Is the halfback a Scapegoat - DCE / Cleary ??

[maxta]

So often I have seen the halfback as the bloke who cops the rough end of he pineapple when their team loses or cops a big time ass kicking in a game and on the scoreboard.....
Did Cleary suddenly go from a dud in SOO game 1 to a Champion in game 2 (1 week), or did his forwards simply lay a far better platform in game 2 ?
I tend to think some of this blame on the halfback is over the top, I mean last night on the flipside I heard the commentary expectations of "DCE needs to lift here and get them back into the game"
Well I thought he made a couple of half breaks and tackled damn well and was let down in the middle where NSW simply rolled them and had the momentum much of the game.
I have seen Wally, Johns, Alf, Thurston all look ordinary in many big floggings and can't simply "LIFT" a team on their own, without the foundations being set in the middle.
Not a bias DCE thread, as he does imo get lost at times for Manly, but never through a lack of trying and have heard a few other high profile halves getting pasted with unrealistic expectations without the players around them assisting too much....these Superstar players are expected to do "Special things" on the field and come up with big plays, but generally there is heavy assist from the unheralded players who cop the bruises and win the battle in the middle.
So is the halfback a scapegoat, or is it simply the nature of the beast to wear the burden in this key position ??

 

[ManlyArmy]

So often I have seen the halfback as the bloke who cops the rough end of he pineapple when their team loses or cops a big time ass kicking in a game and on the scoreboard.....
Did Cleary suddenly go from a dud in SOO game 1 to a Champion in game 2 (1 week), or did his forwards simply lay a far better platform in game 2 ?
I tend to think some of this blame on the halfback is over the top, I mean last night on the flipside I heard the commentary expectations of "DCE needs to lift here and get them back into the game"
Well I thought he made a couple of half breaks and tackled damn well and was let down in the middle where NSW simply rolled them and had the momentum much of the game.
I have seen Wally, Johns, Alf, Thurston all look ordinary in many big floggings and can't simply "LIFT" a team on their own, without the foundations being set in the middle.
Not a bias DCE thread, as he does imo get lost at times for Manly, but never through a lack of trying and have heard a few other high profile halves getting pasted with unrealistic expectations without the players around them assisting too much....these Superstar players are expected to do "Special things" on the field and come up with big plays, but generally there is heavy assist from the unheralded players who cop the bruises and win the battle in the middle.
So is the halfback a scapegoat, or is it simply the nature of the beast to wear the burden in this key position ??

I don't think there's a half in the game that tries harder than DCE, and that's why I still think he is the prime 7 in the comp.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I always laugh when after a losing run a coach drops ...a winger! Happens plenty of times.

 

[manlyfan76]

Johnathon Thurston .

I rest my case.

 

[StuBoot]

Yep, look at Keary who I thought played better than Cleary in SOO 1 but he gets punted.
The team aims up in SOO 2 and Walker had room to do his stuff - how would Keary be feeling?
Would be thinking why the bloody hell didn't my team play like that last week!

Halfbacks can try to carry out the game plan and direct the troops to get to certain points on the park but if his wingers and props are coughing it up early in the tackle count he's got buckleys.
He can try and make something happen but generally it's under pressure and if the rest of the team aren't on the same page then he's also got buckleys.
Or if his dummy half is overthinking or going rogue then what's he supposed to do?

It's a fine line between playing the game plan, trust the processes or trying to do too much.
No wonder they command the big $$$.

 

[madmax]

Johnathon Thurston .

I rest my case.

Did jack$hit in his last few years at the Cowboys without a decent forward pack. Bottom 8 many times so yeah he couldn’t get them up!

 

[globaleagle]

Andrew Johns called for Cleary to be sacked after game one.

The co-commentators asked him during the game how cleary was going and he just said "super, playing amazing" etc. They didn't push further...sooooooo about claiming he should be dropped....?

 

[Waz13]

So often I have seen the halfback as the bloke who cops the rough end of he pineapple when their team loses or cops a big time ass kicking in a game and on the scoreboard.....
Did Cleary suddenly go from a dud in SOO game 1 to a Champion in game 2 (1 week), or did his forwards simply lay a far better platform in game 2 ?
I tend to think some of this blame on the halfback is over the top, I mean last night on the flipside I heard the commentary expectations of "DCE needs to lift here and get them back into the game"
Well I thought he made a couple of half breaks and tackled damn well and was let down in the middle where NSW simply rolled them and had the momentum much of the game.
I have seen Wally, Johns, Alf, Thurston all look ordinary in many big floggings and can't simply "LIFT" a team on their own, without the foundations being set in the middle.
Not a bias DCE thread, as he does imo get lost at times for Manly, but never through a lack of trying and have heard a few other high profile halves getting pasted with unrealistic expectations without the players around them assisting too much....these Superstar players are expected to do "Special things" on the field and come up with big plays, but generally there is heavy assist from the unheralded players who cop the bruises and win the battle in the middle.
So is the halfback a scapegoat, or is it simply the nature of the beast to wear the burden in this key position ??

Great post Maxta. Yep the 7 most often times cops blame for losses and accolades for winning especially the marquee 7s.

that twat Slater was constantly into DCE in wed about having to lift the team. The reality for that Qld side is they all need to play their best games to have a chance. DCE can’t do everything.

daly is all effort imo. Works the hardest for us week in and out.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Great post Maxta. Yep the 7 most often times cops blame for losses and accolades for winning especially the marquee 7s.

that twat Slater was constantly into DCE in wed about having to lift the team. The reality for that Qld side is they all need to play their best games to have a chance. DCE can’t do everything.

daly is all effort imo. Works the hardest for us week in and out.

Slater kept saying that because dce is the captain and no Munster so it rests on his shoulders. He tried but friend was terrible and Holmes was even worse. The guy is a winger nothing more. Nsw were very good, teddy cook always probing. Crichton was great, cleary kicked qld to death and ado Carr well... hes just special. I knew he wouldn't leave storm. SCameron will go another year imo and they will go back to back. 🙁

 

[manlyfan76]

Did jack$hit in his last few years at the Cowboys without a decent forward pack. Bottom 8 many times so yeah he couldn’t get them up!

And he is immortal.

 

[Waz13]

Slater kept saying that because dce is the captain and no Munster so it rests on his shoulders. He tried but friend was terrible and Holmes was even worse. The guy is a winger nothing more. Nsw were very good, teddy cook always probing. Crichton was great, cleary kicked qld to death and ado Carr well... hes just special. I knew he wouldn't leave storm. SCameron will go another year imo and they will go back to back. 🙁

Yeah agree re Holmes. Defensively constantly caught out.

 

[StuBoot]

Yeah agree re Holmes. Defensively constantly caught out.

And couldn’t even count the numbers on two scrums, that was laughable.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Absolutely.

Game one , forwards for NSW except for the first 10 minutes were crap , Cleary / Keary get blamed for losing.

Game two, forwards for NSW except for the first 10 minutes were exceptional , Cleary / Walker get MOM performances for winning.

I always laugh when DCE gets hammered ( headless chook etc etc ) but this year when Marty / AFB were on we were almost always going pretty well , then at 20 minutes bingo we were suddenly absolute ****!!

Yeah I know this didn’t play out in every game but most IMO.

 

[Mataiforever]

So often I have seen the halfback as the bloke who cops the rough end of he pineapple when their team loses or cops a big time ass kicking in a game and on the scoreboard.....
Did Cleary suddenly go from a dud in SOO game 1 to a Champion in game 2 (1 week), or did his forwards simply lay a far better platform in game 2 ?
I tend to think some of this blame on the halfback is over the top, I mean last night on the flipside I heard the commentary expectations of "DCE needs to lift here and get them back into the game"
Well I thought he made a couple of half breaks and tackled damn well and was let down in the middle where NSW simply rolled them and had the momentum much of the game.
I have seen Wally, Johns, Alf, Thurston all look ordinary in many big floggings and can't simply "LIFT" a team on their own, without the foundations being set in the middle.
Not a bias DCE thread, as he does imo get lost at times for Manly, but never through a lack of trying and have heard a few other high profile halves getting pasted with unrealistic expectations without the players around them assisting too much....these Superstar players are expected to do "Special things" on the field and come up with big plays, but generally there is heavy assist from the unheralded players who cop the bruises and win the battle in the middle.
So is the halfback a scapegoat, or is it simply the nature of the beast to wear the burden in this key position ??

i completely agree

its as if the 7 is half of the teams ability to win

clearys kicking is outstanding

DCE does do a lot of the game management a lot better today (when given momentum) and his ability to be a threat from the ball basically creating himself is pretty great

best halves in comp: 1. Munster 2. DCE 3. Cleary 4. Keary 5. Walker