Re: Matty Smith : Wed Jul 23, 2014 4:42 pm  

Madderzahatter wrote:

I think he's gone missing during a couple of big games too - e.g. the Challenge Cup V Cas. For me, the jury's still out.

If you're basing anything on that game, the jury's back in & the judge has a black cap on. It was a bad day at the office for everyone.
I'd actually agree that Smith has to be in the running for a coup on Lockers' captaincy (if the worst happens & SOL's body gives up any time soon).

Re: Matty Smith : Wed Jul 23, 2014 4:58 pm  

DP_wwrlfc wrote:

I think the praise is slightly over the top myself. He's a slightly above average scrum half IMO who fits well into the Wigan team and systems. He is improving constantly to be fair.

He has a good kicking game the majority of the time but at times in big games he seems to find the fullback/wingers on the full regularly. He could do with adding to his running game as in tight games he doesn't have that game breaking quality that Blake Green has for instance. Although he has had the odd good performance in big games he has gone missing on Ocassions.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to bag him I think he is the top 3/4 scrumhalfs in the league but if he is England's answer at halfback we're seriously struggling IMO.

==when you compare sinfield IMO will never be a half back is picked before time served backs we are in trouble on the international scene.matty is short of a class standoff to work with!!

Re: Matty Smith : Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:14 pm  

Wigan Peer wrote:

I make a point of ignoring anyone who starts an opinion with the word "Listen"... You immediately know that said opinion will be total claptrap.

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:15 am  

He's a really good solid player and is certainly up there amongst the best in Super League in his position.

Whilst that is the case though, the competition for that honour is rather meek, and he doesn't compare so well when looking at halves from the NRL, but then no Super League players do.

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 9:13 am  

DP_wwrlfc wrote:

I think the praise is slightly over the top myself. He's a slightly above average scrum half IMO who fits well into the Wigan team and systems. He is improving constantly to be fair.

He has a good kicking game the majority of the time but at times in big games he seems to find the fullback/wingers on the full regularly. He could do with adding to his running game as in tight games he doesn't have that game breaking quality that Blake Green has for instance. Although he has had the odd good performance in big games he has gone missing on Ocassions.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to bag him I think he is the top 3/4 scrumhalfs in the league but if he is England's answer at halfback we're seriously struggling IMO.

I think this is a very fair and accurate post; I like Smithy and believe he has come on well and can improve even more give time. IMO he’s very much in the mould of a Radlinski, a real 100% of him is given every time, even when he’s not playing at his best in a game.

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 9:14 am  

adi wrote:

He's a really good solid player and is certainly up there amongst the best in Super League in his position.

Whilst that is the case though, the competition for that honour is rather meek, and he doesn't compare so well when looking at halves from the NRL, but then no Super League players do.

He'd go ok in the NRL in a good side because as much as it's bulled up to be full of teams chocked full of 17 super human monsters the truth is it's not! There are an awful lot of average and below players in the NRL although there are obviously a lot more world class players then in superleague.

If proof were needed that it's built up too much we don't need to look further then Mike Cooper. An average player at Wire who I never really noticed when we played them ripping it up and looking like a top class prop forward.

[DaveO]

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:14 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

He'd go ok in the NRL in a good side because as much as it's bulled up to be full of teams chocked full of 17 super human monsters the truth is it's not! There are an awful lot of average and below players in the NRL although there are obviously a lot more world class players then in superleague.

If proof were needed that it's built up too much we don't need to look further then Mike Cooper. An average player at Wire who I never really noticed when we played them ripping it up and looking like a top class prop forward.

Err..that doesn't prove anything and gives no credit to the player for improving or coaching staff at his NRL club.

Also whenever we sign a player who is deemed as average as Cooper was in SL you can guarantee someone will post that once Wane and Bitcon get hold of him he will go well (and to be fair quite often this is how it pans out) so the fact Cooper has improved could be for exactly the same kind of reasons and has got nothing to do with Smith or his ability v NRL half backs.

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:35 am  

DaveO wrote:

Err..that doesn't prove anything and gives no credit to the player for improving or coaching staff at his NRL club.

Also whenever we sign a player who is deemed as average as Cooper was in SL you can guarantee someone will post that once Wane and Bitcon get hold of him he will go well (and to be fair quite often this is how it pans out) so the fact Cooper has improved could be for exactly the same kind of reasons and has got nothing to do with Smith or his ability v NRL half backs.

That's exactly my point though. A player goes to the NRL from superleague and does well and it's due to great coaching whereas if the go and do poorly its because they're an inferior superleague player. It's the same as when they come over here from the NRL. If they go well it's because they're a super human NRL player coming down a level whereas if they fail it's because they're here for a holiday.

The truth IMO is there are a pretty large number of average NRL players and there are dozens of players over here that can go there and have very solid NRL careers. We need to stop being so negative about our lads abilities and so ready to blow smoke up the NRL's backside. Superleague may not be the NRL but it's a very good competition and many NRL players have been found out over here.

Matty Smith like 10-15 of his Wigan teammates would go well in the NRL.

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:10 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Matty Smith like 10-15 of his Wigan teammates would go well in the NRL.

I honestly believe that this Wigan squad could hold its own in the NRL

Re: Matty Smith : Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:13 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

I honestly believe that this Wigan squad could hold its own in the NRL

I think we would as well. It's hard to judge where we stand on the WCC alone but there were a lot of factors that counted against us that day (not least our own performance which was way off the standard we're capable of).

I'm confident we could challenge to make the play offs.