Jake Friend...

[Eagles2nv]

I understand what your saying but no one reads the game at no.9 like smith.

I hate smith with a passion but respect he is prpbably the best hooker to ever play the game.

 

[RiverEagle]

For what it's worth I'd say you could argue Smith is the best in recent history...say since the year 2000.

But no way is he the best hooker to ever play.

He is a very intelligent and durable player, made all the better by quality players around him, especially for QLD and Australia.

For such an unassuming figure physically his biggest plus is virtually never getting hurt. Maybe he knows all the shortcuts and underhanded ways to get through games.

Handy goalkicker too.

 

[Dan]

For what it's worth I'd say you could argue Smith is the best in recent history...say since the year 2000.

But no way is he the best hooker to ever play.

He is a very intelligent and durable player, made all the better by quality players around him, especially for QLD and Australia.

For such an unassuming figure physically his biggest plus is virtually never getting hurt. Maybe he knows all the shortcuts and underhanded ways to get through games.

Handy goalkicker too.

There are far better hookers here, cheaper too. I heard Melbourne paid him bundles of cash and he still didn't put out

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Is he related to Nathan, or are they just friends?

They are buddies, guy.

 

[Shoe1]

For what it's worth I'd say you could argue Smith is the best in recent history...say since the year 2000.

But no way is he the best hooker to ever play.

He is a very intelligent and durable player, made all the better by quality players around him, especially for QLD and Australia.

For such an unassuming figure physically his biggest plus is virtually never getting hurt. Maybe he knows all the shortcuts and underhanded ways to get through games.

Handy goalkicker too.

In other eras corrupt players got banned. This bloke got made aust captain. All those who signed 2 contracts ought to have been rubbed out.

 

[bob dylan]

Smith is the ultimate player.

His efforts the last 2 weeks for the Storm are proof of his toughness and dedication to the Storm.

A mate asked me last week if i could have any player at Manly who would it be. I said without a doubt Sam Burgess because he is what we need but Smith would be second pick.

Btw Haters gonna hate.

 

[RiverEagle]

For what it's worth I'd say you could argue Smith is the best in recent history...say since the year 2000.

But no way is he the best hooker to ever play.

He is a very intelligent and durable player, made all the better by quality players around him, especially for QLD and Australia.

For such an unassuming figure physically his biggest plus is virtually never getting hurt. Maybe he knows all the shortcuts and underhanded ways to get through games.

Handy goalkicker too.

There are far better hookers here, cheaper too. I heard Melbourne paid him bundles of cash and he still didn't put out

That would be ''So you've heard '' Dan of course, about the quality and value of said professionals over there......

As for Smith, the Scum and QLD colours obviously blind my view.

Had he been at Manly from day one we'd love him like Beaver I'd reckon.

But that never happened and he gives me the irrits ( as does Jake Friend ).

 

[mozgrame]

Is he related to Nathan, or are they just friends?

The only real friends Jake has are his immediate relatives.

 

[Snake]

I think he is the best hooker to ever play the game; future immortal (of which none of the others are hookers).

He single handedly transformed the position into what it is today. He is the ultimate competitor, has an unshakable temperament, and is tough to boot. I have noticed he is a notch off his former self the last year and a half, but after all the football he has played over the years (featuring in all the representative teams, playing in all the finals series, five grand finals) he is entitled to go off the boil a little.

 

[HoldenV8]

Smith will probably be the Qld and Kangaroos hooker for as long as he wants. But the Maroons are well served. Just like they knew they had DCE waiting in the wings, so they also have Jake Friend who wouldn't look out of place as a bench utility in Origin.

I may hate who he plays for but IMO Jake Friend is the one who runs the Chooks out on the field. He (and $BW it must be said) makes Piss and Baloney look better than they really are.

 

[Shoe1]

Smith is the ultimate player.

His efforts the last 2 weeks for the Storm are proof of his toughness and dedication to the Storm.

A mate asked me last week if i could have any player at Manly who would it be. I said without a doubt Sam Burgess because he is what we need but Smith would be second pick.

Btw Haters gonna hate.

Nah I wouldn't hate him if he hadn't been up to his eyeballs in the rorting.

 

[RiverEagle]

I think he is the best hooker to ever play the game; future immortal (of which none of the others are hookers).

He single handedly transformed the position into what it is today. He is the ultimate competitor, has an unshakable temperament, and is tough to boot. I have noticed he is a notch off his former self the last year and a half, but after all the football he has played over the years (featuring in all the representative teams, playing in all the finals series, five grand finals) he is entitled to go off the boil a little.

I'm not as lavish in praise of a player front and centre in a deep and comprehensively corrupt club, clearly gaining great advantage (and grand final appearances) for at least 3 full seasons that were proven.

The single biggest proven case of systematic cheating in the game's history should always accompany his ''contribution'' to the game.

And I also contend that the quality of players around him have just as much to do with his successes as any natural ability.

I see him as a very conventional dummy-half, far from an innovator or reinventor of the role. No doubt about his toughness and intelligence but for more than just mistake-free and calm, clever direction around the field, I would look at guys like Luke, Farrah, even begrudgingly, Jake Friend for more than that.

He can kick goals and provide a kicking game from dummy half, but so can guys like Farrah and they offer more variety in attack than Smith now.

And historically even hookers like Benny Elias and Steve and Kerrod Walters, paved the way of the modern hooker/dummy half; at least the equal of Smith for mine.

(I'll avoid mentioning Manly hookers for obvious reasons, but we've had several outstanding rakes, too).

As you notice Snake, Smith hasn't been anything more than workmanlike in the last two years (when was the last time he was MOM?).

No denying his efforts over the years - qualified by those seriously corrupt circumstances I mentioned - and the one other thing I agree with is, he'll probably be an Immortal.

Being a QLDer, and because Joey Johns became an Immortal in recent times, you can bet Smith will be canonized sooner rather than later.

 

[globaleagle]

Is he related to Nathan, or are they just friends?

They are buddies, guy.

lol, gold Jerry, gold!



I dunno about "2 contract Cameron" his actions cost his team 2 premierships!!

 

[mozgrame]

Jakey will not be in the SOO 2 side.

Surprise, surprise!! No Jakey.

Queensland: Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Brent Tate, Johnathan Thurston, Daly Cherry-Evans, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Chris McQueen, Corey Parker, Ben Te'o, Matt Gillett, Aidan Guerra, Josh Papalii, Ben Hunt, Willie Tonga, Jacob Lillyman, Anthony Milford

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/queensland-maroons-name-squad-for-second-state-of-origin-match-20140609-zs29y.html#ixzz34BLc55Gz

 

[Alan]

285 rule changes and 'interpretations over the past 5 years have done as much to change the role of hooker/dummy half as Smith.

No wait, most of those rule changes were introduced as a result of that cheating, wrestling, groping, twisting, chicken winging, cannon balling, wish boning ratbag.

So I guess you are right, he has changed the game.

 

[Snake]

The Storm cheated the cap, that's for certain. But what is it with the short sightedness of supporters criticising a team and a coach for pushing the boundaries on the field? Entire decades were defined by such tactics. Nothing the Storm has done, is any worse than the sort of nonsense that went on during the 70's with clean elbows to the face, eye gouging, and brawling; an era in which our club legend Bob Fulton was a significant part of. Harden the **** up!

 

[RiverEagle]

It's not a question of toughness or even a case of revolutionizing tactics either in my eyes @Snake.

You can be the hardest nut, or team around, like US (or even the Rabbids pack for example) without needing to seek advantage through dishonorable and down-right cheating avenues.

And that applies on and off the field.

Have spasms about Smith and Melbourne all you like...Many followers of the game would see them as tainted and to be forever couched in deceit , doubt, and dubious tactics.

'' Nothing Melbourne have done is worse than the 70's free for all? ''

Have you forgotten Alex McKinnon mate??

 

[Alan]

The Storm cheated the cap, that's for certain. But what is it with the short sightedness of supporters criticising a team and a coach for pushing the boundaries on the field? Entire decades were defined by such tactics. Nothing the Storm has done, is any worse than the sort of nonsense that went on during the 70's with clean elbows to the face, eye gouging, and brawling; an era in which our club legend Bob Fulton was a significant part of. Harden the ... up!

Bloody nonsense.

The game was played hard and tough, and yes it was ok to belt somebody. The difference was it was usually a punch in the gob, and you didn't give one unless you were prepared to cop one back. And punching, elbows and head-highs were as illegal then as they are now. most of the longest suspensions ever were handed out in the 70"s and 80's. In all my time watching NRL I have only ever seen 2 players taken off as a result of a punch.

The difference is Melb set about to devise tackles where 2-3 players in a gang tackle would deliberately attempt to seriously injure a player in a defenceless position. Every time one despicable tackle became illegal they happily devised another. The practise was contemptible in conception and gutless in execution.

 

[Shoe1]

hard to argue with that

 

[Snake]

The difference is Melb set about to devise tackles where 2-3 players in a gang tackle would deliberately attempt to seriously injure a player in a defenceless position. Every time one despicable tackle became illegal they happily devised another. The practise was contemptible in conception and gutless in execution.

what's a punch in the head expected to do?

was Les Boyd's elbow on Brohman an attempt to pacify him?

It's no different.

I also don't think that Melbourne were using those tactics to deliberately cause serious injury; they were wrestling tactics to slow the play-the-ball and put the opposition off their game. The spear tackle on McKinnon (however unfortunate) was far from the worst we've seen, and the chicken wing and grapple didn't do much damage. The entire 16 clubs were using a third man around the legs, so I just see the constant assault on Melbourne's tactics, a little over zealous.

But hey, you have your opinion and I have mine.