The Seymour-Barrett combo

[Megashark]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how our new halves combo will go this year, at the start of the post-Noddy era. No doubt there is plenty of ability there, but in my opinion how effective they will be, will come down to whether they can remain relatively injury-free throughout the season and spend plenty of time on the training paddock together as well as on the playing field come game day. Here's some thoughts from Brett Seymour on his new partner in the halves, I would also be interested to hear from anyone else how you think our 6/7 partnership will shape up this season.

Seymour keen to join Barrett in winning combo
Jacquelin Magnay | March 7, 2009

WHEN Trent Barrett signed with Cronulla in the off-season, one of the most interested onlookers was incumbent halves player Brett Seymour.

He had heard a lot about Barrett and was interested to see how different the former St George Illawarra and Wigan five-eighth was going to be to the departing Greg Bird and Brett Kimmorley, whose No.7 berth is expected to be taken by Seymour, with Barrett at No.6.

Seymour was also keen to see how Barrett would fit in with the club atmosphere. And he wasn't disappointed.

"In training, he is very different to Noddy [Kimmorley]," said Seymour, 24, who is expected to return from a knee reconstruction in round five after being injured in the preliminary final last year. "He certainly has a different style, but I think he has gelled with the team really well.

"There have been no dramas. Trent has a real presence about him. Whenever he speaks, everyone listens because he is very experienced and he has been there and done it. With his track record, a lot of the boys respect him and we are looking forward to playing with him."

Seymour hasn't yet been able to form a combination with Barrett but is expected to join in the ball-work sessions soon. Seymour has noticed how coach Ricky Stuart has concentrated more on ball work and player combinations in this off-season compared to last season.

"We have definitely been spending more time on the paddock and working on different player combinations, what with Anthony Tupou and Reni Maitua in the team now," Seymour said.

"I think you will find this year's Cronulla to have a bit of size and we are getting into the rough-and-tumble stuff. We are a very strong, physical team."

Link

 

[Bungy]

I think it's a bit of a lucky dip. We'll have to wait and see. Halves combinations depend on who does what or whether they share the duties.
Dykes and Noddy never cracked the secret code so to speak. I haven't seen or been watching Barrett for a few years so can't say about him.
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[hitman124]

Its going to be really hard to say, Baz hasnt played in this league in a long time and buster`s knee injury struck at the worst time possible, it could work well after a few rounds, then again, it could be a complete flop.

 

[kiwishark]

I see it as a winning combo both have good passing and kicking games, but I see Barrett giving us direction with buster being a bit more of an injection type half, what we do have and I see as key to this combo is the outside runners ( Toops, Gallen, Maitua Kearney, Poms ) and Jumpers in Covell and Simmo, this combination of things will see our halves very diffilcult to contain, also to add both can dummy and run as well so I am very excited

 

[peachey]

i reckon baz and buster complement each other where as noddy and seymour were 2 completely different style of players, baz and buster will (hopefully) work well together, been a while since we had a dominant ball playing 5/8 (wouldnt call bird that because he was a make shift 5/8)...i see in that article that when baz talks everyone listens unlike with noddy no one seemed to give a sh!t, proven during games last year when it will show noddy speaking and no one paying much attention

 

[bort]

im very excited they can make an excellent combo. but then i was excited about noddy and dykes too and that went the other way

 

[gosharks]

i think it will be good combination

they have the added advantage that hughes has a good kicking game and both can kick meaning we have 3 players who can kick which will make it harder for other teams to put pressure on kicks giving them more time. reni, toopu and gallen will provide plenty off loads and smart player like barrett will be able to take this off loads and put players like pomeroy, kearney into gaps. i also think seymore will benfit from barretts experience.

 

[Hardstyle_shark]

i reckon baz and buster complement each other where as noddy and seymour were 2 completely different style of players, baz and buster will (hopefully) work well together, been a while since we had a dominant ball playing 5/8 (wouldnt call bird that because he was a make shift 5/8)...i see in that article that when baz talks everyone listens unlike with noddy no one seemed to give a sh!t, proven during games last year when it will show noddy speaking and no one paying much attention

Yeah no one listened to noddy. Please mate im sure noddy had the same influence as barrett if not better. Players respected him and looked up to him. You need to think a bit before you say stuff like that. Im not a huge noddy fan but he tried hard for the club and the players tried hard for him. Barrett has got to step up this year and match that. I reckon he will get injured and not play many games. Hope im wrong but his record in the nrl is bad for that.

 

[bort]

Yeah no one listened to noddy. Please mate im sure noddy had the same influence as barrett if not better. Players respected him and looked up to him. You need to think a bit before you say stuff like that. Im not a huge noddy fan but he tried hard for the club and the players tried hard for him. Barrett has got to step up this year and match that. I reckon he will get injured and not play many games. Hope im wrong but his record in the nrl is bad for that.

do explain

 

[peachey]

Yeah no one listened to noddy. Please mate im sure noddy had the same influence as barrett if not better. Players respected him and looked up to him. You need to think a bit before you say stuff like that. Im not a huge noddy fan but he tried hard for the club and the players tried hard for him. Barrett has got to step up this year and match that. I reckon he will get injured and not play many games. Hope im wrong but his record in the nrl is bad for that.

so my eyes were decieving me when i saw on many occassions noddy trying to talk during games and everyone else looked disinterested and not paying attention

barrett will be a better leader, he has a physical presence that noddy didnt have and by all reports he is already having more positive effect on the boys then noddy had in his horrible time here

baz is NOT injury prone, look at the last 2 years he has been in england, he played most games then not and recieved specialist treatment on his knees while over there..so dont give me this injury prone BS

 

[Hardstyle_shark]

Barrett has a bad record in the NRL for injuries thats my point. Yes he has had a a good run the last 2 years. Hope it keeps up and yeah i do think your eyes were playing tricks on ya.

 

[bort]

examples?

 

[Great White]

Seymour is pretty laid back, and when playing with Noddy, was happy to jump in from time to time, when Noddy was not interested, and I can see the same thing happening with Baz, I think our pre Noddy/Buster period, all other combo's over called, and were both to prominent, where as since Seymour has been playing, this has changed.

Remembering back back to when Baz played with Joey in the halves for the Blues in SOO, they always worked well together, because Baz respected and chimed in well with Joey, and was happy to chop and change, and I think it will be the same this year with whoever Baz plays with, last week against the Knights Baz let Green do a hell of a lot, so bearing in mind he does not seem overly dominate in calling and working together, I think our halves will be good.

PLUS, I think the role Ricky will be looking at this year with Baz, is similiar to Noddy last year, just lead, look after yourself and help guide around the park with experience and composure, and let the others step up. Sure Baz every now and then will do some really good things, but I truly think he is past carving up teams week in and week out, EVERY GAME, but I do however that his experience and composure will be integral to what we are trying to acheive.

But that is just my opinion.

 

[Bungy]

It could be a good thing 2 laid back halves so to speak instead of someone who takes too much control. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[bort]

It could be a good thing 2 laid back halves so to speak instead of someone who takes too much control. We'll have to wait and see.

throw in a very experienced hooker and you have the opportunity to have plays being set up either side and the decision on which way to go can be made by the hooker while the halves concentrate on what they are doing, rather than battling for the ball and then trying to come up with something

 

[sharkarm]

It seems to me that baz and buster have very similar games, whereas one of our keys to success last year was the contrasting styles of noddy and buster, if this new combination comes off it will be lethal !!! Two big strong halves in attack and defence, both guys with magic ball skills.

 

[sharkgizzards]

Wait till mid season when we get all the guns on the park and all going off......giddy up ,,,,bring it on..~!

 

[Sempa Fi Sharky]

Baz

I never thought of barrett having amazing ball skills.

A good kicking game and a wonderful running game but not a passing game.