Please give it away, Boyd

Good call, Barry

And all I did was provide my opinion that you should retire... After all you suggested retirement based on your opinion with nothing else to back it up. The roosters had a better F/A in games Cordner played and his personal stats suggest he's still an elite back rower. Do you have any stats to suggest you make the discourse better after your posts? I personally don't see it and given your view of Cordner, despite the stats, needs to be respected surely my low view of your opinion needs to be as well?

No worries Bill. I think a lot of people don't quite realise the impact that aggressive comment reactions can have on others. In a rugby league discussion the word 'soft' is surely an accepted term in a friendly debate, it is used by ex-players in the media all the time. You are entitled to your opinion and if people disagree with you they should counter your opinion with more facts and less vitriole. In case no-one noticed, Bill ended his initial comment with " they seem unwilling to help him retire gracefully which he deserves", which shows respect and compassion for Boyd and his dilemma.

As has been said many times in this forum, Boyd Corner is a courageous, wholehearted player who has set a great example on and off the field. As has also been said, he has achieved everything in the game. I am not commenting on his recent performances and I am not a Rooster supporter. I am just a concerned supporter. I believe he does not have a choice about retiring. It's way too dangerous for him to continue. From a humane point of view - the NRL needs to step in and medically retire him. Even if they find a role for him in the game or outside of it - if he wishes. Set an example for player welfare not just for the immediate future of the player, for the rest of their lives. It cannot be left to the players and clubs. Forget about legal protection for the NRL, the administration of the game need to look after people that have played NRL.

Gotta say when the real story came out about that chat a wry smile came across the face.

All good Bill. I missed Graeme's comment, it was a good one. No doubt there's a few around who do agree he wasn't at his best late in the season but not so many going to follow that down the 'soft, old, has-been' path. The context without the hyperbole is probably a good debate to have.

Fair enough Nat. I’ve read your posts on this site before you clearly know a lot about the game. You’ve said the same thing as Graeme, albeit in a more ‘direct’ way lol but sure, I’ve said what I think, folks don’t agree. I accept that and I will now shut up and move on. Bill

Fair reply and response, thanks Graeme. Yeah, maybe I'm defensive, was a bit surprised to be on the receiving end of cheap shots, and abusive replies, especially from a Roar Author. You'd assume they'd like engagement, but post something they don't agree with, Barry here cuts you down with one word cheap shots and personal attacks. But your reply is fair. Calling a league player soft, or done, has been is standard pub talk for me and my mates, I suppose it's a slur but only in the sense it's taking the opposite viewpoint of all the praise, talking the "hard man" up views. A bit hard to accept all the up-side charged accolades are fine, but never use an emotive word on the downside. So we don't like "has been" so I'll just say he's not the player he was, he sure didn't look it in the back 1/3 of 2020. But indeed, it wasn't just Cordner that was soft for the Roosters, the whole team was in the back end of that season. Would love to know what actually happened there in that dressing room when they took the pathetic soft route for the Souths game. Let's see how he goes this year, and yes, I too hope who I see as an overrated NSW forward who is showing signs of being past his best, avoids the "has been" tag, or worse suffers later in life due to the repeated concussions. I guess I'm just agreeing with the Author, he should retire for his own good. Thanks again for an engaging reply that fairly challenged my views, it at least made me stop and think about my choice of words. Later, Bill

Bill, if it was just me returning serve it would be subjective and by the way you're carrying on, you must have watched a different game/season that everyone else who disagrees here. I've seen Cordner get stood up and miss tackles, I've never seen him shirk it and avoid any collision. This is a debate site, not fox sports where one line bile is acceptable commentary. You want to double down with 'soft, old has been hwo's just playing for the money' comments you'd want to back it up with something. Not one person agreed with you and this is pretty diverse site fan wise, there are no untouchables. It's also an opinion site and you are welcome to yours but you are wrong. Can't win em all mate.

I was going to refer to him as a Pelican, but then I thought of how Mr Percival would feel being heaped in with him :thumbup:

I think your being a little defensive Bill. No one's really piling in on you here. "Has been" is of course a slur and you seem to be backing away from the slur one minute and then defending it the next. I've never seen anything less than full blown commitment from Cordner, but I do plan to go back and have a look at that Canberra game to see what you are talking about. For mine the decision by Trent Robinson not to play competitively in that late season record loss against Souths, was the disgrace of the season. The Roosters never recovered and Robinson should be sacked. If Cordner and co. were showing a lack of commitment in the finals it may be a reflection of the coach beginning to lose the locker room. We shall see. As for the "has been" tag you've probably just gone a little early. The most worrying thing is Cordner needing six months off for a head knock. It is just crazy to continue playing. If he does continue to play for a couple of seasons and cannot get back to a high standard then you might have a case for the "has been" tag, but a few bad games or even one below par season does not yet make you a "has been". It would be sad to see and I would be very surprised if Cordner ever played on long enough to earn that label.

Currently CTE can only be diagnosed upon inspection of the brain post mortem

Spot on Nat The level of some of the posters on here recently leaves a lot to be desired. And I notice most are "Guests"

I don’t hate him despite him playing for NSW or the Roosters, but he was soft, he was hiding from big hits, maybe we watched different games. I go for QLD despite not living there, but it’s not material, he was very poor. I also hate Brisbane lol what a mess. I challenge you to re watch that Raiders game and despite the stats tell me he wasn’t hiding and ducking hits. Yet he still gets picked for NSW, of course. I’m just agreeing with Barry here, it’s time he hangs up his tired old “I’m a has been” boots and looks after his personal health. The vitriol and personal attacks having an alternative viewpoint is worrying, a sign of the times I suppose. Even the author has chosen to take cheap shots and make personal attacks, classy indeed. Anyway I don’t get it, it’s not personal, I don’t know him or his family or team mates, but I objectively think he’s finished and is now ahas been”. Soft if you will. Done. Anyway all subjective Nat, let’s see what he brings in 2021. Fact is I could be wrong, let’s see how Kr Washed up goes?! Bill

Those are his 2020 stats and the last being his State of Origin in Oct. Total average with no cherry picking so there is no disagreeing - not an opinion - those are the facts. That Canberra game, yep, stood up by Papalii for thr try. The chooks missed 42 tackles collectively that night - all Boyd's fault? That game, another 170rm (most of all roosters pack) and 31 tackles. He misses 1/10 tackles and that's enough to go from Aust Capt material to Has Been? Opened with he's a "has been" and now you're calling him soft and only playing for the money. I don't mind blunt but don't pretend it's not personal. I'm a Qlder, I don't like any NSW teams and the chooks sit a top of that. It's perfectly fine to hate on the Roosters but you're OTT on Cordner.

Excuse the formatting.

A few thoughts: - I think the NRL should pay him to retire. - Even never "Chookers" like Boyd. - He has played, lead, lost and won with humility and distinction. - May be a discussion with Elton Flatley is in order. To disagree with you on one point Ben... I think he should step on the field again, one last time for a well deserved lap of honour for a career well played!

It's a tough situation for the poor bloke. Nobody likes to end their career prematurely due to injuries and based on the kind of person Cordner is you get the sense he'd be more determined than most to play through it and not let it get in his way. A "bugger off, I'll stop when I'm ready" sorta attitude. It's completely understandable, but concussions and head injuries are not something you want to take lightly. CTE is a scary, scary thing and even if he escapes that, every concussion is only doing more and more damage to his brain. He's a champion of the tricolours, and he'll go down as one of their best this century, but he shouldn't step on the field again. His resume is a glittering one, and the last thing anybody wants to see is a horrific or even tragic injury if he pushes himself too far.

I am no doctor and am always reluctant to make calls on what 'should happen' but the game is at stake here. People can talk about taking the medical advice etc but in the end people with vested interests are giving this advice. Boyd was allowed back on the field in SOO because he was deemed to have no symptoms but then needs 8 months out of the game? How is that possible unless either the in game testing protocols are weak and unreliable or decisions are not being made from an impartial viewpoint. Get the answer wrong and our game doesn't exist in 20 years.