if Briers was any good, he'd not have been playing in a Warrington side that, for the majority of his career there, has been incredibly average.
If it's more than a decade at a club before you win anything, I'm going to suggest that other factors (Wire's new millionaire owner, and their coach) have more to do with it.
Briers is an average player getting carried by a decent side. Not fit to lace up Kevin Sinfield's boots.
Not being the type who goes on other club's boards I've only spotted this thread today after venturing over here to post my pub query, and was intrigued because of the title and fact it was started by the resident misery (sorry "realist") from Saints on the Warrington board.
I've just read the whole thing and it's great.
I hope your players are as enthusiastic about Saturday as your fans are. I doubt it mind.
if Briers was any good, he'd not have been playing in a Warrington side that, for the majority of his career there, has been incredibly average.
If it's more than a decade at a club before you win anything, I'm going to suggest that other factors (Wire's new millionaire owner, and their coach) have more to do with it.
Briers is an average player getting carried by a decent side. Not fit to lace up Kevin Sinfield's boots.
I would like to agree with you but sadly I have a feeling that once Briers retires Warrington will slip down somewhat because however much people find it hard to accept, Briers is a top class player who has been central to our success in recent years, and when you take him out of the side, there isn't really anybody around that can replace him unless we can land one of the top NRL halfbacks.
Yes Briers was an inconsistent player earlier in his career, when he emerged at similar time to the likes of Cooke, Horne, Thorman, Orr etc, those guys were rated above him particularly in the international pecking order. But where all those guys faded once they got past their mid 20s, Briers improved every year. Take Briers from 2006 onwards and you have a very consistent performer who sets up a lot of tries, his attacking kicking game is first class - look at the try records of guys like Fa'afili, King and Hicks that are targets for kicks. Also his passing and distribution is excellent, he's not just an 'organiser' player that can move a team around the field, there's lots of players can do that, Briers puts on a lot of money balls close to the opposition line that puts someone through the defence.
If Briers had signed for Saints after Long retired I have no doubt Saints would have won a couple of trophies since then, and we would not have won any.
I would like to agree with you but sadly I have a feeling that once Briers retires Warrington will slip down somewhat because however much people find it hard to accept, Briers is a top class player who has been central to our success in recent years, and when you take him out of the side, there isn't really anybody around that can replace him unless we can land one of the top NRL halfbacks.
Yes Briers was an inconsistent player earlier in his career, when he emerged at similar time to the likes of Cooke, Horne, Thorman, Orr etc, those guys were rated above him particularly in the international pecking order. But where all those guys faded once they got past their mid 20s, Briers improved every year. Take Briers from 2006 onwards and you have a very consistent performer who sets up a lot of tries, his attacking kicking game is first class - look at the try records of guys like Fa'afili, King and Hicks that are targets for kicks. Also his passing and distribution is excellent, he's not just an 'organiser' player that can move a team around the field, there's lots of players can do that, Briers puts on a lot of money balls close to the opposition line that puts someone through the defence.
If Briers had signed for Saints after Long retired I have no doubt Saints would have won a couple of trophies since then, and we would not have won any.
Hard to disagree with that really. If we'd had Briers and Smith instead of you the last few years then I reckon we'd be looking forward to winning our 3rd or 4th successive GF rather than dreading the inevitable prospect of losing our 6th instead The lack of younger players like Briers in our game now is the reason why we had to gamble our entire future on Eastmond...
Much as I hate to say it, but I can't disagree with this one iota. The only way we're going to win the next 2 games is by being mega tight in defence and in complete and total control in the forwards for 90% of each game - if any kind of creative spark or quality back play is allowed to influence the result in either game we will lose, probably heavily. We certainly have the pack to be able to do that once but not twice in successive weeks against top sides. And once the game starts to turn against us at O/T (as is almost inevitable) then we will crumble pitifully and be overrun yet again. We desperately need a break from GFs for a season or 2 and it's being a little self-deluding to think that we can turn up there against Wigan or Leeds in 2 weeks' time after putting Warrington away and do the same to them. We've got a fresh start next season with (hopefully) our first decent coach in 4 full years and a break from the final and the fresh memories of yet another stuffing at O/T is what the squad needs psychologically going into the playoffs next year. I honestly think a big win against Wire next week would be the worst possible thing that could happen to us and our trophy chances next year as a club going forward.
I just have a feeling fate is going to do you a favour, and as underdogs warrington will finally make their maiden grand final appearence.
You'll see what a massive benefit the defeat is when you go into next years playoffs.
But then that's just my gut instinct. It could very easily be saints running out at old trafford for what will (imo) be another inevitable defeat.
I think the winners of this Saints v Warrington match will win at OT, I have a sneaking suspicion that it's going to be Saints.
You guys are just traumatised by losing there every year so you are writing yourselves off unnecessarily but I see Saints as a bigger obstacle than Leeds or Wigan. I think if we get past Saints and make the GF then we can beat either Leeds or Wigan at OT, thats not to say I'd take them lightly or be surprised if they won....just I think we have the edge over those sides. Not sure if we have the edge over Saints.
2006 - Team awards - Challenge cup winners, League leaders shield, Super League winners, BBC Sports team of the year. 2006 - Player awards - Lance todd trophy winner, Harry sunderland trophy winner, Man of steel, Young player of the year 2006 - Coach awards - Coach of the year, BBC coach of the year 2007 - World Club Challenge winners
Some people saying if we get to OT then we can't beat Leeds or Wigan not for the psychological factor but because we don't have the team, surely we do if we get there the last 3 teams we would of beat would be Wigan, Wire, Wire. As for getting over the 'hoodoo' or whatever you are only going to do that by getting to grand finals and having another go if we have years off we still haven't won a final and therefore the thought of losing is still there
Even though it's been 6 years since we won at OT, it still feels like these losses are just a blip, and that normal service will soon be resumed. All the success we had in the first half of the 2000s has made us a little bit entitled I'm afraid, which makes losing in finals harder to take for us than for teams not used to the big games.
Even though it's been 6 years since we won at OT, it still feels like these losses are just a blip, and that normal service will soon be resumed. All the success we had in the first half of the 2000s has made us a little bit entitled I'm afraid, which makes losing in finals harder to take for us than for teams not used to the big games.
this about sums it up for me
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