Matt Orford

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Ryan

Journey Man
Guys, you all know how positive I have been lately, but I just wanted to get this off my chest...

I have always been an avid Ox fan, and defend him to the rafters at all times, but the fella has been a bit disappointing of late.

I personally think he's a great consistent half back, but kind of think the rumor to his below par play in big games may have a ring of truth to it.

I wouldn't say that statement without having examples:-
a) He had an extremely disappointing game in the premilinary final (BK's last game). His kicking game just gifted te ball over to The Dragons that day, he dropped intercepts, and our team looked a bit lost.
b) The Grand Final last year. Ok, the whole team were under done, but Ox is the captain, and is supposed to rally / steer the troops around the park. Again his kicking game and leadership were a bit non existent.
c) This weekend. I personally thought he had an absolute shocker, which is really, really disappointing. Especially his kicking the ball and gifting the ball back to the Storm. In fact, he has a tendency of doing it every time we play The Storm. I don't know if he's intimidated, coached that way or what, but a little disappointing.
d) His come back from injury game against The Raiders in Canberra last year was really, REALLY bad.

The Smellograph suggested recently that he's the highest paid (via CLUB payments) player in the NRL. He isn't even in the mix for City / Country? He earns 3 times that of Cooper Cronk - and I find that a bit strange.

I know we needed a class 1/2 back, and we have come on in leaps and bounds since he has been here, but is there something that could be done to improve the little fella's play?

It's just little things like kicking the penalties only 10 metres, when Smith gained almost 40 metres from the same spot.

I dunno lads...he's one of my all time favorite players, and I guess I'm becoming a little disappointed in the guy... :-\
 
Orford did not play well on Friday night. He knew it as well. He had a dominant pack rampaging in front of him but couldn't land the killer blow.  think he is injured but nothing but a premiership will silence the doubters.
 
Every year its the same excuse - he has an injured leg.  Bit like princess and his broken fingernails. 
 
Consistency ISN'T one of his strengths that's for sure. He isn't a leader and he lacks composure. I don't think that is any secret, it's the main reason he is constantly overlooked for SOO. The key to our hopes this season is getting Lyon back to take the heat off him. He can do some good things but he isn't the go to man in a clutch situation.
 
Kiwi Eagle link said:
LOL, no way in the world would Orford be getting 3 times what Cronk does

Mate, Cronk just re-signed for $200k per year.
Orford is on $550k this year I believe according to the papers..
 
Can't argue with any of that. Why doesn't he try the grubber option from 10 out,Instead his useless cross field kicks? (especially against good oposition)

May have to send Monas back to show him how its done ;)
 
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=208029

Interesting thoughts on the Ox.
 
He cant kick anymore. His groin must be torn to shreds cause he is struggling to kick the ball more than 10m. We have no other option so he has to play on one leg and hope the rest of his game will do the job.

He had a shocker obviously but im more worried about this groin injury than his performance on Friday night.
 
Volley link said:
Haha, Cronk for 200k. Get off the juice.

MELBOURNE Storm halfback Cooper Cronk has signed a four-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the end of 2013.  The club has called a press conference for 11am to announce the deal, which  is  believed to be worth $1 million.

Cronk's contract was due to run out at the end of 2009, but Storm acted to ensure other NRL clubs could not poach him.

The 24-year-old has blossomed into one of the game's best halfbacks under coach Craig Bellamy,  winning a premiership and earning representative honours for Australia last year.

It is the second major long-term contract boost for the Storm this year, after Bellamy signed a deal in April to keep him in Melbourne until 2013.

"I enjoy playing footy for this club, I enjoy the game of rugby league a nd I particularly enjoy the lifestyle in Melbourne," Cronk said.

"It's been pretty successful over the last couple of years. It's a pleasure to turn up to training, it's a pleasure to run out in the Storm guernsey.

"If we can keep the majority of this team together, we can do some things that can put a smile on a lot of people's faces."
___________________________________________________________

Ok, $250k per year for 4 years, for a player that has played for Australia...ut you get my point right?

I think we as fans SHOULD expect more out of The Ox, and this is why I'm probably tough on the guy.

At his best, he can tear teams apart. It would be great to see a player of his earning standard being able to do that 9 out of 10 games.

Lockyers worst game isn't that much worse than his best.

It was interesting to see all the footy show panel, including a rep selector getting into him today. It's a shame, because games like The Storm are the one's that will mean he will never don a rep jersey again.
 
If Cronk is on $250K a year, & it appears that he is then he needs a new manager because he has been seriously screwed over. What we don't know is what is being paid outside of the salary cap, and given Melbourne's roster it would seem that is probably likely.
 
True mate...they were found to have cheated the cap 6 from their last 8, so you never know...
 
Look, Ox has had a few seasons to get his act together.  For the past couple of years it was all about having two fuquits on the field which didn't help his game.  Now, 2008, he's just there and he performs the same.  I've not been a fan forever.  His kicking game really irks me.  His line kicks go ten metres which must annoy the team and in the attacking zone he inexplicably puts it in the air when grubbers are the obvious thing.  I raised the line kicking weakness two years ago with the coaching staff and they just didn't seem interested.  The twenties half seems to have some smarts.  Why doesn't Des give him a go in the seniors? 
 

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