Re: GOB : Sat Aug 30, 2014 11:23 pm  

fez1 wrote:

Parsley only played 1 match for us I think - an came from a lower division club. I don't think he had a reputation as such.

It's bizarre how Parsley's name comes up on these 'worst signings ever' threads.

He joined us from Lancashire Lynx who were the worst team in the lower division and used to lose by 70 points every week.

He played one game for us, when we smashed Hunslet in the Challenge Cup, and didn't get another game.

He was hardly Mr big name signing, considering we signed Langer, Nikau and Gee that off season, but his reputation seems to have endured as a 'flop' (I wonder how many people actually were at that Hunslet cup game and can remember what was so bad about him....)

This is the problem with attitudes towards lower league players. You always hear people say we should be looking in the lower leagues for signings but when we have signed players from the semi-pro league they just get described as crap straight away and written off, while they are adjusting to going full-time professional. It happened with Kevin Crouthers and Matt Sturm too, or when we brought Warren Stevens back from Whitehaven when he was still only about 22.

OK maybe Parsley didn't set the world alight on his debut but who knows how he would have been if we had given him a bit of a chance? As it was Lee Penny was preferred to him all season and then we released him and played Lee Briers and Allan Hunte there instead!

Last I heard about Parsley was a few months ago he'd got appointed conditioning coach for England RU so he seems to have done OK in his post-rugby career.

Re: GOB : Sat Aug 30, 2014 11:33 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

It's bizarre how Parsley's name comes up on these 'worst signings ever' threads.

He joined us from Lancashire Lynx who were the worst team in the lower division and used to lose by 70 points every week.

He played one game for us, when we smashed Hunslet in the Challenge Cup, and didn't get another game.

He was hardly Mr big name signing, considering we signed Langer, Nikau and Gee that off season, but his reputation seems to have endured as a 'flop' (I wonder how many people actually were at that Hunslet cup game and can remember what was so bad about him....)

This is the problem with attitudes towards lower league players. You always hear people say we should be looking in the lower leagues for signings but when we have signed players from the semi-pro league they just get described as crap straight away and written off, while they are adjusting to going full-time professional. It happened with Kevin Crouthers and Matt Sturm too, or when we brought Warren Stevens back from Whitehaven when he was still only about 22.

OK maybe Parsley didn't set the world alight on his debut but who knows how he would have been if we had given him a bit of a chance? As it was Lee Penny was preferred to him all season and then we released him and played Lee Briers and Allan Hunte there instead!

Last I heard about Parsley was a few months ago he'd got appointed conditioning coach for England RU so he seems to have done OK in his post-rugby career.

Didn't he win Gladiators?

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 3:27 am  

Gareth is 5th in the whole of Super League for try assists, thats an impressive stat for someone who isn't always a regular, he's a good kid who you should hold on to.

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:39 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

It's bizarre how Parsley's name comes up on these 'worst signings ever' threads.

He joined us from Lancashire Lynx who were the worst team in the lower division and used to lose by 70 points every week.

He played one game for us, when we smashed Hunslet in the Challenge Cup, and didn't get another game.

He was hardly Mr big name signing, considering we signed Langer, Nikau and Gee that off season, but his reputation seems to have endured as a 'flop' (I wonder how many people actually were at that Hunslet cup game and can remember what was so bad about him....)

This is the problem with attitudes towards lower league players. You always hear people say we should be looking in the lower leagues for signings but when we have signed players from the semi-pro league they just get described as crap straight away and written off, while they are adjusting to going full-time professional. It happened with Kevin Crouthers and Matt Sturm too, or when we brought Warren Stevens back from Whitehaven when he was still only about 22.

OK maybe Parsley didn't set the world alight on his debut but who knows how he would have been if we had given him a bit of a chance? As it was Lee Penny was preferred to him all season and then we released him and played Lee Briers and Allan Hunte there instead!

Last I heard about Parsley was a few months ago he'd got appointed conditioning coach for England RU so he seems to have done OK in his post-rugby career.

Maybe we can headhunt him to replace Chris Baron

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:41 am  

-VIKINGMAN- wrote:

Gareth is 5th in the whole of Super League for try assists, thats an impressive stat for someone who isn't always a regular, he's a good kid who you should hold on to.

+1

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 5:09 pm  

i think the fact that Smith rates Declan Patton very highly will have had some bearing if GOB leaves.

The next year or 2 will probably bring a quality new HB and hopefully the emergence of patton at 7.

which leaves GOB somewhere else.

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:36 pm  

Teessidewire wrote:

Perhaps he's had his confidence knocked by so called supporters like you constantly knocking him?
Perhaps he's had 2 serious injuries during a stop go season (conveniently forgotten by most).
I get really angry with those who proclaim to be 'true supporters' and then constantly knock certain players.

It seems that I have unexpectedly and unintentionally ruffled some bona fide contributors feathers by my observations. For which I unreservedly apologise.
In my defence I would plead that I have never proclaimed myself a true supporter. In fact, after fifty years of following the wire and Rugby League in general, I am probably a somewhat jaundiced supporter if anything. But at least my contributions are based on objective rather than emotional observations. At least I hope so although I cannot fully guarantee it.
I also plead that I have never 'knocked' Richie Myler. In fact I have been at pains to point out that, when contributors have been having a go at the half backs, it has usually been because the pack have been under the cosh and have not provided the platform for the half backs to perform.
However there seems to be a general opinion that Richie's form has not been the best this season. This may be due, as you say, to injuries, or it may be due to external factors affecting his mental approach. To me, he has been somewhat distracted this term and I put my contribution forward as a possible explanation. Time will tell if I am talking out of my arris or not.
However if exception was made to my assertions of profligacy at the BBC, I do not deny one syllable of what I said, but this is not a question for discussion on this thread or board.

Re: GOB : Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:59 pm  

I thought GOB had a good game against Huddersfield. I thought his kicking game was excellent. There were times when he was not expecting the pass and knocked on but this is down to a lack of understanding tactically which will come with more game time. As I have said before, to me he is the most instinctive scrum half we have, I just worry about his longevity given the head shots he keeps taking.