Eels Blogs

Replies

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  eels_brad March 29, 2010 at 11:35pm

  He was good for us, has unlimited potential but I don't want him back in the blue and gold.
  
  I still feel (and this is my opinion) that he used his "condition" to get out of his contract as he was sick of being talked up as "the next sterlo" and copping the criticism that came with that. He did the exact same thing as Lyon except had the decency to inform the club and his team mates.
  
  Ozzy has worked hard to get a positive culture and vibe in our team. Our recruitment must continue to reflect this which is why you'll never see me saying "let's sign thurston" (on top of the obviously salary cap situation).
  
  I wish him the best of luck at the sharks under Ricky "career killer" Stuart, but his days as an eel are well at truely over
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  1Eyed Eel March 29, 2010 at 11:52pm

  Yep, sorry Beau he's signed until 2011.
  
  I think we have to accept that Daniel Mortimer will be our half back for the next three years. The club has put a big bet on Mortimer and now we have to hope he comes through and takes his game to the next level as a first receiver once the club makes that decision.
  
  While, he's obviously had a very ordinary start to the year, we need to get behind the kid because his development is our best chance of bringing home a premiership. As was shown with Robson last year, when you have a player like Hayne in your side you don't need to have a Thurston at halfback.
  
  He's been given the chance to freshen up and come back into the side in a much easier match and I think we'll see him significant improvement from him this weekend and it won't surprise me if this is the week the club decides to make the move into first receiver (even if he is named at six).
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  Jabby Jabz March 30, 2010 at 8:26am

  Look, He had everything ; A passing game, Kicking Game, Running game - but only 1 thing had to stuff up his career ; Alcohol .. ( We should all know that ) .. He put 40/20s all around - long passes, try assists - actually, theres a video on youtube where smith throws out this LONG pass to inu and he slots it in the corner :)
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  slip March 30, 2010 at 11:18am

  Have him back? No way, Tim Smith is a ghost from the past.
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  1Eyed Eel March 30, 2010 at 3:25pm

  Tim Smith is why I take second-year syndrome for halves so very seriously. If ever there was a halfback who was just going to go on and become a legend of the game it was Smith. He truly did look to have it all. However, when you're that good and you're the focal point of a team, opposition coaches put all of their playing and coaching resources into stopping you. They develop an understanding for when you're going to do that famous banana kick and where it's likely to go. They run traffic at you all day and sap your energy and try and bust-up your body. In Tim Smith's case they figured out his running game was his weakness and so you only really had to watch the supports. Basically, unless you can take your game to new levels you're screwed and we've seen it time and time again.
  
  I almost think Tim Smith's demise was in some ways the death of the halfback as the most important position in the game. When someone with his brilliance was in the end so easily negated (and I recognise his personal problems contributed to it), it showed that any halfback could be pretty effectively nullified and that's why the creative fullback has now become the most important role in the game.
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  Michael Ericson March 30, 2010 at 4:02pm

  Nobody ever totally nullified Andrew Johns, or now nullifies Jonathon Thurston (even though he simply doesn't have the team to back him up) or scott prince.
  
  I agree that fullback is our most important position 1 eyed, but it changes from team to team.
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  Johno March 30, 2010 at 4:08pm

  You could probably add being "The Next Sterlo" to the list of pressures as well. Tim certainly was a bit more tentative than he had been that is for sure. He almost got us to the GF in 2005 and then just fell in a heap.
  
  I hope going to the Sharks will work out for him. He is jumping into a massive pressure cooker there; He again will have the eyes of the NSW media on him, a completely under performing team, a coach who gives the impression of no half back will ever be as good as me but should be and Tim's favourite night club.
  
  Good luck Tim, your Maroon jumper is waiting!
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  1Eyed Eel March 30, 2010 at 4:19pm

  I'd argue that Thurston has been pretty effectively nullified and the fact that the team with the best halfback in the competition hasn't made the last couple of final series very much proves my point.
  
  As a flipside, the teams with the best fullbacks have featured in the last few grandfinals.
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    YDIDISAYIDO > 1Eyed Eel March 31, 2010 at 8:52pm

    Thurstons dominates in most games.... His teamates can't tackle... that's their big problem IMO.
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  Michael Ericson March 30, 2010 at 4:21pm

  No but the team with a halfback I consider in the top three or four - Cooper Cronk - won the thing and in my opinion was never going to lose it.