Tom Wright

[BOZO]

Barrett was so stupid he was picking Neville's like Mathew Wright instead of Tom Wright

Barrett..... the name says it all in the NRL Head coaching ranks

 

[XV-1]

Parker and Croker were both dropped at different stages... the difference is that instead of quitting not only the club but the sport entirely while under contract like Tom Wright did, they kept working hard and earned their places back in the squad.

The difference is Tom Wright had options. Parker and Croker had zero options.

Chased by Rugby at a young age and he chose League.
Then he had idiot Barrett as a coach and he was not getting first grade time and was probably told he may not.
After all he saw what Barrett did to Gutho and Hynes first hand.

So he left. Well done Tommy. Shame on you Barrett and Manly.

 

[BOZO]

Tom Wright has been exposed under the high ball in Union.

Where would he play in league? Centres? Wouldn't want him on the wing or fullback.

I think you have dropped the ball there Rocky

Tom has represented Australia on 23 consecutive occasions which makes him a consistent performer

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Can you imagine what hope the Parkers and the Crokers would have if they were given only 5 opportunities to make or break an NRL Career ?
Answer is No hope !

In their first few opportunities Parker and Croker showed enough of the qualities needed in NRL. That's why they were given more opportunities.
Tom could have made it in league but didn't seem to have the desire for it, this is one I can't blame Barrett for.

 

[BOZO]

Parker and Croker were both dropped at different stages... the difference is that instead of quitting not only the club but the sport entirely while under contract like Tom Wright did, they kept working hard and earned their places back in the squad.

I agree that Parker and Croker were dropped many times at different stages
But I do not agree that Tom gave up on Manly . Master coach barrett gave up on Tom and Union Picked him up

 

[BOZO]

In their first few opportunities Parker and Croker showed enough of the qualities needed in NRL. That's why they were given more opportunities.
Tom could have made it in league but didn't seem to have the desire for it, this is one I can't blame Barrett for.

In their first opportunities parker and Croker showed enough qualities ?

I do not see that instant Parker and Croker success stories

We will agree to disagree feathered friend

 

[JenEagle]

A gun in attack with plenty of skills with his passing game and a superb running game

A big body so defense would have come if given a chance and some coaching

Far too talented for the untalented twod Barrett to coac.

He would have been a gun centre with the ability to use his silky hands at 5/8th

Another gun lost.

Barrett a big 0 from 3 in telling 3 guns they were no longer required at Manly.

Yeah it’s obvious to anyone involved in rugby league whether fan, administrator or player that Barrett has no idea.

He’s failed so miserably as a coach and unfortunately we were dumb enough to be part of this guys career. I think he has the worst coaching record for any coach who has coached more than 100 games since 1908.

He’s had failures at every level including recruitment and now he’s gone to the eels as an assistant coach and they have fallen off a cliff.

He was only ever deemed to be successful because he was assistant coach to Penrith on two occasions and as soon as he stepped out of that he went back down the gurgler again.

I think he even missed the 8 with a star studded Penrith 20’s team a few years ago.

 

[BOZO]

What makes Great Dominant players ?

Players with Superior Speed . Skill , and Strength
They Are the Mother Superiors that own the field

The Mother of all Superior Speed , Skill , and Strength backlines
and the Benchmark of our Legendary clubs Premiership winning success
Anything else and we are way off the mark

 

[BOZO]

How Good are our current players ?
Above are our Benchmark
These are the players will need to match if we are to rise like premiership Winning Eagles

 

[40 nil]

Wright was offered an attractive contract by the Brumbies at the end of 2018. When Des took over, he asked if Tom was still at the club. Maybe he would have had more opportunities under Des...

 

[Bearfax]

We have differing memories …. I remember him missing more tackles than he made!

Just sayin’

Observation is a tricky thing especially if you have preconceived ideas about people or things.

What I mean is that you will take note of things that reinforce what you believe, but tend to not give equal weight to those things that dont.

No question Wright missed tackles. He also tackled well on occasions I watched him closely. His technique was a little flawed, but such issues can be addressed by good coaching. Skill cant be taught. It is innate.

I watch someone like Croker, who I consider a good defender, yet for several weeks he was missing tackles often. Turbo at times misses a disproprotionate number of tackles. In last three matches he made 15 tackles and missed 5. Paseka who we've been lauding of late in past three games has in Game 1 26 tackles 3 misses, Game 2 26 tackles 6 misses, Game 3 19 tackles 3 misses. Yet we see both as good defenders. All depends on perspective and what you're looking for. We interpret based on what reinforces wat we believe.

 

[Disco]

I think Tom Wright will be forever overrated on this forum.

Still not convinced he'd be a star in the NRL.

 

[NREagle]

How many years now since he was in Manly colours.....

 

[Bearfax]

Thing is many here under rate Rugby Union and the series between Australia, NZ and two Pacific Islander teams. Covid ended the South African and Argentina involvement, and South Africa sought to join the Northern Hemisphere comp because of time difference. (I'm perhaps a little biased in that I never played RL but did play Rugby Union).

Point is those playing Super Rugby ( 12 teams) are the cream of rugby union, a sport that is played by almost as many in this country as rugby league (mind you three times that number play Australian Rules). And it should be noted far more people play Rugby Union in NZ, South Africa, GB, Argentina, than RL, and Australia is most competitive against those nations though NZ gives us a hiding regularly. The game is of course different but they are quality players and Wright is amongst the best in Australia (plays for the Wallabies). He had the skills to be a fine Rugby league player, the type of skills in the backs you need for both codes. He would have been a top performer if patience had been shown.

 

[Scorpio]

He would have been a top performer if patience had been shown.

He literally had a contract at Manly until the end of 2019, but quit to play Rugby instead.

What do you think we should have done with Tom Wright? Do you think that he was owed a starting position, or do you think he had the right to never be dropped on form? He showed little ticker in the games he played for us at NRL level.

Barrett was a very ordinary coach, but if a player doesn't want to tough it out and improve their craft in rugby league after being dropped a few games into their career, while still being contracted for another year, then that is on them.

 

[Disco]

Thing is many here under rate Rugby Union and the series between Australia, NZ and two Pacific Islander teams. Covid ended the South African and Argentina involvement, and South Africa sought to join the Northern Hemisphere comp because of time difference. (I'm perhaps a little biased in that I never played RL but did play Rugby Union).

Point is those playing Super Rugby ( 12 teams) are the cream of rugby union, a sport that is played by almost as many in this country as rugby league (mind you three times that number play Australian Rules). And it should be noted far more people play Rugby Union in NZ, South Africa, GB, Argentina, than RL, and Australia is most competitive against those nations though NZ gives us a hiding regularly. The game is of course different but they are quality players and Wright is amongst the best in Australia (plays for the Wallabies). He had the skills to be a fine Rugby league player, the type of skills in the backs you need for both codes. He would have been a top performer if patience had been shown.

I disagree on a few points.

Rugby Union is close to its lowest ebb atm in Australia. There was a time when there was many a fantastic talent in Union and genuine interest in the Wallabies, that moment is not now.

Marika Korobite was a very decent NRL winger and has twice won the John Eales medal as the top player for the Wallabies

Izaia Perese could not make the Broncos side (2 appearences) and is now a Wallaby.

Tom Wright never broke through at Manly and has 23 tests for the Wallaby's.

Heck they paid 1.6mil a season for a kid who is yet to truly cement himself as a dominant force in league.

The game is in all sorts atm in Australia and being a Wallaby doesnt mean you would be a bona fide NRL star

 

[Adz]

Observation is a tricky thing especially if you have preconceived ideas about people or things.

What I mean is that you will take note of things that reinforce what you believe, but tend to not give equal weight to those things that dont.

No question Wright missed tackles. He also tackled well on occasions I watched him closely. His technique was a little flawed, but such issues can be addressed by good coaching. Skill cant be taught. It is innate.

I watch someone like Croker, who I consider a good defender, yet for several weeks he was missing tackles often. Turbo at times misses a disproprotionate number of tackles. In last three matches he made 15 tackles and missed 5. Paseka who we've been lauding of late in past three games has in Game 1 26 tackles 3 misses, Game 2 26 tackles 6 misses, Game 3 19 tackles 3 misses. Yet we see both as good defenders. All depends on perspective and what you're looking for. We interpret based on what reinforces wat we believe.

The main difference is that Paseka and Croker show a fierce willingness to put their bodies on the line in defence,Wright still looks like tackling is a necessary evil.
I have never seen Tom as an outstanding defender,there are times when he maybe could have had more if a go in trying to stop a try at the death even though it would probably have achieved nothing.

 

[swoop]

League and union are totally different and there's no gaurantee TW would make it in league or Turbo being as dominant playing union. How many top league players have made it big in union and vice versa?

 

[Peter C]

Barrett was so stupid he was picking Neville's like Mathew Wright instead of Tom Wright

Are you trying to say that he was picking the wrong Wright?

 

[Will on the hill]

League and union are totally different and there's no gaurantee TW would make it in league or Turbo being as dominant playing union. How many top league players have made it big in union and vice versa?

The list of backs is pretty extensive, Dally Messenger, Michael O'Connor, Arthur Summons, Wendell Sailor, Matt Rogers, Lote Tuqiri, Israel Folau, SBW, Sam Burgess, to name but a few. The list of forwards that excelled in both codes basically starts and finishes with Brad Thorn.

By far the most successful code hoppers have been RL players transferring to RU in the backs.