Wigan in talks to keep Green

[Wigan_forever1985]

Just to evidence the pace issue because some people have mentioned it like rads was slow like wellens look at this try

http://youtu.be/vm9ju_ybSJY

Watch rads reel in renouf like he was standing still and even have to slow down to take the pass. During this break there isn't a player on the pitch out pacing rads[/url]

[TrueBlueWarrior]

He could play FB in the modern game smoking a cigar and wearing slippers, why you may ask? Because his attitude was faultless and had a great RL brain that would have allowed him to adapt to any era. Also as CP says the standard of SL is significantly dropping so it would have been a stroll in the park for him!!

[josie andrews]

Blake Green not ruling out NRL return
by: Joe Whitley, May 13, 2014, 11:37 am

Wigan Warriors entered contract renewal talks with influential halfback Blake Green last week, but the Australian playmaker is yet to make a decision on his future.

The 27-year-old is nearing the end of a two-year deal with the cherry and whites, in which he has made 39 appearances and scored 16 tries, winning the Harry Sunderland trophy in last year’s Grand Final.

Warriors boss Shaun Wane is keen to keep hold of his star stand-off.
“We’re in talks with Blake and his management team. He’s happy here. I’m thrilled with the way he’s playing.”

But Green is less sure of his future.

“I haven’t signed a deal yet,” he told League Express.

“I’m currently talking to Waney [Shaun Wane] at Wigan to sort something out, but at the moment I haven’t signed anything, although I’ve really enjoyed my two years so far at Wigan.

“I wouldn’t say I am close to signing. We only started talking last week. It will take care of itself, and I haven’t put much emphasis on it. We’ve got a really important month ahead, with some big games coming up. My job is to ensure we are winning games and to stay focused on the footy, so it’s really at the back of my mind at the moment.”

Rumours of a move to Super League big-spenders Salford Red Devils and a return to the NRL have been rife in the last few weeks, but Green dismisses them.

“I haven’t spoken directly to any other club at the moment,” he said.
“I haven’t had any offers from Salford, I’ve seen bits on social media and stuff like that, but a lot of those things are just rumours.”

Green didn’t rule out a return to Australia, though. When asked if going back to the NRL would interest him, he said: “Yes, definitely.

“When I came over here that was one of my goals, to play really well and form a bit of a profile for myself and hopefully get the opportunity to go back to the NRL.

“I was lucky enough to enjoy some success with the team last year and that’s certainly an option. I’ll know in the next month or so what my options are with regards to going back home or staying over here.

“I can’t thank Wigan enough and Shaun Wane; he’s been really patient with me. He understands that I want to focus on this next four to six weeks of footy and get some wins, and then we will sort it out together.”

In four seasons in the NRL, Green made fewer than 50 appearances and struggled to cement a starting spot at Parramatta, Cronulla and Canterbury. He feels he has a point to prove back home.

“I was only a utility player in the NRL and I came over here to establish myself as a six and I’ve probably done that now,” he said.

“I’ve shown I’m capable of playing that position on a full-time basis. That was my main goal and I’ve done everything I’ve set out to do, to put myself in the best position possible to return and show that I’m capable of playing that role there.”

http://www.totalrl.com/blake-green-ruling-nrl-return/

[cpwigan]

Its not being disparaging to say past fullbacks could not play fullback today. It happened in countless positions. Hooker is another classic example.

When Rads returned where did he play? centre! Rads was never a creator of tries, he was a finisher. He never had an amazing passing game and 1 v 1 he could not stand people up in small areas and leave them gasping at fresh air. It is for those reasons the FB role has become a 3rd or even the only stand off/playmaker. Playmaking was the biggest weakness of Rads not that he needed it. TB, Rads was an example of amazing attitude and effort over natural RL skill/brain.

[cpwigan]

I used Steve Ella as an example of how the FB role was already slowly evolving. Phil Blake was another early example of a half back moving to FB. IIRC, Billy Slater was originally a half back as a junior.

You mention Steve Ella as "an example" of the future positional changes we now see, yet how many times exactly (barring injury) did Paul Taylor get replaced by Steve Ella? Even the great Jack Gibson knew were to play Ella and it was not full back in precedence over Taylor!

Even the Aussies have him down as a utility player

ELLA, Steve 1960-07-28 Fullback, Wing, Centre, Five-Eighth, Halfback, Bench played 156 Tries 94 Goals 104 FG 6 552

Phil Blake was very similar to Ella, but his main position in his early career was as a half back, but he too was often seen for his utility value and played most of his time in the centres. Only when he joined the Auckland Warriors did he play full back and by then he was at the end of his playing time.

Both players are not good examples of players moving early in their careers to fulfil the games changing tactics

BM, forget wikipedia etc etc. Seeing and listening to those games when Ella did play FB was and is far more enlightening. However, he was rarely needed in that position because the other innovative tactic of interchanging Taylor and Sterling was far more valuable at the time. Steve Ella similarly was a fantastic stand off (just ask Wigan fans ) yet he rarely played there for Parra. Why, he wasn't needed with Kenny playing 6 BUT that does not mean Ella could not play stand off or do you disagree?

[cpwigan]

Rads was a great of his era for Wigan but in terms of becoming the key pivot like Sam T or even like Rocky he could not hold a candle to either and yes he did other things better / much better than they could BUT we are talking now and he would not have even been selected at FB IMO. Far more likely wing or centre.

Amazing you claim Radders would not have been able to play the extra half back role yet you also at the same time state that Ryan Hampshire can do. Hampshire cannot even get a regular first team place anywhere in this side for starters.

Now ignoring your obvious next reply that "Wane is unfair" and "Wane hasn't given him a chance" etc etc I would surmise the only reason Hampshire was originally moved to full back was it was seen as a natural progression into the side for him, rather than the best position for him to make his mark long term. For example, Had Sam Tomkins stayed and fulfilled his 5 year deal then Hampshire would have kept playing in his five-eights position would he not? Or do you think moving to a position were a team is all ready well covered is not exactly forward thinking for a player?

Btw I am not arguing over Hampshire's ability to play full back, just asking should he really be playing there?

As for Radders. I shake my head at you.

You have great knowledge and sometimes some really great ideas but also fall into the similar DaveO hated stance of "if they are sold then they were no good anyway". You are in denial and are thinking just because they did't play this "modern style" of rugby (which you yourself claim is of a very poor standard) then they wouldn't have been a success in this current team

I think Rocky Hampshire is an exceptional talent. Does that mean he should automatically play for the first team? NO Likewise George Williams. Do I know what position Ryan Hampshire will finish up playing? No because he can play FB and he can play half back. However, like Shaun Edwards it makes sense at this stage for Rocky to play FB. My gut instinct is that Hampshire can handle the defence and intensity of top grade RL but I would not want to see him bashed too much early in his career. He may play FB for the rest of his career / he may not.

The arguments are similar for Sam T. When I look at England I can think maybe Sam could move to half and play the Leeds FB / back 3 trio together BUT the ? is could Sam survive the heavy defence required at 6 or 7. Maybe Sam would have gone to 6 for Wigan to allow Hampshire to play FB who knows, certainly nobody here. Billy Slater was a junior halfback. He never went back did he.

You or anybody can shake their head as much as they want. Rads was not a RL magician and is a perfect example of attitude over talent (nothing wrong with that) which I think he even said as much in his autobiography. His courage and determination at Murrayfield exemplified what the man / the player was about. He was not a magical natuiral RL talent!

I once spent an hour with Rod Reddy chatting RL and he talked about Ellery and he said he (Ellery) is a fantastic talent but not a natural rugby league player (skill wise). I understood what he meant that day and still do today.

For those who talk about playing in any era / adapting. An easy example; hooker Nicky Kiss in his day was a great Wigan hooker, even toward the end of his career RL changed and Martin Dermott represented the future. You know what I am not sure Martin Dermott would be a great hooker these days yet he is widely acclaimed as the best passer from acting half straight from the POTB. How many times do hookers do that today, do they not go forward and then pass? Times change / eras change and I watch far too much old Wigan games for it to be healthy BUT it is a different world out there now.

I am not sure where George Williams will finish positionally B he can play and will be a fantastic player. Does it matter if that is at half, loose or hooker? Can you imagine some of you when Graham Lowe switched the best British stand off to loose forward. He must have been barmy

[cpwigan]

Full backs old era, current time.
Surely most players of the calibre mentioned would have been able to adapt to the training methods and playing styles to achieve a required level.
i know its moving away from the post slightly but Tuigamala was a million miles off being a rugby league player, so was Jonathan Davies but they turned it round with hard effort and self dedication to become fantastic league players.
I couldn't imagine Rads NOT being a good full back in today's game.

Inga was an amazing person / player and somebody once told me he may have been far older than whatever it said on his birth certificate.

Today PM where would the prince of Welsh Fly Halfs play in RL (I know he wouldn't have converted but lets imagine). I eill answer my question FULL BACK. Davies best RL was playing at FB for the Bulldogs and for GB.

[nathan_rugby]

I think the prime example of how the role of the fullback has changed and developed is that Sam Tomkins is regarded by many as an out and out fullback, not a stand off playing fullback.

Watching Sam adapt into that role at Wigan and through what I have seen at NZW, in my opinion he is by no stretch a stand off.

[DaveO]

You or anybody can shake their head as much as they want. Rads was not a RL magician and is a perfect example of attitude over talent (nothing wrong with that) which I think he even said as much in his autobiography.

He might be modest but to say he was "a perfect example of attitude over talent" is ridiculous.

You don't win the individual accolades he did and set the records he did such as top try scorer by being just a model pro.

He played the game in an era of arguably higher standards and yet his technique and reading of the game stood out a mile. That is talent.

All this talk of the modern fullback being different ignores one big change that has occurred which is not that the game has changed so the role is inherently different but that it has changed to the extent players who perhaps are not so suited to the position (particularly defensively) can hack it there.

Bowen is the perfect example of a modern fullback who still has all the defensive attributes of someone like Rads yet can be a threat on attack in his own right.

When a player like Hampshire or Sam drops a bomb or makes a poor attempt at a tackle I think saying this aspect of the modern fullback game is no longer what it is mainly about is just an excuse.

There is absolutely no reason why any modern full back who chimes into the line as a playmaker as Sam did should not also be able to possess the skills to catch a ball and tackle one-on-one.

[cpwigan]

Far from it Dave. Forget what you think you know and ask or read what the pros tell you. An easy one is Danny Buderous autobiography where he recalls umpteen players with far more talent, genuine natural talents and they hardly made a first grade appearance.

Likewise Rads will tell you umpteen players he played with had far more talent but never achieved a fraction of what he did.

People look at things through Cherry misted glasses. I can find examples; several where Rads spilled kicks or where Rads got beat by oncoming players. The most famous being Cunningham at KR. Rads made mistakes as does every player but of course we remember the ones here and now and go all gooey eyes in nostalgia about the past. What next? Nick Kiss could play hooker today?

Rads was a great player in his time but his attitude was his strength. Oddly Dave you will find attitude makes successful pro players and those lacking it but with equal or more talent never make it!

The game evolves and Rads would not be a FB today. I daresay you screamed blue murder that Ellery Hanley was not a LF when Lowe put him there too.

BTW The Bowen we watch is nowhere near as good as he was at his peak for Cowboys but he is still an excellent player and he makes mistakes. Oddly, the worlds best FB Billy Slater makes some major cock ups.

Of course you also acknowledge that kicking techniques re bombs have improved over time.