a) Ok so he is Captain, can't begrudge him that. I'd only consider Kite or Lyon as possible alternatives (in terms of experience) and I can only surmise neither of them want the job
b) Your idea of consistent finals footy isn't the same yardstick I apply. Sure Ox has been there when we've won finals games and he probably had a hand in a few of them as well. But he has hardly been a dominant force from what I've seen. We creamed last years finals on the back of one J Lyon mainly.
c) Yes he won a Grand Final, also lost one. So did 16 other guys.
d) Yes he won a Dally M award, in a year where all the usual suspects got injured or suspended. How did Mr consistent poll in 2007 ? didn't even figure in the top 10. Don't begrudge him the award, good on him for winning it, but he was hardly the best footballer in the NRL last year IMO.
e) So he has won us 3 games in 3 years. Congratulations. How many do you think Thurston, Prince, Lockyer et al have single handedly pulled off in that time ? How many games has Orford cost us in that time with poor kicking options and headless chook plays under pressure.
Look, you love Orford, I don't. I just think he is too inconsistent and isn't a \"controller\" of the game. You don't get a reputation of tightening up under pressure from nowhere. If he is so good why hasn't he played SOO or for Australia ? Surely the reigning Dally M player would be a certainty for his position in SOO, they couldn't pick a guy with about a fifth of his experience who has never won a premiership....could they ?? Well they have and will continue to do so because the selectors don't rate him. The fact that Wallace, Mullen, and Pearce are all ahead of him in representative consideration speaks volumes.
If we've resigned him then fine, I'll live with it, but I'd rather see money spent on the future, which Orford isn't. Unless by some miracle he develops some consistency. He tries hard, I'll give him that much, but he's not worth $400-450K a year
By the way here is your expert opinion on Bailey after Round 5,
http://www.silvertails.net/forums/topic,180002.msg218827/#msg218827
2465274. Chris Bailey. I claimed he was a hack very early on. Normally - I am very wrong in my assessment of players. Bailey may be my saving grace. NOT 1st grade standard. You'll find teams he plays in the 1/2's for, tend to lose about as much as Manly WINS with Brett Stewart.
Now he's the next saviour.
