www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1unbi.html An interesting article about the 3 imports.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1unbi.html An interesting article about the 3 imports.

Oh dear Keith. You're only saying this to get a bite.

What Keith says about Club player of the year awards is true though.

It is selected by the players and is not indication of a players performance.



There are plenty of examples of players winning that are not the standout player at the Club but are well liked and give their all each game.

Typical Schofield quote. The guy finds it impossible to credit anyone outside of his own era with equal abilities. I mean, it's difficult to argue about the greatness of guys like Ward and Hanley. But aside from the odd decent game (when he was younger) I don't recall Lee Crooks pulling up too many Australian trees.

As you well know. Players player awards are based on who each player thought who was the best player on the park on that given game. Each player is asked who is the players' player. As a player it's the one you want to win. Not a "fans one" or a "member's one". It's one voted on by your peers. Like winning an Oscar of sorts. The Player of the Year is based on exactly the same principle. It's not based on who your mate is.



Keith is a mate of mine. He is on a wind up.

Maybe Rooster, but it does not indicate the player that his Club mates choose is the best player at the Club, it says more about his standing amongst his team mates and in some cases it has even been almost an encouragement award.



For example, in 2010 who was the Players player at Melbourne Storm?

Was it...

Billy Slater?

Cam Smith?

Cooper Cronk?

Greg Inglis?

Ryan Hoffman?

Brett Finch?

Jeff Lima?













No it was Ryan Hinchcliffe, good luck to him.

As Keith said it's not that I don't rate Burgess, it's more-so that he's not gotten into any sort of groove in the NRL, and in between injuries while he's done some great things, he's also been prone to losing the ball in contact, or dropping it cold.



I rate Burgess massively, he has the potential, he's just failed to live up to it so far. He had a fantastic game last week, but he needs to put a few of them together to really be up there. So far in the NRL he's dropped more balls than Manu Vatuvei, I don't know if they've got some sort of wager going or what



Ellis on the other hand has been a monster and I can't see how anyone can see other wise. He would walk into either Origin team, he would walk into the Australian team, he would walk into the Kiwi team. Burgess has the potential to go better, but possibility and reality are often different things. The best thing for Sam is getting in a full season, getting a few games then being injured can't be doing much for him.



All 3 are great in their own right, Burgess of the 3 is the flakiest, and most prone to mistakes and injury. If you're looking to buy one of them he'd be the last I buy, but then he probably has the most impressive season in the history of the world when you tell him you aren't interested, and probably scores 2 tries against you in a grand final ----- granted he moves to a better club than the Rabbitohs

Hasler is right. Graham has achieved very little other than collecting a heap of losers medals both at club and international level.

I'd have Crooks ahead of Ward, and it wasn't the 'odd decent game' as a youngster

Crooks was a superb ball handling forward and was nominated in Western Suburbs team of the 80s.

With Saints :

Minor Premiers 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Chalenge Cup winners 2006, 2007, 2008

SL Grand Final winners 2006

World Club Champions 2007



Individual:

Young Player of the Year 2006

Man of Steel 2008





Des Hasler knows jack s**t.

Maybe Hasler was trying to take the pressure of him?

Des Hasler (a Coach I dislike) knows more than most Coaches in England it appears.

Whereas Ward did the business in the biggest game on the planet against the best. Crooks had plenty of ability - but he often failed to live up to it. I can only recall watching both and who I feared the most. Crooks was problematic but I rarely worried excessively when he carried the ball. Ward was a guy you simply had to put three men on or he would tear your defence to shreds.



And yes, Crooks' best days were earlier in his career (before, say, 25-26). Ward was a handful right up to 33 (despite, admittedly, being a bit of a later starter).