General Benji Marshall

[Jesbass_old]

The whole season. Even the Beast couldn't make that team with just 20 minutes under his belt!




























(Adam Blair could, though. He turned down the offer of being the entire team of the year to give 13 other players a chance!)

 

[one-eyed-warrior_old]

i didnt realise tate was that good this year, i must have been taking a whizz when he was doing stuff.

 

[one-eyed-warrior_old]

what about fien, he was injured for a good portion this year.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Yeah, good point about Fien, but he did return just prior to the finals, then won an NRL Grand Final and a Four nations final, and scored a try in each.

 

[warriors4life_old]

Yeah, my biggest question mark is over Fien who missed Rounds 2 to 20-something. He looked good when out on the park but still, he did miss most of the season.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Who would you have picked in his place? I'm trying to think of a standout halfback from 2010, and 90% of the players I can think of were standoffs.

 

[Spence_old]

Surely that is based purely on Internationals?

 

[Jesbass_old]

Nope. It's best player in the world, not best international player. They've already had the international awards. Plus they note the clubs they represent.

Jones would never have won in 2002 if it was only about internationals - at international level, he got wins against France and Great Britain, losses against Australia and Great Britain, and a draw against Great Britain.

Conversely, at club level, he got a Minor Premiership, a Grand Final appearance, and one of the greatest individual Grand Final tries of all time.

 

[warriors4life_old]

Who would you have picked in his place? I'm trying to think of a standout halfback from 2010, and 90% of the players I can think of were standoffs.

That's true, no halfbacks really stood out this season. But still, you could even pick a guy like Mitchell Pearce who led the Roosters to the GF and played rep footy for NSW, even if he wasn't involved internationally at the end of the year.

Probably not who I would pick but just a player off the top of my head who seems more deserving than Fien. In saying that, plenty of ESL halfbacks could probably make a case (I haven't seen much of it this year).

 

[Jesbass_old]

That's true, no halfbacks really stood out this season. But still, you could even pick a guy like Mitchell Pearce who led the Roosters to the GF and played rep footy for NSW, even if he wasn't involved internationally at the end of the year.

Probably not who I would pick but just a player off the top of my head who seems more deserving than Fien. In saying that, plenty of ESL halfbacks could probably make a case (I haven't seen much of it this year).

Yeah, out of the NRL, I guess...Thurston? It's hard to look past the Cowboys' poor season, but he won the MOM in the first Queensland match and was part of a 3-0 series whitewash.

But then he didn't play for the Kangaroos. I agree that Fien's selection is a bit unexpected, but I can't think of anyone else who stood up or achieved more, even with more games.

As for the ESL, I wouldn't have a clue.

 

[Iafeta_old]

You wouldn't think it's based on internationals. Manu missed the mid-year test and played like 5 minutes against England.

Then it can't be based on club form, because as we know Nathan Fien played scarce club football this year. Certainly at the very least Mitchell Pearce and Scott Prince were well ahead of him on that basis.

My only guess is that it is based on your overall performance/standing, and you can only qualify if you appear in an international. All in all, a bit baffling.

Nonetheless, the golden boot is a prestigious award. Stacey got one of course in 2002. Well done Benji Marshall.

 

[Jesbass_old]

I'm no sure what's so confusing? It's a combination of club and international performances.

 

[Spence_old]

I didn't see that Manu had made it. That changes my perspective on it. It seems like a very strange team. Well done to the Kiwi boys, we should probably stop complaining that an Aussie didn't get it over a Kiwi.

 

[Iafeta_old]

I'm no sure what's so confusing? It's a combination of club and international performances.

I still don't really get that. Is Nathan in as a halfback? Wouldn't Cooper Cronk have won that one hands down?

 

[Jesbass_old]

I still don't really get that. Is Nathan in as a halfback? Wouldn't Cooper Cronk have won that one hands down?

Clearly not, because Fien won it.

Cronk won SOO and got a MOM in game one, so that's in his favour. He also had the shadow of the salary cap scandal over him, though that didn't seem to affect Slater. Cronk also lost the Four Nations final, whereas Fien won a Premiership and a Four Nations title and scored a try in each.

Ultimately, Cronk played twice as many matches as Fien but achieved less, outside of winning SOO against a very subpar NSW.

I'm not convinced that Fien should have won it, but I can't see anyone else who should have beaten him.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Well now I'm stumped. Apparently it's just international: https://www.totalrl.com/goldenboot/index.php?featcat_id=58

This raises two questions:
1. How did Manu Vatuvei make the top side?
2. Why did they reference the clubs, instead of the nations, when selecting players?

 

[Spence_old]

I don't think titles on their own should dictate how good someone has been. Look at Gallen, for example, he hasn't won anything since he was playing under 10s, but he has been the best lock, hands down.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Well now I'm stumped. Apparently it's just international: https://www.totalrl.com/goldenboot/index.php?featcat_id=58

This raises two questions:
1. How did Manu Vatuvei make the top side?
2. Why did they reference the clubs, instead of the nations, when selecting players?

Assuming, of course, that "international player of the year" does in fact mean "player in international matches" as opposed to "world player of the year".

It'd be nice to see some criteria.

 

[Jesbass_old]

I don't think titles on their own should dictate how good someone has been. Look at Gallen, for example, he hasn't won anything since he was playing under 10s, but he has been the best lock, hands down.

I agree. I've seen a lot of Kiwis questioning his involvement, but he absolutely deserves to be a nominee and in the top side.

 

[Iafeta_old]

Clearly not, because Fien won it.

Cronk won SOO and got a MOM in game one, so that's in his favour. He also had the shadow of the salary cap scandal over him, though that didn't seem to affect Slater. Cronk also lost the Four Nations final, whereas Fien won a Premiership and a Four Nations title and scored a try in each.

Ultimately, Cronk played twice as many matches as Fien but achieved less, outside of winning SOO against a very subpar NSW.

I'm not convinced that Fien should have won it, but I can't see anyone else who should have beaten him.

That's a bit bewildering. If it's just on trophies won, then you'd have to seriously consider Jeremy Smith, Darius Boyd, etc.

I don't really understand it. Particularly Fien's selection.