Most skilful player / GOAT debate

jirskyr said:
Also illustrates beautifully how important young Chris Lawrence was, same as Gareth Ellis, and how having players who are willing to run difficult lines is an important way to disrupt the defence.

Of course there are naturally gifted players like Gasnier who demanded early ball, but if you have big strong runners who can learn to run holes all game, and maintain that work ethic (because it's easy to get lazy or tired doing so much off-ball effort), they become a crucial part of your attack.

Benji gets on the outside because Lawrence reads the play (the decreasing width after Benji shrugs from the attempted tackle) and runs hard to the inside. Given that the defender (Jeff Robson) knows "Marshall to Lawrence" is a standard Tigers attack play, and he's probably been preparing for it all week, the shift of gears by Lawrence to the inside causes Robson to plant his feet and Benji's great dummy sells the fake.

Grothe can no longer trust the inside cover to catch Benji and it sets up arguably the greatest flick pass you will ever see. In fact I'd argue it's not really a flick pass at all - yes it's behind the back, but flicks are usually fast passes to players coming back against the grain (e.g. the GF pass to Richards). This is instead a standard outside pass modality (draw the winger and pass out to your wing), but Benji holds the ball so long to ensure that Grothe is committed, that he can only execute around the back. And Grothe's no fool, he knows it's coming and still almost recovers to push Ayshford out. Half a second earlier from Benji and Ayshford gets tackled.
Click to expand...
Great analysis of it. Benji is often confused for a guy who played recklessly. He has said many times Sheens let him do this stuff because he practiced it religiously. It’s NZL touch football on an NRL field. As Sterlo once said famously, who does that? Benji does.

I also like that you recognise the talent around the halves is important to them playing well. Something often glossed over on here.
 
Joey made players better an a few Newcastle players got rep call ups because of him making them look like superstars
 
Odessa said:
Joey made players better an a few Newcastle players got rep call ups because of him making them look like superstars
Click to expand...
There’s some footage out there of Joey’s first game for Warrington. Worth a watch. He wins them the ball back off their own kick off (trick play) then throws a peach of a ball off the scrum, Warrington score before a tackle is affected in the game. Absolute freak.
 
The most skilful players don’t have to have been the biggest stars. For example, Owen Craigie was incredible when he was on. Just wasn’t very often. Phil Blake, Cliff Lyons. Anyone remember Ali Lauititi?
 
GNR4LIFE said:
The most skilful players don’t have to have been the biggest stars. For example, Owen Craigie was incredible when he was on. Just wasn’t very often. Phil Blake, Cliff Lyons. Anyone remember Ali Lauititi?
Click to expand...
Ali was a kiwi superstar in the early and mid 2000s. John Simon is a good one, comparable to Craigie. On his day he was a golden boots player. Just couldnt give a shit most days.
 
BAGNF05 said:
There’s some footage out there of Joey’s first game for Warrington. Worth a watch. He wins them the ball back off their own kick off (trick play) then throws a peach of a ball off the scrum, Warrington score before a tackle is affected in the game. Absolute freak.
Click to expand...

The GOAT without question

waiting for some crybaby.....wah wah wah but drugs wah wah wah
 
BAGNF05 said:
I saw a different version but that one is just as good. The ability to pass a guy outside his man on full display. Also reliant on your outside men understanding their part.
Click to expand...
Bloke passes the ball to his outside man from a scrum and he's a superstar. What an exaggeration. He was a good halfback but the most overrated player of all time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 461 (members: 2, guests: 459)
Forever online: Tigergran, Geo
Back
Top