The Most Unlucky Players

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

A list of the four of the unluckiest players of the NRL.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

~ 4 ~

As a player he has put together some very good performances. His play through the whole of 2011 and parts of 2012 and 2013 were very good and overall, he is a good, if limited, five-eight who can peak as an above average NRL player/Origin darkhorse. His long kicking game is weak and he is better suited as an ad-lib, creative player rather than a halfback; however, his passing game is excellent and his ability to create uncertainty in the outside defenders and unlock defences with his ball-playing definitely matches the upper group of NRL halves. I’d rate his abilities as a playmaker higher than his more fancied peers such as Josh Reynolds, Shaun Johnson and even though he is clearly inferior as an overall package, he is as good a playmaker as Kieran Foran imo.

But he is unlucky in how he is perceived by the general rugby league community and his coaches too. I’ve always felt that he is someone who only has to play a few poor games before the knives come out and the his long stretches of good play seem to get forgotten quicker than others. I think McCrone’s problem is that he is an unfashionable player. He has never looked like a rugby league player or an athlete and it is easy to understand why people don’t take to him: when he runs it looks like a slowish, awkward shuffle; despite his ability, his passing game looks laboured and he rarely throws a nice looking spiral pass; and he has an odd-shaped head.

Unfashionable and unlucky.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

~ 3 ~

I don’t know what makes Dale Copley unlucky. Of all the players here, this is the hardest to explain. Obviously the injuries are a part of it but even without that, he just gives the vibe of a player who has kicked every black cat, broken every mirror and walked under every ladder he has ever come across. He is tremendously talented but you’d always back him to get the unlucky bounce of the ball or make an inopportune fumble or missed tackle.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

~ 2 ~

I’ve always liked Buttriss. He isn’t exceptional but he does everything to a decent standard: he is a sharp dummy-half runner and can move markers around when his forwards are rolling; he is a fast, clean distributor; and a decent hard-working defender. Whenever he plays for Canberra I think they look like a better and more fluent team.

In fact, despite being an unlucky player, plenty of the circumstances of his career are very fortunate. Firstly, he began to peak in 2010 when the game was moving away from Cam Smith/Mick Monaghan clones and fast distributors of the ball were coming back into vogue. Secondly, he has been at Canberra, where he has never had to compete with another decent quality hooker for the starting position.

Buttriss is just unlucky because he is breakable. Everything seems to be working in his favour but he can’t string together a consistent run of games. It isn’t even a function of being soft or having a serious long-term injury problem; he just gets a collection of minor injuries here and there. A broken hand … a shoulder injury … a torn pectoral muscle … each of which are minor setbacks on their own but have combined to stunt a career filled with potential.

Luckless and breakable.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

~ 1 ~

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I haven’t seen much of Ryan Simpkins. In total, perhaps a handful of NRL games and even fewer NSW Cup games. But from what I have seen I feel comfortable in saying that he is a fantastic defensive lock and if he got an extended run in that role, I think he would quickly establish himself as one of the better ruck defenders in the NRL. He is capable of fulfilling that dual role of roving around as the third man into tackles, chopping out the legs to slow down tackles and then also cutting down ball carriers with a classic tackling technique.

He is unlucky because (a) a defensive lock will almost always be sidelined in favour of someone else who is a more potent attacking player and (b) he plays under Ivan Cleary, a coach whose compulsive collecting of backrowers deserves an episode on Hoaders. As long as he remains at Penrith he is stuck down a ridiculous depth chart, including Adam Docker, Nigel Plum, Elijah Taylor and a million other players.

Underappreciated. Unnoticed. Unlucky.

Julian · Aug 5, 2014

I just don't know what to say about this thread.

I don't even know what my opinions on Buttriss and. mccrone are anymore.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

Julian said: ↑

I just don't know what to say about this thread.

I don't even know what my opinions on Buttriss and. mccrone are anymore.
Click to expand...

Full disclosure, I haven't seen any of Buttriss or McCrone in the last 12 months, so its definitely a comment on their careers as a whole more than a reflection on the current situation. I can imagine that after 6 insane months of Ricky Stuart, things could change quite a bit.

Farhat · Aug 5, 2014

Tedesco.

Julian · Aug 5, 2014

I still think Buttriss is serviceable. The problems at the clubs are far removed from him. Mccrone is just someone you can't pin your hopes on. When the pressure is on and he's your go to man he rolls out some of the craziest shit you'll see on a footy field.

His best football came when he was partnered with Williams who did most of the kicking and organizing, allowing Mccrone to just run the ball. Papalii and Blake Ferguson outside him really helped though.

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

Julian said: ↑

I still think Buttriss is serviceable. The problems at the clubs are far removed from him. Mccrone is just someone you can't pin your hopes on. When the pressure is on and he's your go to man he rolls out some of the craziest shit you'll see on a footy field.

His best football came when he was partnered with Williams who did most of the kicking and organizing, allowing Mccrone to just run the ball. Papalii and Blake Ferguson outside him really helped though.
Click to expand...

I agree but a large part of that comes down to the club and the coach. McCrone is a good player but unsurprisingly, he stinks like shit when he is forced to play a role that he is completely unsuited to.

Lukic · Aug 5, 2014

Moltzen. Used to be such a gun ball running half back in the day. Killed it in the u20s, put into the centres to start his career in first grade. Moved to fullback for some fucken stupid reason in 2009 by Sheensius with John Morris instead playing in the halves. Then Rob Lui the shit cunt is put in the halves instead with Moltzen kept at fullback. The games he did play in the halves during those seasons has like a 90% win rate compared to like 40% with others in the halves. Does his ACL in 2010, Lui gets the halfback spot given to him and Moltz then has to battle through more injury plagued years at fullback and will be lucky to get another shot in first grade.

Julian · Aug 5, 2014

Fuck Lui really isn't very good. I can't believe NQ signed him.

Sultan Pepper · Aug 5, 2014

Simpkins just isn't that good. Rugby league purists love the idea of Simpkins, but in reality there are many players that are able to defend as well as him whilst offering more in attack.

McCrone is a gun though

Benny · Aug 5, 2014

If Ryan Simpkins was 10cm taller and 15kg heavier he'd be playing for Australia

Paddy · Aug 5, 2014

Julian said: ↑

Fuck Lui really isn't very good. I can't believe NQ signed him.
Click to expand...

Hoping the Cows don't re-sign the cunt either.

Mr Fourex · Aug 5, 2014

McCrones not unlucky....he's just shit.

BMT · Aug 5, 2014

McCrone goes alright when he doesn't need to come up with game breaking plays, if he has a role in the team he can do it very well. Put him under a bit of pressure and he crumbles, he needs to play with a dominant half to be effective.

Campese has never been an organiser and that is why McCrone has never played consistently well when they've been in the same team and when he has it's been with a traditional halfback who calls the shots.

SM · Aug 5, 2014

Fensom. Thread finished

Jazz · Aug 5, 2014

I don't think Fensom is extraordinarily unlucky. He's only unlucky in his continuing absence from Origin and even then, his omission is only ridiculous because shitter players have been selected elsewhere. It isn't as if his position is being usurped by undeserving players.

Mr Fourex · Aug 5, 2014

4. Matt Ballin

 If not for the durability and class of Cameron Smith, he would’ve been wearing the right shade of maroon a lot more often than he did.

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The Most Unlucky Players

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Julian BJ Taylor

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Julian BJ Taylor

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Lukic L Popovic

Julian BJ Taylor

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

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