Opinion Wakeham

Phalangist

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Yeh true. I remember Thurston’s first couple of years 2002 & 2003 in and out of first grade until it really clicked for him in 2005. Sometimes when they dominate in the lower grades it takes them a good 30-50 games in FG before they start dominating. And sometimes they turn out to be duds. But regardless, 6 games in FG is no where near enough to judge a player, especially when he’s shown some good things. Off the top of my head I can remember at least 3 try assists he’s already done in 6 games.
Only thing that’s stopped Thurston dominating was injury. We knew what we had which is why we moved the Australian 5/8 to lock.
 

dogwhisperer

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Thurston would have been in the FG team but we had a big body called Anasta there. Everybody could see the potential with Thurston, but Anasta was considered a can't miss prospect.
Hindsight is a beautiful thing.
Yes, Thurston had potential back then, so does Wakeham now. But I remember very clearly with Thurston, it wasn't until 2005 when he started dominating games with the cowboys that everybody started crying that we let him go. No one thought Thurston was going to be one of the greatest players to every play rugby league. That's why judging Wakeham now after only 6 games is insane.
 

dogwhisperer

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Really? Consider the playing strengh at the club in 2002 & 2003.
Everybody knew Thurston was very good even very early in his career including 2002 & 2003.
Wakeman ain't no Thurston vis-a-vis 2004 believe me.
Lol...people have short memories. There wasn't a big fuss in letting him go until he became an origin player in 2005. There were a lot that still wanted Anasta over him mate.
It's was still unknown at the time just how good Thurston would get.
 

dogwhisperer

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Only thing that’s stopped Thurston dominating was injury. We knew what we had which is why we moved the Australian 5/8 to lock.
We knew what we had, that's why we let him go right?
Lol, Australian 5/8, it's like your talking about Fittler, Kenny or Lewis. Anasta wasn't that good, he made the Australian team based on all the hype around him at the time. He didn't last long in the Australian test team.
 

NPC83

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I remember watching JT play reggies in 2002 and he killed it... dogs played Parra who had a great side and JT cut them to pieces... although when he did leave at the end of 2004 I thought we were really well placed to continue on without him....
 

dogwhisperer

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Wakeman ain't no Thurston vis-a-vis 2004 believe me.
Haha...I never said he's the next Thurston. My argument is based on the fact that you cannot judge a young player with only 6 FG games to his name.
And not only that, but the kid is getting coached by a dud, he's also playing with a far inferior squad. Where's his development and confidence going to come from? But the potential is definitely there.
 

2144superman

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I remember watching JT play reggies in 2002 and he killed it... dogs played Parra who had a great side and JT cut them to pieces... although when he did leave at the end of 2004 I thought we were really well placed to continue on without him....
JT in every grade always stood out. There was never a doubt about JT and that's why Cowboys threw a Ponga like deal at JT. Blind Freddy could see he was always going to become great.
 

dogwhisperer

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I remember watching JT play reggies in 2002 and he killed it... dogs played Parra who had a great side and JT cut them to pieces... although when he did leave at the end of 2004 I thought we were really well placed to continue on without him....
Exactly right, everyone thought losing him wasn't the end of the world, I remember it clearly.
 

dogwhisperer

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JT in every grade always stood out. There was never a doubt about JT and that's why Cowboys threw a Ponga like deal at JT. Blind Freddy could see he was always going to become great.
No one knew his was going to become a great
 

Spoonman84

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Exactly right, everyone thought losing him wasn't the end of the world, I remember it clearly.
Thurston took so long to find his feet in the NRL. Of course he had potential but I don't think anyone could have predicated he would ever reach the heights that he did.

He was inconsistent, had occasional defensive issues and injury problems. He was just one of those players with potential that actually made it.
 

dogwhisperer

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Thurston took so long to find his feet in the NRL. Of course he had potential but I don't think anyone could have predicated he would ever reach the heights that he did.

He was inconsistent, had occasional defensive issues and injury problems. He was just one of those players with potential that actually made it.
1000000% right
 

CaptainJackson

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Wakeham is going to score 3 tries and have 5 try assists and kick 10 field goals this weekend just to shut all you haters up!
 

Dogs Of War

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I remember watching JT play reggies in 2002 and he killed it... dogs played Parra who had a great side and JT cut them to pieces... although when he did leave at the end of 2004 I thought we were really well placed to continue on without him....
Just what I was about to post. I was got to games early. Him and Asotasi were just carving it up at that level. Thurston would put on a show each week. Really it came down to Folkes loving his big forward pack and big bodies in the backline. Folkes loved his power game. And Anasta was considered royalty. Dogs got him cause they supported Souths when they got kicked out and the relationship the Dogs had with the key guys at Souths.

THe final nail in the coffin was that he got homesick and the Dogs let him go back to QLD during the middle of the 2004 season for a month or so. Not long after the Cowboys signed him
 

Trafford10

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Lol...people have short memories. There wasn't a big fuss in letting him go until he became an origin player in 2005. There were a lot that still wanted Anasta over him mate.
It's was still unknown at the time just how good Thurston would get.
I was at the 2004 grand final and before that it was well known that the club would have preferred to keep Thurston over Anasta, no problem with my memory of that. The Coffs Harbour scandal didn't help I guess but there's no denying he was going to be a very good player. No way you can say that about Wakeman.
 

Horse

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Thurston took so long to find his feet in the NRL. Of course he had potential but I don't think anyone could have predicated he would ever reach the heights that he did.

He was inconsistent, had occasional defensive issues and injury problems. He was just one of those players with potential that actually made it.
Rubbish.

He won both Origin and Test caps by the age of 23, both within 12 months of joining the Cowboys with his first proper crack in the NRL.

He was starved of opportunities with us and when he did get them he looked very good.

Most saw it as a mistake at the time when we let him go, and that proved true in spades. I agree no one could’ve forecasted him to become one of the all time greats that he eventually became, but there was an extreme amount of potential that was pretty obvious.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Haha...I never said he's the next Thurston. My argument is based on the fact that you cannot judge a young player with only 6 FG games to his name.
And not only that, but the kid is getting coached by a dud, he's also playing with a far inferior squad. Where's his development and confidence going to come from? But the potential is definitely there.
The problem Wakeham also faces is the fact that his style of play is a lot harder to transition across to NRL footy while he also lacks a genuine running game that he can fall back on while being eased into the top grade. Coaches will always be reluctant to give the youngsters this sort of responsibility and will favour the more structured approach and that suits a genuine ball runner.
 

dogwhisperer

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The problem Wakeham also faces is the fact that his style of play is a lot harder to transition across to NRL footy while he also lacks a genuine running game that he can fall back on while being eased into the top grade. Coaches will always be reluctant to give the youngsters this sort of responsibility and will favour the more structured approach and that suits a genuine ball runner.
Five more draws Marley...lol
 

Spoonman84

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Rubbish.

He won both Origin and Test caps by the age of 23, both within 12 months of joining the Cowboys with his first proper crack in the NRL.

He was starved of opportunities with us and when he did get them he looked very good.

Most saw it as a mistake at the time when we let him go, and that proved true in spades. I agree no one could’ve forecasted him to become one of the all time greats that he eventually became, but there was an extreme amount of potential that was pretty obvious.
He was starved of opportunities because he was inconstant and had a few major injuries how is that rubbish?
 
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