Best halfbacks in the competition

[Ryan]

This thread should be a good one......

1. Cooper Cronk
2. Johnathan Thurston 'does all the basic stuff really well'
3. Mitchell Pearce
4. Luke Walsh
5. Matt Orford
6. Chris Sandow
7. Ben Hornby

I picked Orford because when he gets fit i think he will stand around 5th.

I'll give you 8

Thurston

Cronk

Wallace

Pearce

Mullen

Hornby

Seymour

Orford

Not in order but all can organise, kick and defend better that Prince. Probably chuck in Sandow as well.

Some of those selections are laughable - Chris Sandow? Really?


Cooper Cronk - Great player and I rate him as high as Prince, but Cronk has played the majority of his best football with the support of a 'uncapped' team. His utility value and combination's with Slater & Smith were the biggest influences over his Origin selections rather than his halfback abilities compared to Prince.

Johnathan Thurston - Probably deserves the 'Best Halfback' title, but there were plenty of periods when Prince was arguably the better player and deserved rep selection over him if it wasn't for Meninga's incumbency policy. And don't forget who owns the 2005 GF. Thurston is a much better individual player than Prince (attacking the line), but Prince has it over him for passing, organizing and short kicking - the general halfback duties.

Mitchell Pearce - Great future player, but hasn't even come close to achieving what Prince already has. Yet.

They are the only 3 players who reasonably compare to Prince, as for the others:

Mullen, Luke Walsh, Ben Hornby, Wallace - What have they ever achieved that rates them better than Prince? None of them can even get\keep a spot in 5yrs of losing NSW sides, and it's not like NSW has had firm partnerships like Lockyer & Thurston for QLD. Mullen, Luke Walsh & Wallace haven't even played in a GF, let alone led a side to one and claimed the CC medal. And when has Hornby ever dominated a game - even at club level?
Matt Orford - Not a bad player, but is harder to find than 'Wheres Wally' is most big matches.
Seymour - Could drink Prince under the table, and thats about it
Chris Sandow - You must have drunk more than Seymour on Mad Monday to think Sandow is better than Prince......

[matti]

How come noone picked princey? yer his going crap but how well has he gone for us in the last 3 years

[CairnsTitan]

I don't think they where basing there lists off each players lifetime achievements, just how they are playing now, but I could be wrong.

with that said though I can't believe people rate Sandow, Wallace, Seymour and Orford over Prince

[Ryan]

I don't think they where basing there lists off each players lifetime achievements, just how they are playing now, but I could be wrong.

with that said though I can't believe people rate Sandow, Wallace, Seymour and Orford over Prince

Reading it again, my post does look like a previous achievements list, but what I was trying to get at is what each player can do when they are in form.
On his day Prince is the best halfback in the comp - and that comes from the mouths of people like Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler ect.
Most of those listed halfbacks(probably all) can defend better than Prince - but that is not the halfbacks primary role.

[teke]

Im seriously disturbed at the effort of Prince's tackles today however...

In regards to topic, Prince the Dally M halfback of 2010 not being above most of these players is

[CairnsTitan]

Reading it again, my post does look like a previous achievements list, but what I was trying to get at is what each player can do when they are in form.
On his day Prince is the best halfback in the comp - and that comes from the mouths of people like Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler ect.
Most of those listed halfbacks(probably all) can defend better than Prince - but that is not the halfbacks primary role.

When in form I don't think anyone would doubt Prince's ability, but right now he is playing crap footy and while we can't drop him I think the coach has to give him a massive rev up, he is the player we look for to step up and he hasn't done it for the past few games.

[Supergoose]

I've always thought Prince would be better at 5/8 and that the extra time and space that affords him would make him that much better. I hate seeing him getting shrugged off and turned inside out in the defensive line. I think he lacks a little variation to be classed in Thurstons league and Thurston can win games when his forward pack isn't going forward, as can Farah and Marshall at the Tigers. Prince is great when we have a roll on that he can play off the back of but he is too easily muted and mistake ridden when pressured. I can't stand watching kicks go dead and bombs so easily defused uncontested. Cronk was great today but Prince may have been too if he was in a different coloured jersey. Our pack and centres were outplayed today and Cam Smith was 100 times better than Riley Brown. Hard to make a case for or against Prince given those circumstances but he was woeful and needed to show more to lift his team, especially in defence alah Langer, Toovey, Thurston and Presto. Prince is yet to have a good game this year whilst Walsh, Mullen, Thurston, Wallace, Pearce, Williams, Robson, Hornby, Lui and Hodkinson can all tick that box after 1 and a half rounds. Let's hope he can lead us to victory over the Broncos but it looks like we'll have our work cut-out for us.

[Titanic]

I'm with the 'Goose on this. Prince's failings were only overshadowed by the failings of our pack. No go forward against Melbourne and they'll put 40 on us. No go forward against most anybody and they'll whack us.

For this thread, he is the number three on that list behind Thurston and Cronk and he's seventeenth in our team behind all those who are supposed to be giving him the platform to play from.

Flat in attack, one dimensional pattern and poor execution are all halfback killers.

Sandow? That's a gee-up but Mullen? Undecided.

[titansrawesome]

i really dont know why prince cant tackle, i guess its mental because he doesnt want to be trampled by going to the legs, i would think an origin and country rep player would know the technique of tackling decently by now

[dean]

Well done Ryan, youv'e done it again. You take it upon yourself to bag other peoples opinions and then you then try to make out that you are an expert of the game with your own opinions. Pffffft.....

Once again you have taken a topic from another thread and twisted it around in an attempt to cover yourself in glory and portray to other forum members that you are indeed, a walking encyclopedia of the game.

Once again you have highlited my thread and threw it out of context. I certainly was not rating in any order the BEST halfbacks in the game, rather the halfbacks that i feel put in 100% each week and play to the best of their ability.

The halfbacks who are not stars but put their body on the line in DEFENCE, have good organisation and communication skills combined with a solid mixed bag kicking game. At the moment Prince is failing in all of these areas other than his communication.

You also bag Sandow. I am certainly not a fan of Sandow and he will probably never be recognised as a great halfback, but not one league supporter could ever say that he does not give it 110% every week, and that is exactly what i was talking about.

Also, unlike yourself Ryan, i never rated these halfbacks on their acheivements with regards to rep honours, grand final wins etc, rather on the way that they apply themselves with their ability, involvement and enthusiasm every time they take the field.

And for what it is worth, Princes Dally M award in 2010 for the best halfback, WHAT THE....

[GoldCoastTitans100]

Well done Ryan, youv'e done it again. You take it upon yourself to bag other peoples opinions and then you then try to make out that you are an expert of the game with your own opinions. Pffffft.....

Once again you have taken a topic from another thread and twisted it around in an attempt to cover yourself in glory and portray to other forum members that you are indeed, a walking encyclopedia of the game.

Once again you have highlited my thread and threw it out of context. I certainly was not rating in any order the BEST halfbacks in the game, rather the halfbacks that i feel put in 100% each week and play to the best of their ability.

The halfbacks who are not stars but put their body on the line in DEFENCE, have good organisation and communication skills combined with a solid mixed bag kicking game. At the moment Prince is failing in all of these areas other than his communication.

You also bag Sandow. I am certainly not a fan of Sandow and he will probably never be recognised as a great halfback, but not one league supporter could ever say that he does not give it 110% every week, and that is exactly what i was talking about.

Also, unlike yourself Ryan, i never rated these halfbacks on their acheivements with regards to rep honours, grand final wins etc, rather on the way that they apply themselves with their ability, involvement and enthusiasm every time they take the field.

And for what it is worth, Princes Dally M award in 2010 for the best halfback, WHAT THE....

I agree Dean
I picked my list on form and who puts in the effort
Last season Prince should not have got Dally M HB of the year that was a joke.

He is probably the worst tackling HB in the game, also he is usually playing the wrong kick and it goes out or into the in-goal.

All the games i watched last season Luke Walsh had a kicking game that made Prince look like a second grader same with the other HBs i picked.

Prince was never good enough to play for QLD.

[matti]

i think when prince broke his collarbone , i no mine was crap after awhile

[Coaster]

I posted this elsewhere but ill repost

Btw this is my opinion only:

1. Cartwright has not encouraged Prince to play like this, he has infact tried to make him step back abit last year, the problem with Carty is allthough this is good in theory, (he has never had a classic 5/8)*
2. Prince is non existent in defense- he removes himself from the line, creating holes the size of trucks then allows himself to be targeted by being behind the line, players such as Harrison and Bird could protect him a bit if he stayed in the line, but by dropping back he is exposed. This is not the first game he has done this, and wont be the last. Teams with brains kill us with this stupid weakness of his manhood.

*Carty for some reason will not play Preston at 5/8, as he, i assume, is in his mind too small to be in the front line. Yet he is currently playing the guy at Hooker!!
I would rather have Preston defending in the line then Prince, the amount of courage shown from Presto, is nothing short of astounding. And if Prince had 1/10 of the courage of him he would be the Australian halfback.

Also on attack, the guy needs to straighten and take on the line, his crabbing across field cuts the options for outside guys, we have 2 of the fastest wingers in the NRL, yet i can not remember the last time they got clean ball.

Do i want Prince in the team? YES i do, but he is playing in a f*cking dinner suit, he has gone through his fair share of tragedy in his life, after his fathers death. I watched him change from a young half, to a experienced half (one of the best in the world). He played tough, and he always held his ground, he played as if his father was watching from the stands, and before every game we would go to the bottom right corner and lift some dirt to remind himself.

Now i look at a man wearing 2 diamond earrings, and large sunny's, a 5 year contract locked away, and the chance of playing rep footy almost over. He is playing because this is his job, not because this is his love.

It is time he remembers the face of his father, and plays the game in a way that matters.

I have faith Prince can do this.

[Ryan]

Well done Ryan, youv'e done it again. You take it upon yourself to bag other peoples opinions and then you then try to make out that you are an expert of the game with your own opinions. Pffffft.....

Once again you have taken a topic from another thread and twisted it around in an attempt to cover yourself in glory and portray to other forum members that you are indeed, a walking encyclopedia of the game.

Once again you have highlited my thread and threw it out of context. I certainly was not rating in any order the BEST halfbacks in the game, rather the halfbacks that i feel put in 100% each week and play to the best of their ability.

The halfbacks who are not stars but put their body on the line in DEFENCE, have good organisation and communication skills combined with a solid mixed bag kicking game. At the moment Prince is failing in all of these areas other than his communication.

You also bag Sandow. I am certainly not a fan of Sandow and he will probably never be recognised as a great halfback, but not one league supporter could ever say that he does not give it 110% every week, and that is exactly what i was talking about.

Also, unlike yourself Ryan, i never rated these halfbacks on their acheivements with regards to rep honours, grand final wins etc, rather on the way that they apply themselves with their ability, involvement and enthusiasm every time they take the field.

And for what it is worth, Princes Dally M award in 2010 for the best halfback, WHAT THE....

Well done again Dean, once again backing away from your own comments. GoldCoastTitans100 clearly said Prince was not in his top 6 best halfbacks, I asked who his top 6 was and then you decided to throw your two cents in. I got no problem with anyone giving their opinion, just don't put it out there if you aren't prepared to back it.

If you still think I post here to 'cover myself in glory', then you are a slow learner. I couldn't give a **** about what anyone here thinks of me or my opinions, and what I've posted here in the last 4yrs is a testament to that. I'm not here to make friends, I don't like any of you and I'll make no effort for any of you to like me - I only come here to talk footy. If you can't cop any criticism of your opinion then take it to a counselor where they can pat you on the pack and tell you everything will be OK, I'm just a big meanie and you are right anyway.

I didn't take anything out of context. The discussion was clearly about the best halfbacks in the game, "putting in and giving 100%" was never mentioned. GoldCoastTitans100 said he had 6 halfbacks better than Prince, you piped in and said "I'll give you 8".

I agree Dean
I picked my list on form and who puts in the effort
Last season Prince should not have got Dally M HB of the year that was a joke.

He is probably the worst tackling HB in the game, also he is usually playing the wrong kick and it goes out or into the in-goal.

All the games i watched last season Luke Walsh had a kicking game that made Prince look like a second grader same with the other HBs i picked.

Prince was never good enough to play for QLD.

The list wasn't about form or effort, it was about the best halfbacks. You stated that yourself.

Scott Prince's short kicking game last year got more goal line dropouts and repeat sets than any other halfback. He never relied on 50% kicks to wingers, he took multiple others options like; short & cuttout passing close to the line, dummy & run himself and also had chip kicks over the line between himself and Presto. Thats why our forwards get as many tries as our wingers, Prince has the ability to put anyone over the line and not just rely on 50% chance kicks. This was highlighted going into the final series. Prince is also one of few kickers who put backspin on the ball to make it sit up and stay in play, that's another skill that gets noted by guys like Daley, Fittler and Sterlo.

Luke Walsh did little more than put up bombs and kicks which were 50% chances of the kick receivers to get a try. Panthers based their whole year on this tactic and it was well known at the time, any player let alone a halfback can put a kick up and hope one of their players score off it. You didn't see forwards and a back-line movement running off Walsh in one play as you would have with Prince.

Don't know what the **** is wrong with prince - seems like someone has wiped his memory. He has the best passing and short kicking game in the comp, he has proved that many times over... just not tonight

I disagree
When ever i watch Prince play his kicking is off target and he usually plays the wrong kick.

If i made a list of the best HBs he would not make my top 6

Who's your top 6, I'm interested.....

1. Cooper Cronk
2. Johnathan Thurston 'does all the basic stuff really well'
3. Mitchell Pearce
4. Luke Walsh
5. Matt Orford
6. Chris Sandow
7. Ben Hornby

I picked Orford because when he gets fit i think he will stand around 5th.

I'll give you 8

Thurston

Cronk

Wallace

Pearce

Mullen

Hornby

Seymour

Orford

Not in order but all can organise, kick and defend better that Prince. Probably chuck in Sandow as well.

[TITAN PETE]

Ryan is the "multi quote" king