Mate how can you judge whats happened in the last few weeks to whats happened over the last few years? We had snake and turbo. Gutho had done two acls... turbo went on to play origin and for Australia. Extraordinary you see it like this.. we sold him like 4 years ago right? He's won a spoon since then.. twice was it or just one? Sure hes doing good now but only because turbo is injured you even notice him.. turbo is twice as good as gutho
Let’s break it down:
‘We had Snake and Turbo’. Snake was clearly nearing the end in 2015, hence why Toovey in his wisdom re-signed both younger players. Gutherson’s new contract was reputedly for $150k at the time.
‘Turbo went onto play Origin and for Australia’. Barring catastrophe, Gutherson will play SOO later this year and is clearly of international standard. Nothing extraordinary about it.
‘He’s won a spoon since then’. Yes in 2018. Where did Manly finish that year? One spot ahead of them. Oh and Turbo was both a SOO and international player by then.
‘...because Turbo is injured you even notice him’. Only if you have had your head buried in sand in recent years. He has clearly been Parramatta’s best for several years now.
Gutherson who appeared just once in 2015 (his fifth 1st grade appearance), has now played more 1st games than Turbo, who debuted in 1st grade that year. In fact Gutherson’s 95 games for Parramatta since Round 1 2016, means that he has barely missed a game since his last ACL injury in March 2015. Ironically, that was at Parramatta and significantly, before he signed his last Manly contract. Clearly Toovey and others still saw a big future ahead of him.
Finally, you can’t be serious that ‘Turbo is twice as good as Gutho’. The former has only recently (circa his Origin debut in 2018) overcome his serious defensive deficiencies.
Notionally Turbo might be the better player, but right now he is like a 5-litre V-8 engine sitting on the blocks. Meanwhile Gutherson is playing turbocharged (do you like that one?) football for Parramatta.