Mbye Confused Where He Belongs

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_G-Dog_

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And here lies a major problem. Mbye on big money still doeant know what position he belongs​

The coach also clearly doesnt know where his best position is, having moved him around from 6 to 7 to now 9.

And this is a player getting reportedly 750K/year - a joke of a situation that summarises where we are at as a footy team

IMO Mbyes best position is Fullback. He has all the physical attributes to make an excellent fullback, speed, good support play, decent passing game, ability to roam, great fitness & agility - and wont be burdened with decision making responsibilities that go with hooker and halfback

From SMH:

Moses Mbye doesn't know what he is now, let alone next season.

The Canterbury playmaker is so confused about his own ability that he can't even answer where he belongs on a football field.

"Look, to be honest, if I had to give an answer now, I'd say I was a utility," Mbye said following Canterbury's 16-8 loss to Penrith on Thursday night.

"I've managed to fill a few roles at this level. I've covered every position in the back line and played hooker in the forwards. It's a pretty good indication that I'm a utility. I think as I mature as a footballer, get more games under my belt and experience out on the field and work out combinations, that's when I'll really work out what I am."

There has been immense pressure on Mbye to live up to the hype that followed his meteoric rise to first grade, but unfortunately things haven't exactly gone to script since signing a lucrative four-year deal believed to be worth $3 million.

Some say he's lucky to still be at the club. Had Josh Reynolds not been off contract at the end of this season, perhaps it would have been Mbye making way for the arrival of Kieran Foran from the Warriors next season.

But even before the arrival of the Kiwi five-eighth, Mbye is no longer the first-choice half, with coach Des Hasler opting to play Matt Frawley in the No.7 jersey in recent weeks.

It has forced Mbye into the hooking role, where many expect he will be next season when Foran arrives at Belmore. The 23-year-old Queenslander is no stranger to the position, having spent some time in the No.9 coming through the ranks, but he remains unsure about where he fits into Hasler's plans next season.

"It's a tough one because I haven't had that conversation yet and I think it's a little bit too early to have that conversation considering the way things go with injuries and chopping and changing," Mbye said.

"If there's a hole for me to fill in that spot [hooker], I'm more than happy to put my hand up. I'm enjoying the physicality and the contest and the challenge of that role. It will be good to learn the game inside blokes like Matt and Kieran and whoever is coming on board for us next season. We'll have to wait and see [what] the future holds."

Mbye drew comparisons with Johnathan Thurston when he burst on to the scene with a number of eye-opening performances.

While he's struggled to live up to the hype since, he insists that he doesn't believe he's failed to capitalise on the opportunity given to him to cement his position as the long-term Canterbury No.7.

"I don't think it's an opportunity missed," Mbye said.

"I'm here playing rugby league and that's what I'm here to do. I don't think it's an opportunity that I've missed position wise. The conversations even in the period when I was in negotiations re-signing with the club, the negotiations were up in the air about what position I was actually going to play.

"It's still panning out that way. I think it's a pretty good headache for Des to have working out who will play in the halves when he has three or four blokes capable of doing so."
 

Oatley Dog

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I take a slightly different view on what Mbye said. I think good on him for being prepared to do whatever the team wants him to do. That's the sign of good club man to me. He could dig his heals in and say - no I want to be the 7 and not budge but he is saying that all he wants to do is play in the team and whatever spot they give him he will give it a shot. Up until last week we at least had a theoretical chance to make the semis so shuffling the backline was never an option. We have plenty of centres so moving Hoppa wasn't practical and it would only weaken the 9-7-6 positions by leaving Lichaa there and going with our current halves if we were to put Mbye in the FB spot. Plus Reynolds is only just back. Between injuries and suspensions out best halves have prob only been on the paddock for half the season.
 

Como Dog

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I take a slightly different view on what Mbye said. I think good on him for being prepared to do whatever the team wants him to do. That's the sign of good club man to me. He could dig his heals in and say - no I want to be the 7 and not budge but he is saying that all he wants to do is play in the team and whatever spot they give him he will give it a shot. Up until last week we at least had a theoretical chance to make the semis so shuffling the backline was never an option. We have plenty of centres so moving Hoppa wasn't practical and it would only weaken the 9-7-6 positions by leaving Lichaa there and going with our current halves if we were to put Mbye in the FB spot. Plus Reynolds is only just back. Between injuries and suspensions out best halves have prob only been on the paddock for half the season.
I take a slightly different view on what Mbye said. I think good on him for being prepared to do whatever the team wants him to do. That's the sign of good club man to me. He could dig his heals in and say - no I want to be the 7 and not budge but he is saying that all he wants to do is play in the team and whatever spot they give him he will give it a shot. Up until last week we at least had a theoretical chance to make the semis so shuffling the backline was never an option. We have plenty of centres so moving Hoppa wasn't practical and it would only weaken the 9-7-6 positions by leaving Lichaa there and going with our current halves if we were to put Mbye in the FB spot. Plus Reynolds is only just back. Between injuries and suspensions out best halves have prob only been on the paddock for half the season.
I agree that he's willing to play wherever selected. Obviously he knows himself he's not a half back and I'd say he wants to find a new home elsewhere in the team.
 

B-Train

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He should have played better by now but Hasler has completely fucked his career to this point by playing him the way he has.

To me he's a waste at hooker and shouldn't be making 40 tackles a game. I don't want our fastest and most elusive runner as a tackling machine.

He's certainly not a halfback and ideally he'd be given a shot at fullback or playing five eighth inside Foran who will hopefully run the show better than he has at the Warriors with Johnson out.

Some players are victims of their flexibility and ability to play multiple positions and Mbye has been one of those guys so far. Hopefully a new coach can get the best out of him before Hasler completely ruins his career and confidence.
 

Sandra's Bollocks

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He should have played better by now but Hasler has completely fucked his career to this point by playing him the way he has.

To me he's a waste at hooker and shouldn't be making 40 tackles a game. I don't want our fastest and most elusive runner as a tackling machine.

He's certainly not a halfback and ideally he'd be given a shot at fullback or playing five eighth inside Foran who will hopefully run the show better than he has at the Warriors with Johnson out.

Some players are victims of their flexibility and ability to play multiple positions and Mbye has been one of those guys so far. Hopefully a new coach can get the best out of him before Hasler completely ruins his career and confidence.
Id like to see him at 9 after a full off season only coz he gets our sets going far more efficiently than lichaa. Not only that but i dont think many people have seen play fullback, if any?

He could be damaging ala korisau, segiyaro (prior cronulla) but whatshisface is too stubborn and/or delusional.
 

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Id like to see him at 9 after a full off season only coz he gets our sets going far more efficiently than lichaa. Not only that but i dont think many people have seen play fullback, if any?

He could be damaging ala korisau, segiyaro (prior cronulla) but whatshisface is too stubborn and/or delusional.
An interesting aside, everyone seems to believe that Des has stopped Lichaa from doing anything at DH, yet Mbye runs, passes, kicks almost at will. So has Des softened his stance or was it Lichaa who was the problem due to a lack of skill?
 

Dognacious

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Mbye looks good at 9, but may also go well in other positions, just keep him away from 7.

Nu Brown plays 9, and looks the goods, and cannot go worse than Lichaa, happy for him to have a shot there too.
 

Oatley Dog

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Mbye looks good at 9, but may also go well in other positions, just keep him away from 7.

Nu Brown plays 9, and looks the goods, and cannot go worse than Lichaa, happy for him to have a shot there too.
Funny, we have gone from no options to 2 in a short space of time. Hope springs eternal....
 

EXPLORER

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That's a first sign a guy up for 3mil with no idea what position he can play

Our club management is a fkn tent show
I am beginning to wonder how much of an influence us fans are having on the club and their decision making

Think back to when mbye was in the negotiations with the club

It dragged on for ages and us fans were by and large banging on about him being the next Thurston and how he was a priority signing and all the rest
Just look back on this forum to see it all

I wonder if the club felt the need to sign him at all cost?
I wonder if they believed the hype that generated about mbye during that time and offered overs without knowing exactly what roll he would play in the team long term?
 

Sandra's Bollocks

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An interesting aside, everyone seems to believe that Des has stopped Lichaa from doing anything at DH, yet Mbye runs, passes, kicks almost at will. So has Des softened his stance or was it Lichaa who was the problem due to a lack of skill?
An interesting question. Ive seen lichaa play when at cronulla, which is why i was happy to see him come here. But we all know how thats played out now. So has hasler softened his stance? I wont know until i see lichaa back starting again. But overall, i believe mbye reads the game better than lichaa - so far.
 

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Mbye looks good at 9, but may also go well in other positions, just keep him away from 7.

Nu Brown plays 9, and looks the goods, and cannot go worse than Lichaa, happy for him to have a shot there too.
I keep chopping and changing my opinions on our best spine for next year

I really don't like mbye in the halves and as much as I do rate Foran, I doubt him at 7 would improve mbye at 6.

I'm tending to think mbye might be good at fullback.
But that opens a can of worms through the team.

I don't know.

I see positives and negatives in several options with the players we have,

I am tending to think mbye should stay at 9

With Foran and brown in the halves but it leaves us with no real fullback option

I'd rather hoppa at centre

Whilst I'm not an abbey fan, I do hope he can make a fist of it at fullback in the NRL next season
I'm not holding much hope though
 

bulldogfan1

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Fullback is alot more than just what you will be like with the ball.
The defensive side is a different ball game. You have to cover so much territory, more than anyone else. Also there is your ability under the high ball. How tall is he? Is he good under the high ball?
 

craigo

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He belongs in the funny farm with all the bullshit he comes up with
 

c-b-b

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I place very little blame on Mbye. The club are the one which offered him ridiculous money and the coach has ruined him as a player.

For him he should have gone to Melbourne when the offer was there, he would be a far better player under Bellamy.
 

GoTheDoggies

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What a shambles.

The new Kurt Gidley mr versatile. Surely he has a position he played consistently coming up through the grades.
 
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