del]

Let's say we get everyone back for the business end of the season, who is your bench? Obviously the starting pack is obvious with Haas, Jensen, Piaks, Riki and Carrigan.

Who are you going with at 14 and 17?

14. Smoothy / Mozer / other
15. Willison / other
16. Hetherington / other
17. Oates / Te Kura / Baker / Sailor / Hunt / Taupau / other

I think Mozer could play lock in the future .
I saw during the trials him 1st or 2nd receiver and he didn`t look out of place .

Bit more beef on his frame and I could see him playing small middle .

 

[Manofoneway]

I think Mozer could play lock in the future .
I saw during the trials him 1st or 2nd receiver and he didn`t look out of place .

Bit more beef on his frame and I could see him playing small middle .

If he were to turn himself into a Lock he would be doing it at another club because he's never going to get in the side over Patty. Even off the bench it would be a waste I guess.

We really have no room for another ball playing lock. We do however have a spot coming up in the Hooker dept. in the very near future.

 

[Battler]

Let's say we get everyone back for the business end of the season, who is your bench? Obviously the starting pack is obvious with Haas, Jensen, Piaks, Riki and Carrigan.

Who are you going with at 14 and 17?

14. Smoothy / Mozer / other
15. Willison / other
16. Hetherington / other
17. Oates / Te Kura / Baker / Sailor / Hunt / Taupau / other

The pack and bench I’d be picking for a gf would be: 8. Haas, 9. Walters, 10. Willison, 11. Riki, 12. Piakura, 13. Carrigan, 14. Smoothy, 15, Jensen, 16. Te Kura, 17. Hetho

Jensen only off the bench for experience when haas is off

 

[McHunt]

Although Riki and Walters did directly contribute to our downfall, I don’t think hooker is what’s holding us back from a GF victory. Both Billy and Smoothy are doing their job at a level good enough to get us there.

Oh I think every player who played the GF earned his right to be there, I do also think it's fair to say had we wangled Ben Hunt as hooker we'd have won it. That's more about support for Reyno rather than a knock on either of the hookers.

 

[Big Del]

If he were to turn himself into a Lock he would be doing it at another club because he's never going to get in the side over Patty. Even off the bench it would be a waste I guess.

We really have no room for another ball playing lock. We do however have a spot coming up in the Hooker dept. in the very near future.

No turning involved .
He has vision and passing skills and is a pretty good mover out in the open . Not saying a permanent move . Just more choices to play in the 17 .

Patty won`t play every game in the next 3 years .
And at the moment he does come off for a rest . I have seen Tyson Smoothy play lock this season already ...

 

[Big Del]

Oh I think every player who played the GF earned his right to be there, I do also think it's fair to say had we wangled Ben Hunt as hooker we'd have won it. That's more about support for Reyno rather than a knock on either of the hookers.

Hunt only plays hooker as a reserve 3 times a year .
You reckon he could start and be better than William ? Personally I don`t rate Hunt . Too many errors in his game for my liking .