Roar Guru
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Appointed "Consultant to Blues Head Coach" Michael Maguire 2024 Origin Series. Radio SEN League Analyst, The Jimmy Smith Show. Recruitment & List Analyst at Canterbury Bulldogs since 2022, Also NZ Kiwis, NSW Blues, previously Performance Analytics Consultant - Melbourne Storm (4 years)...WARNING! I don't get splinters when I sit down, and if you disagree with my view that's OK, just keep talking to me.
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Hi Joe,
You don’t mind making a bold prediction:
“Capewell was an absolute revelation at centre for Queensland”
“Wayne Bennett has once again reclaimed his throne as the greatest coach in rugby league history”
I would debate both of those statements, at the very least you should have included the word “arguably”.
Just saying.
Is centre rugby league's most under-appreciated position?
Manly have a young champion fullback called Tolutau Koula, who they will likely be forced to play Centre or Wing. He has 100 yards on Saab as a player and would probably beat him in a match race.
Sign me up: The five most astute signings of 2021
Because the sympathy card is more powerful
Sign me up: The five most astute signings of 2021
Louis,
If you are going to use the term “astute” then you must also add the player’s salary as it is totally relative.
Tino and Bird both command huge pay packets. The true definition of an astute signing is someone who is signed on for a minimum and turns out to be a star. eg Harry Grant
Sign me up: The five most astute signings of 2021
Baz, it was ALWAYS about money, it is always about money.
Sign me up: The five most astute signings of 2021
Criticism of Freddy not playing Papenhuyzen in Game 3 as cover for Tedesco is off the mark.
Paps is an out and out fullback and would create a huge opposition opportunity if he were to play any other position. The fact that Teddy was injuring during G3 was just bad luck, but to be clear, he was replaced by champion Eels specialist Fullback Clinton Gutherson.
If I am going to be critical, selecting two “non-centres” was a telling error. The Panthers won 17 games straight for a reason and I definitely would have played Stephen Crichton at Left Centre and put his teammate Luai next to him at 6 which would all have known exactly what halfback Cleary was going to do in advance. As good as he is, Wighton was shocking in defence playing centre and he would have been my 14 which would have meant he would have replaced Teddy when he went down.
It is crucial in the rep games with only a small window to prepare that the Coach and his selectors focus on team chemistry which often is not the best players, but the best combination enhancing team cohesion.
Fittler learns from Origin series defeat
Hi Willie,
I value RL players for a living and while any opinionated article like yours is simply an “opinion”, something you are entitled to have, it does not change the silliness of your headline.
The 2 highest-rated players in my system are Andrew Johns and Jonathan Thurston. Without going into any detail Cooper Cronk is not even in the conversation and I am certain Coops would be the first to agree.
Sorry universe, but Cooper Cronk is superior to Johnathan Thurston
sweet
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
Hi Matth,
Harry is the next 9, Jahrome the 7 and Pape the 1. It is still early, but all 3 of them are ahead of who they replaced.
Cam came to the Storm at 23 and Harry is 22.
Cronk came as a reserve and bill started on the Wing.
The impact players have on a line is not based on their club team, but a rep team.
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
Rob,
I have made a very good living for a long while with my algorithm as you put it. You are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine.
I will add this. We may be including Harry Grant in the conversation in another decade.
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
Hi nat,
Mate I don’t understand what you are trying to say.
What has support players got to do with anything?
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
YES, I am.
I think I am better and more equipped at putting a Rated Value (RV) on a player than a player who can be very biased (as Coaches can be) and do not watch every minute of every match and have all the analytics at their disposal.
btw, Smithy also said Thurston is the best player he has seen or played against or with.
This is all a mute argument, as it is largely opinion-based, but I can back up mine with data.
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
Hi Tim,
“Greatest” is an interesting adjective.
In Smithy’s case, he has no peer when it comes to breaking records and winning awards.
I first met him in the Storm Coaches office in 2016 when he walked in just prior to Nathan Cleary’s debut match. He was totally focused even then on the match the following night and asked the then Assistant Coach Adam O’Brien: ” what was Trent Merrin’s first movement?” “Does he step off his right or left first.”
I was blown away at the level of detail that was seeking, especially as he had just played a State of Origin match 48 hours earlier.
That said, the barometer I would use when rating the best ever are made of of many benchmarks, but two stand out:
1. If all players are the same age in the same era, who would command the most $ on the open market?
2. When I am rating a team if a player is withdrawn, who would have the biggest negative impact on the game price (betting) line?
When I apply this philosophy both Andrew Johns and Jonathan Thurston beat Cam Smith.
You don't have to like him, but you do have to admit Cameron Smith is rugby league's greatest ever
Rellum,
Spot on mate.
It is crazy having former players voting.
It should be done by professionals who use Video analysis and data. The NRL has an entire department who do this. These guys are massive talents and would paint a more accurate, non-controversial picture.
Jack Wighton wins 2020 Dally M Medal after surprise victory was revealed too early
There is no knock on Jack Wighton here as he is a worthy winner of any footy prize, but the result highlighted the floored selection process.
Wighton won the Dally M by 1 point.
* How Jack polled 3 votes in Rounds 15, 16, 18 and 19 each time above Josh Papalii has created unwanted controversy.
* Greg Alexander gave Gutherson only 2 points in Round 17 when I rated him the best on the ground. Ok, I may well be wrong and brandy may be right allocating 3 points to RTS, but Brandy is Deputy Chair at the Panthers and his half Nathan Cleary was the DallyM hot favourite. No suggestion that Brandy was trying to help his own player but he should never have been put in this position.
* Gutho also had a blinder in Round 20 and Brett Kimmorley did not allocate him any points and he was only defeated by a single point.
For the record, I did not have Jack Wighton on my leaderboard with my top 3
Clinton Gutherson
James Tedesco
Nathan Cleary
Also,
* NRL Nation did not have Wighton in their top 10 (Winner Ryan Papenhuyzen)
* Supercoach did not have Wighton in their top 10 (Winner Tedesco)
Whatever the NRL do next year must exclude any former ex players as judges as they are all aligned to their own clubs. we do not need the controversy.
Jack Wighton wins 2020 Dally M Medal after surprise victory was revealed too early
Hopeless,
According to the DallyM judges’ Papa was outvoted by Wighton in their last 4 clashes. Go figure that one out.
Six talking points from the NRL semi-finals
Hi Scott,
It seems out of sight out of mind.
A reminder that Jason Taumalolo is superior to Josh Papalii in almost every key data points that I weight highly for a middle forward.
* he plays 8.6 mins longer
* runs 57 metres further
* has a superior Metres per Minute rate
* superior Avg gain Per Run
* makes more runs
* makes more tackle breaks
* passes more
What is disappointing for the game is that Josh was born in Auckland and was a junior Kiwi and chose Origin over his Country of birth, while Jason Taumalolo, also born in Auckland and played 10 Test Matches for NZ, but now has turned his back on the big Origin $s to play for his heritage, Tonga.
Six talking points from the NRL semi-finals
This is a super Maroon team; I think it will be close:
1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Ronaldo Mulitalo
3 Michael Morgan
4 Dane Gagai
5 Valentine Holmes
6 Cameron Munster
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Patrick Carrigan
9. Harry Grant
10 Josh Papalii
11 David Fifita
12 Felise Kaufusi
13 Jai Arrow
14. AJ Brimson
15. Tino Faasuamaleaui
16. Lindsay Collins
17. Moeaki Fotuaika
Picking Harry Grant at 9 was perhaps my easiest choice. I expect him to be the Kangaroo 9 in Nth Engand in Nov next year for the World Cup.
Brimson is simply too good to leave out. He can cover any position in the backline and also spell at 9. He could also play a roving 13 roll if they needed points late.
I am told that Faasuamaleaui and Fotuaika can play they they are must-haves. Collins data from the bench is outstanding.
The three Queensland clubs are struggling, so where does that leave the Maroons?
“Shaun Johnson performing as well as he used to do.”
WRONG
He is avg 1.3 Try assists each week.
Michael Maguire has taken NZ to the World #1 ranking and will be very hard to beat as World Champs.
I have booked my ticket and am counting the days.
Who could dethrone Australia at the next Rugby League World Cup?
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will be left centre and Taupau will not be considered.
Who could dethrone Australia at the next Rugby League World Cup?
Placepunter
I normally do not reply to people who are too gutless to use their real name, but Grant was not “gifted” to Wests Tigers. It was a club initiative given that Farah retired, Liddle did an ACL and Jake Simpkin was only 18. There was a lot of painstaking negotiations that took place and was all created and driven by the club in a landmark deal.
Don’t let the facts spoil a good story.
Why Harry Grant must not stay with Wests Tigers
Any club that pays $1.25m for a non-spine player does not comprehend the salary cap.
Interesting that the Eels knocked back the opportunity to sign Fifita for 300k only 2 years ago.
Titans predict smooth Fifita transition
The guts of the Maroon team will not play for a month prior to kick-off. Not ideal.
My Queensland State of Origin team
Rellum,
If it is stats based then that is even worse. Who wrote the program? Or, who interpreted it?
Benji got a Try and a try assist, Billy Walters got a Try and a Try Assist, Luciano got 2 Tries, did 180m and 34 Tackles for No Misses, Harry Grant did 10 DH runs, 1 Try and 39 Tackles while Josh Aloiai did 212m and 25 Tackles.
Haas is an out and out champion of the game, but he was very well contained by the Wests Tigers forwards and he never looked dangerous.
Broncos, the game has changed, but the battle has not
It is true the Panthers have Edwards at fullback, and also options to use Crichton, Staines and even May if required, but they have just added their best young prospect Sunia Turuva to their NRL training squad and if he continues his progress we will command $1m one day. He is the best fullback to not play NRL as yet.
This swap deal between Momi and Lawrie is a genuine win/win for all concerned and both clubs should be applauded for making it happen.
Lawrie comes from winning stock and has big boots to fill as it was around this time last year that Wests Tigers cemented the “deal of the year” with Harry Grant, who went on to become Rookie of the Year and play a vital winning hand for the Maroons to claim the State of Origin Series.
Here’s to consecutive Rookie of the Year awards for Wests Tigers…
Tigers settle Penrith swap deal for Laurie