After reading the posts to my blog I thought I would add more on Corey Norman.
Norman's biggest problem since being here imo is that he hasn't had a decent halves partner. He has always had the talent but never always showed it. Whether this is because he lacked a decent halves partner or has matured as a player but his form last year was a big step up from previous years. He also appeared to run more last year and made a few line breaks which usually led to trys.
He now has that quality that all good players have...TIME and VISION!
How effortlessly does he throw a good long pass to an unmarked player, when he runs he looks slow but is deceptively quick and he doesn't look phased when under pressure. He has taken huge strides to fulfil the potential he has always had.
With improvements in the roster, more offloading by the forwards and a decent halves partner (Gutho or Fog) I expect big things from him this year. Look out JT, CN is coming for you! A big statement I know but I truly believe our roster has been the best since 2001 and Norman will shine brightly this year.
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Way I read it Corey has basically played at 6 with the eels until Forans foray and then with mixed partners until his suspension, The signing of Robson helped him for a while but when out the result of Gutho stepping up in the 6 spot has opened up the 7 spot to make his own. In the 1st part someone mentioned that Norman's early career was as a half, if that's correct then he has the background to seal that spot in the team.
Reading the TCT reports on training there has been a lot of work being done with the main contenders for the halves positions, Norman, Fogarty, Gutho, Robson, not sure if King was mentioned or not, there has been a lot of work in the running of the ball, passing as well as with kick options. Meaning if all falls into place we can expect whoever wins the 2 spots and even the backups will fit in nicely into the flow of the team.
Certainly much will flow around Norman and how he guides the team around, he's got the contract now and is in reality a senior member of the team and has to step up to plate, how good he is and can be is in his court. Whoever is his halves partner will also go a long way in determining how good he is.
Glenn we cant forget a few things.
He played FB at the Bronc before he came here as 5/8th
He has improved each year but so have the whole team (slowly)
He needs a solid partner in the halves. Sandow and he error rate didnt help gain field position and pressure. But this year Robo was solid and Normy won some of our games almost single handed.
I think hes finally learning how to play in the halves, has more experience and maturity to play his natural game and hopefully Guth will be that solid partner he needs. Oh and hopefully he keeps his nose clean.
Normy has always had potential and thats why he was identified as another Locker from an early age. I think this year he showed the doubters he could play and hopefully next year is even better.
Tbur, while Norman played fullback at the horses he was a reluctant 1, he was put there to fill the spot, he was at loggerheads with the coaching staff there at the time and his preferred position was 6 at the time, and very much a reason why he left the horses, of course the money was a bonus here as well. When he signed on he very much said that he wanted to make the 6 his spot which he did for a while, and considering the rocky halves partners he's had and this last years episodes he has certainly proved his worth and his game.
I doubt he's too fussed at losing the 6 spot but he has the chance to take the 7 spot as his own, that will also likely depend a bit on how Gutho advances his credentials as a 6 or really another utility, the emergence or not of Fog may put some areas of challenges to those two spots, thing is though a more stable season for Norman is what will hopefully really make him as a top line player.
I understand it was his preferred position. All I was meaning is it takes time to get used to a position and fullback is different to half.
Sorry Glen, but couldn't this have been added to Pt 1?
It's not like your original blog was 12 months ago?
GEEZ you can be slow at times B Bear - Trilogy then Movie.
If you put it all in one book the audience has nothing to look forward to.
Pt 1 - "The making of Corey"
Pt 2 - "Corey's Challenge"
Pt 3 - ????????
See? that's how all good best selling authors do it.
OK Brett, I said he played FB before coming to Parra and he did.
If we need to get pedantic, he played FB in '13 then came to Parra in '14 where he had to get used to a new team and a team playing badly.
He then had a better '15 but the team with Sandow was still an issue. In 2016 with a solid halves partner he started to excel.
Is that better?
and he doesn't look phased when under pressure
Think Gus Gould here - WRONG - WRONG - WRONG !
Norman is a little bit quicker between the ears for the last half of HIS season but although he "doesn't look phased" he drops his bundle and makes some really dumb decisions and kicks too many times imo.
Norman needs room and time to be at his best.
That said he does have great vision for the unmarked winger and mostly puts his long pass where it needs to be.
His kicking has improved but the Jury is still out on this atm - his running game needs improvement - runs too often and becomes predictable - he does support players pretty well - talker and organising has come on very nicely.
Norman's first year here he didn't have a dominant forward pack and couldn't think fast enough to keep up with Lil Chrissy - PLUS was over called by Hayne too often.
2015 was a mixed bag and it was obvious he wasn't really interested in footy but the parties with the occasional decent (not good) game.
Toward the end of 2015 he must have had a wake up call and started playing some good footy.
2016 - surprise - surprise - he came good, but as I said in Pt 1 he was inconsistent - just when we thought he had sorted himself and was really showing excellent leadership and team organisation he gets himself suspended.
2017 - we can only hope for *NEXT YEAR*sigh.
I am still not sold on Norman even though he does show he could be something special.
If we don't see him step up in 2017 then perhaps Wenty would suit him better.
He plays better at 6 than 7.
Phuck I'm a slow learner.
Thanks Col..
ORF SEEZUN combined with Christmas can do that to you mate.
I'm only here to help.
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