Re: Konrad Hurrell : Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:30 am  

tomlufc wrote:

Him playing in a side that dominates and will be able to continually put him into space is a scary thought. At times because we have no organisation we were playing him like a prop.

Saints have great backs but front foot quick ball created by the forwards especially walmsley and a quick intelligent transition from Roby creates the platform for them to perform in attack. I agree Hurrell could go well this year especially in attack.

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:26 am  

Loiner at large wrote:

Saints have great backs but front foot quick ball created by the forwards especially walmsley and a quick intelligent transition from Roby creates the platform for them to perform in attack. I agree Hurrell could go well this year especially in attack.

They do have all that but its the first 2 carries from the likes of Grace and Makinson that provide that momentum for Walmsley and Roby etc.

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:37 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Konnie can be one of the most damaging players in the game on his day, but I don't think the errors he brings will magically disappear at this stage in his career (although you can always improve).

It's not like they won't have identified and worked on these things during his time in the best resourced RL competition in the world. NRL has the best coaches and facilities, and you're playing with higher-standard players every day... it's just how it is.

Anyway good luck to him, really likeable guy although his decision making on and off the field is questionable at times. Be interesting to see what happens if/when he lines up against Leeds this season.

What’s he done off the field? Are you referring to diet?

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:12 pm  

Shabino wrote:

What’s he done off the field? Are you referring to diet?

Yes mate, much as I like him I've never been happy with modern-day professional players presenting out of condition. For me if it's a job you're getting paid £200k-300k a year for you owe it to your employer and fans to be in the best possible condition. (Even if you're being paid 1/10th that it's still up to you to have a committed and professional attitude).

I wasn't delighted about Merrin either, which I know is contentious here. Absolutely sank without trace on his return to the NRL after us.

Never questioned his effort on the field but it's not just about 2 hours in a week is it?

You also have to think about the message that sends across the whole squad. I'm sure that's why his renewal contract wasn't offered at anything like the same level.

Anyway it's done now and I hope he goes well because he's a great entertainer and the sport needs those.

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:30 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Yes mate, much as I like him I've never been happy with modern-day professional players presenting out of condition. For me if it's a job you're getting paid £200k-300k a year for you owe it to your employer and fans to be in the best possible condition. (Even if you're being paid 1/10th that it's still up to you to have a committed and professional attitude).

I wasn't delighted about Merrin either, which I know is contentious here. Absolutely sank without trace on his return to the NRL after us.

Never questioned his effort on the field but it's not just about 2 hours in a week is it?

You also have to think about the message that sends across the whole squad. I'm sure that's why his renewal contract wasn't offered at anything like the same level.

Anyway it's done now and I hope he goes well because he's a great entertainer and the sport needs those.

Yeah I agree on conditioning. Is such an important part of the equation. Should be one professional sportsmen have no problems with too.
I agree Merrin was not in good shape either and I wasn’t actually disappointed when he left.
Konnie was a tricky one, as could still be devastating on a good day. But as you said we are moving forwards and so is he….

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:06 pm  

Whatever we may think of the positives and negatives of Hurrell, what bothers me is that he's probably going to end up scoring a few when we come up against Saints this season. That's what happens to players we let go, as the likes of Cas and HKR like to prove on a regular basis.

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:09 pm  

Exeter Rhino wrote:

Whatever we may think of the positives and negatives of Hurrell, what bothers me is that he's probably going to end up scoring a few when we come up against Saints this season. That's what happens to players we let go, as the likes of Cas and HKR like to prove on a regular basis.

Probably, but while he was with us he struggled for fitness and was prone to errors too - if you only got "good Konnie" he'd still be in the NRL as one of the best centres in the world.

It would have been nice to keep him but we always have to balance players' value. Not just for the salary cap but for team morale too I think.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:35 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Probably, but while he was with us he struggled for fitness and was prone to errors too - if you only got "good Konnie" he'd still be in the NRL as one of the best centres in the world.

It would have been nice to keep him but we always have to balance players' value. Not just for the salary cap but for team morale too I think.

i know fitness and muscle tone are two different things, but having seen him as an opposition fan, i always thought he was chunky, like dean widders was, a bit soft round the middle,

i saw some pics on insta after the season ended at a bbq, he was shredded, didn't seem like the same person at all.

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:40 pm  

Definitely a bit chunky during his time at Leeds - to be honest I didn't see that as a problem as such. Whether the extra 5-10kg added to his injury susceptibility - maybe. I can't say I noticed a massive fitness problem as such, and the way we used him as a battering ram often in bad ball would knacker anyone out.

So yeah maybe a little more prone to injury because of the weight but the bigger problem with him is always reading the game and the odd brain fart. I guess the other problem with a marquee being out of peak shape is the message that sends to all the younger lads you're insisting have professional habits and look after themselves as well as possible - it's not a good look.

[Ex-Swarcliffe Rhino]

Re: Konrad Hurrell : Wed Jan 19, 2022 4:16 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Definitely a bit chunky during his time at Leeds - to be honest I didn't see that as a problem as such. Whether the extra 5-10kg added to his injury susceptibility - maybe. I can't say I noticed a massive fitness problem as such, and the way we used him as a battering ram often in bad ball would knacker anyone out.

So yeah maybe a little more prone to injury because of the weight but the bigger problem with him is always reading the game and the odd brain fart. I guess the other problem with a marquee being out of peak shape is the message that sends to all the younger lads you're insisting have professional habits and look after themselves as well as possible - it's not a good look.

Deffo this. Sometimes it was so obvious to anyone in the ground we were just going to lazily lob him a horrendous hospital ball and expect him to magic a barnstorming run from a standing start with 4 defenders coming at him, then we'd wonder why he was gassed and breaking down in matches.

With him not being first choice at Saints I suppose this gives them a little leeway to "rest" him and make sure hes in tip top condition before putting him in, whereas because of the wedge he was on at Leeds hed have been starting with one leg hanging off. Throw in the fact he's playing under Woolf who knows him inside out and backwards then its a great move for Konnie and unless its against us he has only my best wishes to get back to the rampaging bull we know he can be.