Wallaby Scrumhalf of the decade

[RugbyReg]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wallaby-scrumhalf-of-the-decade/#more-7294

An interesting, and mucho debatable-o, top 3.

 

[Newb]

gregan. if for no other reason than this story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86i-OUtx-eM&feature=player_embedded

burke doesn't know what to say

 

[Spook]

Surely it's Cords :

 

[cyclopath]

Gregan.
Despite his tailing off towards the end of his career, miles ahead of any others for mine.
And that story, Newb, is gold.

 

[Doc]

Clearly Greegs is the choice due to volume of matches, but it seems weird to reward someone who was so far off the pace for so long this decade. Another example why Aus rugby hasn't been at the peak this decade. best of an average lot, rather than there because he was the best and kept others out.

 

[Lindommer]

Doc, spot on. For some reason George would not take the hint and make a graceful move to the next stage in his rugby journey. His continued occupation of centre stage caused a lot of damage in Australian rugby, from which we're still suffering. The fact we've only just recently got a decent half-back can be traced back to the extremely limited opportunites other 9s got from 1995 to 2005.

I was at the test in 1994 when he tackled Jeff Wilson to really put him on the map. And I was there for the Great Test in 2000 when we came back from 24-0 down after eight minutes to nearly win that match. Gregan was an integral part of those magnificent performances, as he was for the successful period from 1998 to 2001. But his time after that was positively poisonous; his role in Nucifora's sacking from the Brumbies in 2004 was disgraceful.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

I've never understood the negative view from the majority of Wallaby supporters on Gregan.

I hated seeing his name on the opposition teamsheet from his first test to his last. he was an absolute class player ( and apparently a top bloke off the pitch too - just to piss us right off) who knew how to win, and wanted to win more than anything else. He would be in just about any world 15 of mine whilst he was playing once Joost VDW had retired.

 

[Godfrey]

Gregan was just such a clearly dominant player. As much as his skills may have faded near the end (as they generally do for most humans), his staying on was for mine more a case of their being no one good or exciting enough to really force him out. If Genia on current form had been around then would he have forced Gregan out a bit sooner? Who knows, but as much as I like Genia I can't deny Gregan's impact and deserved place at the top of the list.

 

[naza]

I've never understood the negative view from the majority of Wallaby supporters on Gregan.

There's a word for it - racism.

 

[mark_s]

Gregan deserves it for his form from 2000-02 if nothing else.

Not sure what his role in Nucifora's sacking has to do with this thread (and some would argue that Gregan & co were vindicated given Nuci subsequently got the arse at Auckland as well).

 

[Reddy!]

I think it's stupid that some are criticising Gregan for being selected as the best available. No one was good enough to challenge him, so why should he give up his spot? Gregan isn't the type of player to quit.

Also, Gregan's combination with Larkham was incredibly important. Larkham did not adjust well to the experiments of Giteau and Cordingly at scrumhalf.

I remember Gregan's cameo off the bench for the BaaBaa's against Australia last spring tour; he played very well, and while Burgess was throwing wayward passes, made me realise what a loss he was to Australian Rugby.

 

[Calexico]

I've never understood the negative view from the majority of Wallaby supporters on Gregan.

There's a word for it - racism.

Also he was a Canberran - and people associated with NSW Rugby automatically hate us (or at least that's what the ACT coaches used to teach us).

 

[Pfitzy]

We're just jealous that you've got 6 fingers instead of the usual.

In any case, it has to be Gregan will probably get it by default. Chris Whitaker was clearly the superior scrumhalf in the two years before he realised the chronic myopia that comes with the Wallaby job, and decided to make good on his remaining years.

 

[spectator]

I've never understood the negative view from the majority of Wallaby supporters on Gregan.

There's a word for it - racism.

Kind of contradicts the manlove for Genia?

Gregan without a doubt in terms of the vote.

 

[Spook]

I've never understood the negative view from the majority of Wallaby supporters on Gregan.

There's a word for it - racism.

Also he was a Canberran - and people associated with NSW Rugby automatically hate us (or at least that's what the ACT coaches used to teach us).

Well everyone north of Orange hates us. South of Orange they are heart and soul.

 

[Pfitzy]

Have you ever been north of Orange? :nta:

 

[unsub god]

'There's a word for it - racism. '
I think that's a bit extreme - most people seem to love Genia at the moment.
IMO the negativity around George stems from the fact that he hung on for too long.

 

[Spook]

Have you ever been north of Orange? :nta:

Yeah Ireland.

 

[Spook]

'There's a word for it - racism. '
I think that's a bit extreme - most people seem to love Genia at the moment.
IMO the negativity around George stems from the fact that he hung on for too long.

The bitterness concerning GG stems from 2 things:
1) He ain't from NSW
2) He never gave the press any stories. They hung him for it. JON fed the press shite as well.

"He hung around too long" - THere was noone better and he kept getting selected. A new coaching regime selected him again after Jones left. I fail to see why GG gets blamed for this. It's completely illogical to suggest he hung around for too long. Blame the dire talent coming out of QLD and NSW during his final years. GG left and got replaced by Burgess - a massive step backwards. Fortunately Genia is a good young player and we are on the right path.

 

[Pfitzy]

THere was noone better besides Chris Whitaker and he kept getting selected because Eddie Jones had a boner for him. A new coaching regime selected him again after Jones left because Whitaker had decided to leave.

Fixed