Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:19 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Or maybe Briers just looks good because he plays in a world class side?

Who havent won a championship since the 1950's , dream on Sally.

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:22 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Probably stuck in Halifax, like Gareth Widdop was, ignored by clubs' talent spotters who are too busy fighting over Superleague players and ageing Aussies.

I do think that's an area that saints have neglected for a few years. We signed wilkin and Gardner from the championship, but since then I can't think of anyone. Millward certainly seemed to recognise the value of players from the lower leagues, a succession of Aussie coaches since seem to have ignored the opportunity. Didn't joynt, nickle, martyn and sully all come from a lower league, or has my mind played tricks on me?

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:27 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Why don't you finish the story...a drunk Briers helped Warrington beat Huddersfield 60-4 that day and went on to win their second consecutive Challenge Cup at Wembley. Not bad for a boozed up halfback who wastes his talent.

Or maybe Briers just looks good because he plays in a world class side?

Maybe if he had taken his career seriously, he would have played internationally, and not had to settle for the welsh consolation team.

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:31 pm  

SomersetSaint wrote:

I do think that's an area that saints have neglected for a few years. We signed wilkin and Gardner from the championship, but since then I can't think of anyone. Millward certainly seemed to recognise the value of players from the lower leagues, a succession of Aussie coaches since seem to have ignored the opportunity. Didn't joynt, nickle, martyn and sully all come from a lower league, or has my mind played tricks on me?

Joynt came from Oldham (dont recall if they were top flight in 92), Tommy cam from oldham too I think, Nickle came from Sheffield and Sully came from HKR.

I'm sure there are plenty of players with potential in the lower leagues but the problem is the salary cap and lack of a reserve league . If a player is a little older but requires development it can be a big gamble to have them come in take up cap space and then end up stuck in the u20's taking up an overage spot (learning sod all)

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:33 pm  

SomersetSaint wrote:

Maybe if he had taken his career seriously, he would have played internationally, and not had to settle for the welsh consolation team.

true that , when you see who's played 6 for us at GB level ahead of him it's quite amusing , the likes of Daryl Powell Briers probably had more talent in 1 toe but had/has a crap attitude and a poor reputation

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:10 pm  

Briers lack of international caps just reflects the fact the coaches made bad selection decisions and ignored a player with creativity and flair. I don't even think it was because he played for the 'wrong club' either...Tommy Martyn was in the same boat and played for Saints and got overlooked, another bad decision.

The thing I don't get with these stories about Briers, is people talk about him like he's some Paul Gascoigne type player, who drinks too much beer and doesn't look after his body and take his career seriously etc. Players like that are usually done by the time they are in their late 20s, they are a shadow of the player they were. But with Briers it's been the opposite, he was a player with ability that lacked consistency in his early 20s but from about the age of 27 onwards he's been pretty consistent and since he turned 30 (admittedly coinciding with the time Warrington have put better players around him), he's played the best rugby of his career.

Compare him to his peers ie the generation of halfbacks that came through around his time - Richard Horne, Paul Cooke, Chris Thorman, Danny Orr, these guys were all regarded at one point as ahead of Briers for consistency or attitude or whatever but all of them had dipped a lot by the time they hit their late 20s, they were not the players they had promised to be. Even Iestyn Harris, who I would have put as streets ahead of Briers in his early days, became pedestrian by the time he'd returned from union aged about 28 or so...compare the Harris of his later years with Briers at the same age and Briers is about ten leagues ahead of him.

There will always be people on the internet with their anecdotes about Briers with his beer and pies being a bad professional but his fitness has never been an issue and his on field performances have steadily improved through his career which is why he's enjoyed winning some trophies towards the end of his career which most people thought he would never get. So I think the truth about Briers is less exciting than the internet stories suggest...he's actually a top professional at the top of his sport. I know that secretly you Saints fans respect him and wish he had stayed at his home town club...you would certainly have won some of those last five Grand Finals if you had him in your side.

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:12 pm  

Briers wasn't good enough to be considered for international selection until Tony Smith joined Warrington. Before that he was indisciplined and impulsive.

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:19 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

I know that secretly you Saints fans respect him and wish he had stayed at his home town club...you would certainly have won some of those last five Grand Finals if you had him in your side.

If he'd have stayed we'd never had signed Sean Long so errr no thanks.

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:54 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

If he'd have stayed we'd never had signed Sean Long so errr no thanks.

Totally agree

Re: MATTY SMITH : Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:29 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

If he'd have stayed we'd never had signed Sean Long so errr no thanks.

I agree but I still like lee. He's been very good super league player. We could have done with him for past three years, that's for sure.