Quade Cooper the best playmaker in either code - Ricky Stuart

[Epi]

Cooper in league of his own
5/7/2011 2:54 PM
Steve Orme

Blues coach Ricky Stuart caused a major stir by claiming Mitchell Pearce is the leading half-back in the world, but the best rugby league playmaker in the country doesn't even play the code – not yet anyway.

Queensland Reds and Wallabies superstar Quade Cooper would be the premier half/five-eighth in the NRL if he switched codes tomorrow.

That's right - better than Benji Marshall, Johnathan Thurston, Pearce and Cooper Cronk, and up there with Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer in their prime.

He is that good.

The 23-year-old, who grew up playing both codes in his native New Zealand before moving to Australia as a teenager, has been killing it in the 15-man game for the last 18 months.

His ability to throw 20m bullet passes on both sides is a throwback to Joey Johns and Stuart in their heyday.

Benji, JT, Cronk and Pearce can all link with their outside men – but Cooper has them covered in that area of the game.

He won a game for the Reds with a 25m spiral pass to his right whilst running at full pace against the Force last month.

Would any of the modern day leaguies be able to do that?

He would also give speedster Jamie Soward a run for his money in a 60m sprint to the line, while his footwork is on a par with Benji – if not better.

Cooper's long kicking will have to improve if and when he makes the switch, but his short kicking game is already very dangerous.

Defence is his obvious weakness – the Reds and Wallabies hide him on the wing or at full-back – but he wouldn't be the worst defender in the NRL.

The 24-Test superstar has been linked with several NRL clubs including Parramatta and has repeatedly expressed his desire to have a crack at league before he hangs up the boots.

The fact that he rejected a long-term deal with the Australian Rugby Union and only signed until the end of next year indicates how serious he is about switching codes.

Money will ultimately decide whether the NRL will be graced with Cooper's presence.

His healthy ego and desire to prove he can make it in league will ultimately make it happen within the next three years.

It'll be worth the wait.

http://www.sportal.com.au/rugby-union-news-display/cooper-in-league-of-his-own-128900

 

[drewprint]

I know I'm focusing on the wrong part of the article here, but Mitchell Pearce the best league halfback? Christ, pull the other one Ricky.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I personally believe Quade isn't even human. But seriously, this is an insult to JT and Benji. If Quade switched codes he'd be brilliant, but surely it would take him at least a year to find his feet in the NRL?

Maybe NRL coaches have been given an order to rev up Cooper's NRL chances in a bid to get him to switch codes

 

[Nusadan]

I personally believe Quade isn't even human. But seriously, this is an insult to JT and Benji. If Quade switched codes he'd be brilliant, but surely it would take him at least a year to find his feet in the NRL?

Maybe NRL coaches have been given an order to rev up Cooper's NRL chances in a bid to get him to switch codes

Leads me to think that Stuart is attempting to recruit Quade to his Blues State of Origin Team...notwithstanding the fact he's a Queenslander...a precedent is Michael O'Connor who played for Queensland and Wallabies in the 80's before playing for St George and thus NSW in the NRL...

 

[Happy]

Michael O'Connor was a Canberra junior.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Michael O'Connor was a Canberra junior.

born down on the South Coast, so there's the NSW eligibility I guess.

 

[matty_k]

Has Quade registered for any junior Rugby League club?

 

[meatsack]

I wonder if this is why that Russel Fairfax article saying QC (Quade Cooper) should be Wallabies Captain came out? Maybe something has been made clear to both codes and they're both trying to woo him?

 

[Skippy]

born down on the South Coast, so there's the NSW eligibility I guess.

State of Origin in the NRL eligibility has nothing to do with where your born apparently. Inglis is a Kempsey boy. I think the rules are that your eligibility is based on where you played your first senior game either over 18 (or something similar). Inglis was with the Norths Devil in the QLD cup and this thus made him eligible for the Maroons.

In theory if Cooper signed up for a NRL team based in Sydney NSW and his first senior game of league was in NSW he could I assume be selected for NSW. But I think there must also be the option for a player to choose his allegiance also and in that instance I bet Quade would choose QLD.

 

[qwerty51]

On the C9 Origin telecast where they show each player's club, Inglis' is Bowraville. Go figure

 

[disco]

Inglis is born & bred NSW junior but went & played his senior footy with Norths in Brisbane who are the feeder club for the Melbourne Storm.

Defence is his obvious weakness – the Reds and Wallabies hide him on the wing or at full-back – but he wouldn't be the worst defender in the NRL.

Quade is a better tackler than Benji & would be on par with Lockyer & Thurston so there is no reason he can't make it in the NRL.

 

[Reddy!]

Why would Quade ever want to go League? It would be a shame to hide him from the rest of the world here in Australia - he needs to be seen on an international stage playing England, France, Ireland, All Blacks etc.

 

[Geeves]

Somehow I think the lure of playing the British and Irish Lions in 2013 will keep Cooper in the union ranks. I think as that opportunity only ever comes around once in 12 years that it would be an irresistible challenge.

 

[disco]

Why would Quade ever want to go League?

So he can catch the bus from Parra to Penrith.

 

[DPK]

I've no problem with Quade having a stint in the NRL, as long as he leaves Rugby in an honourable way.

While he's young he has every right to try to achieve as much as he can. If you had the ability to, you'd want to win a RWC and a SoO wouldn't you?

 

[I like to watch]

Quade is a better tackler than Benji & would be on par with Lockyer & Thurston so there is no reason he can't make it in the NRL.

you have got to be kidding, Benji has had at least 3 shoulder reconstructions. quade has not yet made 3 tackles with his shoulders.
Quade has a long way to go to be a competent tackler.I am not saying it is beyond him, just that he has a long way to go before a claim like this has any merit

 

[Novocastrian]

Are you a sub editor for a newspaper Epi?

Just wondering because the subject you've chosen has nothing to do with the actual article - nowhere there anything to say that Stuart thinks Quade is the best playmaker in either code. It's almost as farcical as this:

Quade is a better tackler than Benji & would be on par with Lockyer & Thurston so there is no reason he can't make it in the NRL.

 

[qwerty51]

Somehow I think the lure of playing the British and Irish Lions in 2013 will keep Cooper in the union ranks. I think as that opportunity only ever comes around once in 12 years that it would be an irresistible challenge.

Hopefully, most of Carter's legacy is on the back of the Lions 05.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Thuston's defence in the second State of Origin was amazing, and Lockyer in his prime was a very good tackler, much better than Quade.

 

[barbarian]

Yeah upon re-reading the article the opinion that 'QC (Quade Cooper) would be the best playmaker in League' is in fact the author's and not Ricky Stuart's. Ricky only said Mitch Pearce is the best five-eighth in League.