: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:51 pm  

JWP wrote:

Briers has done bugger all, but he's done more than Danny Brough this year.

I wasn't referring to just this season in that first sentence.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:57 pm  

The Wood wrote:

I wasn't referring to just this season in that first sentence.

I know, I was only playing.

I think Briers is a bit of an easy target at times. I moan at his flimsy defence, I think he could do much better at times. I moan about him moaning a little, stuff like that. I'll never call his ability with ball in hand, his ability to put Westwood & Gleeson over with such ease at times. This year, he's spending more time on the left edge, or in centrefield, certainly at Saints anyhow, I think personally, at the minute he & Monaghan are stuggling to define their roles, and neither are putting their best foot forward, needs fixing, quickly.

There's loads to pick at him for, but for me, he's still got the best pair of hands in SL. (.... and a very quick brain, too quick at times.)

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:06 am  

JWP wrote:

I know, I was only playing.

I think Briers is a bit of an easy target at times. I moan at his flimsy defence, I think he could do much better at times. I moan about him moaning a little, stuff like that. I'll never call his ability with ball in hand, his ability to put Westwood & Gleeson over with such ease at times. This year, he's spending more time on the left edge, or in centrefield, certainly at Saints anyhow, I think personally, at the minute he & Monaghan are stuggling to define their roles, and neither are putting their best foot forward, needs fixing, quickly.

There's loads to pick at him for, but for me, he's still got the best pair of hands in SL. (.... and a very quick brain, too quick at times.)

I agree, and with him now attacking on the left, and the channel system being abandoned, it means that our right hand attack is pretty ordinary.

His passing left to right is almost perfect (and this is a pass many players struggle with), but his right to left isn't perfect, and often whilst accurate, they are slower, as he doesn't get the spin on the ball. Monaghan also had plenty of assists last year, and had a decent link with L.Anderson and King down the left.

Briers did one great pass on Saturday, and that was to put Gleeson through, although Gleeson dropped the ball with an open line.

The sooner they get back to targeting their favoured flank, the better.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:23 am  

JWP wrote:

I know, I was only playing.

I think Briers is a bit of an easy target at times. I moan at his flimsy defence, I think he could do much better at times. I moan about him moaning a little, stuff like that. I'll never call his ability with ball in hand, his ability to put Westwood & Gleeson over with such ease at times. This year, he's spending more time on the left edge, or in centrefield, certainly at Saints anyhow, I think personally, at the minute he & Monaghan are stuggling to define their roles, and neither are putting their best foot forward, needs fixing, quickly.

There's loads to pick at him for, but for me, he's still got the best pair of hands in SL. (.... and a very quick brain, too quick at times.)

the problem is Briers and Monas are clearly at loggerheads, look at the first 10 mins of the game , monas and briers arguing over the next play , second half Monas tried to run the show turning his back on Briers

Something is not right and hasnt been for the last few years, taking the captain badge off Briers was the right thing to do but I think Moz was a compromise.

Time a manager broke the Briers strangle hold on this club and moved on

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:37 am  

wireboot wrote:

the problem is Briers and Monas are clearly at loggerheads, look at the first 10 mins of the game , monas and briers arguing over the next play , second half Monas tried to run the show turning his back on Briers

Something is not right and hasnt been for the last few years, taking the captain badge off Briers was the right thing to do but I think Moz was a compromise.

Time a manager broke the Briers strangle hold on this club and moved on

you identify Monaghan Turns his back on his half back partner and also that the replacement Captain also hasnt worked yet you still want Briers Out....??

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:25 am  

JWP wrote:

Briers has done bugger all, but he's done more than Danny Brough this year.

Your right there pal. Broughy is injured and hasnt played this season

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:35 am  

chissitt wrote:

Your right there pal. Broughy is injured and hasnt played this season

8 pints.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:01 am  

Briers is the enigma. We won't win anything with him, but we won't win anything without him.

We have 2 main problems over the last 2 games. Crap defence on the left, and the inability to score second half (except for blah blah).

Move briers back to the right & re-establish the link with gleeson. For a couple of years now it's been our best weapon. Gleeson's in the shop window fror the NRL next year. He'd love to be knocking in tries for fun again & sticking his winger in for a bucketful.

Put your best defending half on the side where the defence is weak.

Failing that sack Monas, King & Gleeson off at the end of the year & pay through the nose for Yeaman, Deacon & a top Aussie centre.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 2:58 pm  

i can't work lee briers out. sometimes he is pure genius, and he carried the club through some very depressing times almost single handedly. his defence has oft been lamented. he can tackle, but he needs some help. i don't know whether trainers have worked on his defence, i asume they have but some just haven't got the knack of defending. it does take some balls to tackle a james graham one on one when you are half the size. however, his ball in hand play used to be what he was all about. his 40/20's. his drop goals when games are tight. he is a match winner, and a game breaker.
i think relieving him of the captaincy was a logical move. it gave him a chance to concentrate on his play. this isn't what has happened though. it now appears he has been relieved of most of the reponsibility he's gained over 8 years. hicks kicks. mona's (occasionally) directs operations. i think he feels he's under used. perhaps he used to thrive on the responsibility. he took an awful lot of pressure on his shoulders, and now he has virtually nothing.
for a player who's given the vast majority of his career to us, i have never gottten that feeling of love from the fans that they had for some other players. he is as somone quite rightly stated an enigma. he's a so very nearly man. he could have been one of the best, but i fear he will be remembered for what could have been, as he has no medals or individual honours to look back on. he'll look at the world cup semi, the leeds play off game etc, and say "there could have been so much more, but....." and for this reason, i think this has to be his last season with us. he's tried his best, in some seasons given his all, but i don't think his heart is in it anymore, and as good a player as he can be, i think its best for all if he has one final hurrah else where.

........and if he does, i am in no doubt he will produce the sort of game we know he can and come back to haunt us.

: Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:14 pm  

This thread has inspired me to dig out my 2005 away jersey to wear on Friday (if it still fits). In a desperate juvenille act, in some feint hope of recapturing my childhood, I had it printed 'Briers 6', like all the cool kids with their 'Nat Wood 7', or the girls and their 'Bad Boy Bridgey 25', etc etc. It was - and remains - the only time in my life I have ever had a Rugby shirt printed with a player's name and number.