The Manly Sea Eagles and South Sydney Rabbitohs are out of the running for the 2012 NRL Premiership after respective losses on the weekend. Is it any wonder when you see how Tony Williams and Dave Taylor performed?
Both men are giants and can win any game of football that they set their minds to.
With State of Origin and Australian jumpers sitting in their wardrobes, you wonder just what happened to these monsters over the weekend.
Where were the big hits? Where were the devastating runs?
Who cares if they didn’t perform? They have big guaranteed contracts for rival clubs in 2013 you see. This is the damning dark side of professional rugby league. What was their mindset when their sides’ fortunes took a nosedive?
Williams and Taylor left the fans scratching their heads after shockers in the biggest games of their season last week. There was nothing.
Taylor was a passenger against the Melbourne Storm in week one of the playoffs and continually hurt his side – whether giving away silly penalties or coughing up possession.
Coach Michael Maguire rightfully hooked him after 20 minutes and didn’t use him again until the 65th minute.
The Queenslander was hooked again after 20 minutes against the Canterbury Bulldogs when he missed a tackle on Greg Eastwood. You sense Maguire knew something too.
Sea Eagles’ Williams (or is he now a Bulldog?) was equally shocking in Melbourne on Friday. After arguing he was an 80 minute player a few weeks back, ‘T-Rex’ failed to show he was even a first grader against the Storm.
“Personally I reckon I can play a good 80 minutes. I don’t care what anyone says,” Williams told reporters prior to the week two clash against North Queensland.
“They say Toovey doesn’t use me well. It’s not Toovey’s fault.
“It’s all up to me. Only I can change that and I know I can do a good job there this weekend (against the Cowboys).”
In a preliminary final bout against the Storm, Williams proved his mind was elsewhere. There was no respect for the club that paid massive overs to lure him away from Parramatta. The same guys that made him a superstar.
The backrower dropped the pill cold with his first touch, which directly led to Cooper Cronk’s try.
Williams was then at first marker minutes later with the Storm pressing for points. The alarm bells should have been ringing when Billy Slater went into dummy half.
Instead of getting low and preparing for the inevitable Slater ambush, big Tony stood tall and never had a chance against the legendary fullback. It is a little thing, but it’s obvious when you think about it.
Later in the match and with Melbourne surging once more, Williams went for a shoulder charge on Will Chambers, despite the centre being only metres from the tryline. You don’t shoulder charge that close to your own line. Chambers bounced away and continued the attack.
Neither Williams and Taylor seemed to care. Were their hearts in it?
marayong tiger
Guest
Change the sub rules. make it harder to run the big blokes on/off. give smaller players the chance to shine.
Yam Nuts
Guest
Williams just lacks urgency in everything he does. Hitups, tackles, involvement, everything. The biggest indicator of his lack of urgency are the painfully slow play the balls. When he has a good run instead of giving his team-mates the opportunity of making the most of it through a quick play the ball he gradually gets to his feet and plays the ball in slow motion, taking away any advantage his run may have created in the first place. Having said that, it could be due to his back injury but then again when you take everything into account it seems more of a mental problem than physical.
Razza
Guest
Taylor is streets ahead of Williams when it comes to putting it in for his team, both in attack and defence. I wont miss Williams next year, nor the fans, he has done nothing to help the Eagles in the finals, he is a lazy loaf and the dogs can have him, but if he performs better while at the Dogs, then he wont be very popular with the Eagles fans and they will take it out on him when they meet. Goooooood Byeeeeeeeee Tonyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. GO THE EAGLES
BB Fan
Guest
Also add Hodkinson and Inu to that list, both apparently on over 200K and James Graham who must be on some good coin.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Well if their Mad Monday is too big some of them might burst!
Bakes72
Guest
Gotta agree with you on this one Bones. Interchange has just about killed our game. Does anyone remember when Manly used to have subs like Pauly Shaw? That's what we all wanted to watch. Players that would come on at the end of a close game, and just tear it up. Maybe the game should try 8 subs per game. 4 per half. Cause it will kill our game. That an very poor referring. I can not believe Des Hasler is wanting the refs to be able to leave the side of the field and view television footage to control the game. What the bosses of league thinking. It's Rugby League, not the National Football League of America.
mike from tari
Guest
Taylor was already on the Gold Coast long before the finals started, Williams is still a winger, he does not know how to tackle, he is lazy & when he gets a small niggle he's ready for the bench.
GCTiger
Guest
The concept was broken a long time ago. Funny how no one called it a joke when Brad Thorn played for QLD. Papali has lived there longer than many of there players. Inglis, Hunt, Tonie Carrol, Falou, even Thaiday was born in Sydney, not sure when he moved. New rules of 50% of life should be good.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
He's a better option than Papalii .. give me a break QLD .. you're killing the concept you created
Stanley Bridge
Guest
I agree with Eagle Jack and rl although Des Hasler will get the most out of T-rex. On the other hand John Cartwright has his hands full with the biggest "cat" in the competition. When the going gets tough, Taylor gets going in the opposite direction. If he happens to get caught in the arena of action it will be as rl says, flop tackles, lazy forearms and let's add jersy grabs. Dave Taylor shines when his side is winning comfortably, or he is opposing a less formidable forward pack. I keep harking back to this footage of Taylor looking like he needs to change his jocks when confronted with an angry Luke O'Donnell. He freezes like a roo in the spotlight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=dYBnHIIxd2c at about the 50 second mark. I am a Maroon supporter and believe if the team is to win any further series we can not and absolutely should not play Dave Taylor or one season wonder, Matt Gillette.
JazzyJase
Roar Pro
Massive size at the Doggies next year. there is also a young kid in Toyota Cup who will be knocking on the door of the first grade next year and he is a man mountain
Bones
Guest
No point blaming these guys ! Until we revert back to NO interchange players ( just 4 replacements), we will continue to be driven mad by dumb, overweight 10 minute players like these two in question ! Williams can't tackle ! He can grope ! And once a game he gets back 10 metres and makes a charge ! Good luck there Desi ! Dave Taylor actually has some skills, but until he gets a right attitude and gets himself fit, he is only good for a couple of spread out runs and is a liability in defence ! Get rid of the interchange rule and bring back the fit, serious , 80 minute footballers !
Curtis Woodward
Expert
From little things .. big things grow
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Big risk for the Dogs considering Pritchards workrate prior to 2012. If Hasler can change Williams than all the best.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
How much do you pay for a 20 minute player though?
rl
Guest
agreed EJ, Williams has had a very disrupted year. 2012 has been a bit of a write-off for him. If I was a Rabbs fan I'd be saying good riddance to Taylor. You could see James Graham verballing him: "come in to do some real work champ? F*ck off back to the wing you big p*ssy!" And the cheap shots - flop takles, lazy forearms to the head. Taylor is clearly unfit and out of form, meaning he resorts to cheap thuggery and lazy options.
turbodewd
Guest
Taylor better ask for proof that his super is being paid by mgmt. I read an article on FoxSports saying that the Titans owe the ATO 2 million across 4 tax debts AND are behind by 300,000 on super payments for employees and players.
eagleJack
Guest
Manly won a premiership with T-Rex playing 80mins. There is no doubt he has the ability to do it. The reason for his average form this year is that he missed around 15 rounds of football due to suspension, injury and Origin. He is the kind of bloke who needs to be playing regularly. Rounds 1-3 this year he was immense. Almost unstoppable after a great pre-season. But then he was suspended against the Sharks and we didn't see him for a few months. Rushing him into Origin was a massive mistake. If he has a strong pre-season he should recapture his 2011 and early 2012 form. But he is injury prone and only needs a small indiscretion to see him spend an extended amount of time on the sidelines. So he is definitely a gamble.
oikee
Guest
They do one or two hitups and stand around like mugchops trying to get air into those lungs. Put 3 in the tackle, make them work hard off the ground, its all over. Both should be 10 minute impact players. Imagine bringing them on with 10 minutes to go in both halves.
Johnno
Guest
Dave Taylor and Idiris Whooper burger at gold coast failure. 2 of the biggest and most talented men in the sport both destroying Gold coast's salary cap next year. T-rex for those to be reminded do not worry his future is good. Next year he will be a dogs, under old mentor Des Hasler. How dogs can afford T-rex,Kasiano, Pritchard,Ennis, and Barba, and morris I will never know. But T-rex form will improve next year at the dogs wow is that the biggest forwad pack just about ever at dogs next year some big boppers that's for sure.