HaroldBishop
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In a pretty handy team
2023 NRL Round 1 Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs @ Points Bet Stadium Saturday 4 March @ 7:35pm
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BurgoShark
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Pretty much. People have ridiculous expectations of young halves.
DCE had also played a full year at halfback in the Qld Cup, and was player of the year in that league. He was a dominant prodigy. Matt Burton isn't.
Halves needing time is the rule. Halves coming in and looking like superstars under 22 is the rare exception.
snowman
Total gronk
burton had played a full year of nrl and missed his chance at nsw cup because of covid, other wise he would have the same resume as DCE
except DCE is good and burton is ****
except DCE is good and burton is ****
Milkshark
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Burton is not crap.
But in the Bulldogs system, he is being used as a Mr Do Everything. That may not be the best way of using him but Bulldogs had some cash and threw it at him.
I think there are questions on him being a 5/8 or not. I see him as a centre.
But in the Bulldogs system, he is being used as a Mr Do Everything. That may not be the best way of using him but Bulldogs had some cash and threw it at him.
I think there are questions on him being a 5/8 or not. I see him as a centre.
BurgoShark
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Not in the halves, and yeah, He's not going to be DCE at 22-24 but he could be as good as Maloney, Walker, etc. in 3 years and the Bulldogs would still consider it a win.
No winning with you though hey mate. All halves should be as good as Andrew Johns by their 21st birthday or else and fed live to the pigs while all of the up-and-comers watch and take it as a warning.
HaroldBishop
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Delicious when crumbed and pan fried
Sparkles
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Fricassee'd is good too. And fun to say
If there were 10 NRL teams Burton, Doueihi, Wighton and Manu would all be centres but in a 16 now 17 team league you have to put the ball in good players hands. In the NRL they are spine quality players.
Manu obviously the exception to the others to not take advantage of that and the extra money, but also not not want the extra pressure & glory.
Other guys like Jack Bird who Dragons have tried to shoehorn into half because he is just one of their best players who kind of can do it at an NRL level.
Drop down a tier and you have guys like Tracey and Mbye who probably should have come through systems as centres but they were too good at those positions at age levels so they always played as halves. Then instead of transitioning back to centre for NRL they are both in a weird spot of being a spine player not good enough for NRL but too good for cup. Given the wraps on Tracey it seems feasible if he'd put the last few years into it, being a centre who starts for an NRL team is fairly realistic.
These are more the 'victims' of versatility we see sometimes, rather than the top end like the first names I mentioned.
(although Mbye has managed to find plenty of starts by being the versatile guy at **** clubs)
Wiz
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Yeah I agree.. he’s a weapon at centre, at 6 still yet to see it
HaroldBishop
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He needs a decent half back and that doesn't look like happening anytime soon.
CrazyMatt
Jaws
I absolutely like Matt Burton but geez there’s still some holes in his game as a five-eighth. A lot of which I thought he’d have fixed by now. But he’s plateaued a bit having to try to carry a shithouse Canterbury team.
No question that he is a gun centre though and likely should be picked there come Origin time.
No question that he is a gun centre though and likely should be picked there come Origin time.
MMsharks
Great White
thank F..k someone has said it, agree
can do brilliant stuff but I didn't think he played sunday. and other games back into last year, he would go quiet
sharks2010
Dribbler
Said this last year, nothing but a big boot and a step which teams have worked out
Still some dogs fans who think they got the better buy out of Burton and hynes
HaroldBishop
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Hahaha
snowman
Total gronk
No. They just need to be good. Burton isnt good ar anything apart from putting a bomb up and praying
Shortfin Mako
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Good. Let them think that.
Gards
Jaws
Dogs have paid so much (spine money) for Burton into future years that they can't justify putting him back in the centres for at least another full season or 2 - kinda like what the Cows ending up doing with Holmes
But that's also presuming Burton shows no further promise in the halves (or FB) and that the dogs cannot find a better replacement in those positions - as it stands they don't really have another option than to persist with him
I hope Burton doesn't turn into another Kayln Ponga type player that just coasts until Origin time, occasionally turning up on a weekend and deciding to get involved in a club game but I don't feel that is his MO and that he is still just kinda feeling his way.
Ponga on the other hand is starting to just look like a bit of an overpaid fraud and kinda sooky
Burton was Bulldogs members player of the year 2022 - he was pretty decent for them in the halves last year wasn't he? I defs recall seeing him lay on some trys and score some of his own. He did get picked for Origin afterall - in centres though where he had a strong game.
But that's also presuming Burton shows no further promise in the halves (or FB) and that the dogs cannot find a better replacement in those positions - as it stands they don't really have another option than to persist with him
I hope Burton doesn't turn into another Kayln Ponga type player that just coasts until Origin time, occasionally turning up on a weekend and deciding to get involved in a club game but I don't feel that is his MO and that he is still just kinda feeling his way.
Ponga on the other hand is starting to just look like a bit of an overpaid fraud and kinda sooky
Burton was Bulldogs members player of the year 2022 - he was pretty decent for them in the halves last year wasn't he? I defs recall seeing him lay on some trys and score some of his own. He did get picked for Origin afterall - in centres though where he had a strong game.
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Shortfin Mako
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Ponga can be a very dangerous player when he wants to be. But only when he wants to be and that is the problem.
BurgoShark
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Yep. A lot of kids who just happen to be one of the best players on the team end up in the halves in juniors (and junior reps) even if their skillset isn't really suited to it. The good thing about halves is that you have 2 of them. If your best player isn't much of a passer or kicker... no worries... make sure that the other half is
I also wouldn't really lump Mbye and Tracey together. Very different situations. Mybe is a good passer who probably could have been a very good 6 or 9 on the right team, but his development went sideways with all of the chopping and changing. He is still an NRL-level spine player, just a supporting one rather than a main man. Tracey is a very poor passer who shouldn't really ever have been developed as a half, and really shouldn't ever play 9 unless you are desperate. Bomber knew this, which is why Sorensen played there ahead of him.
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