Hall is an experienced NRL plodder, sorry player. Kopczak is a rookie in terms of minutes on the field. However I accept that neither has done anything to write home about this year. Both have been part of the defensive "efforts" of the past 12 defeats.

While Koppy has improved a bit Hall has deteriorated (which is saying something, he must be carrying a knock?).

In his defence didn't his wife have a miscarriage or something of similar magnitude just before he came over? Just a thought that his form may be being affected by off-field issues.

Yes Hall and his wife lost their baby shortly before the move over here. Terrible business, very sad. I know a couple who went through the exact same thing.

Looking at Hall play though I would say that his limitations appear to be in terms of basic ability rather than off field pressures. He's quite a slow backrower who's not known for breaking the line, a sort of no frills player. In short he doesn't really offer much to the side that you'd want from a quota player. He does however have a great tache.

Sam you still fantasising about being one of the "Village People"?

He's a 16 stone second rower being asked play impact prop off the bench in a team with 2 Super league standard props, 0 halves, 1 centre, 1 winger and 5 full backs. Consequently he looks as poor as Langley and Matt Cook when SM played them at prop.

He might be as dire as everyone is saying but I'd venture the bloke who put this squad together is much poorer coach than Hall is a rugby player.

Undoubtedly he's no impact prop that's for sure. He's an 80min tackling second row and nothing else.

80 mins ????????????????
must have hit the 0 at the end by accidnet

Comparing Hall with Kopczak is just bloody silly. Hall was trumpeted as a top quality NRL winning forward (still is by some numpties on here too) who was soooooo good that he managed to oust the legend that was Steve Menzies out of the Manly side. He was marketed as an exciting top class Aussie import (admittedly more by the doyen of Rugby League nonsense that is Ferocious Aardvark than anyone else) who was gonna improve us no end. I am sure his wages reflected this too.

Kopczak is still learning his trade, won't be on anywhere near as much as Hall and does not take up a quota spot either. Heck, I am no big fan of Kopczak but he can improve, Hall can't.

As I have said elsewhere, he was another McNamara flop.

No, the description is 100% accurate. You don't need to have an opinion on it. It is in the record books.

Nice.


[url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/hard-work-pays-off-for-hall/story-e6frexri-1111117588999All 100% true[/url. Des Hasler picked him all day long, and he (and they) won the NRL Grand Final. However much you would like to re-write facts, you can't. I realise that grates. And of course that you know far better than Des Hasler.


Thank you for your continuing politeness and basic courtesy, in line with forum policy.


Well, he obviously can, unless 2009 never actually happened. Which in your head it probably already didn't.

Yeah but he didnt really oust Steve Menzies did he, Hasler knew Beaver would be better utilised in short sharp spells and played him accordingly unlike some dope of a coach we previously had struggled to realise.

Er well, yes, he did. It isn't up for debate, it's a matter of record. Stating the obvious that Hasler had his reasons for it, but clearly if he had felt that Menzies was a better option then he would not have given the role to Hall.

Errr, no he didnt.

Sure

We know.

Wigan did the same with Pat Richards.

Its not necesarily a bad thing if players are not performing.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... _to_cheer/ We sign an NRL winning second row, bulk him up to play prop, play him in 10 minute spells because he's clearly not fit and drop him to the under 20s for the 3rd last game of season because he's playing poorly due to not getting enough minutes on the field. I've totally changed my mind about Hall. No player should be judged on their performances under this kind of decision making.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... _to_cheer/ We sign an NRL winning second row, bulk him up to play prop, play him in 10 minute spells because he's clearly not fit and drop him to the under 20s for the 3rd last game of season because he's playing poorly due to not getting enough minutes on the field. I've totally changed my mind about Hall. No player should be judged on their performances under this kind of decision making.

Well we'll no doubt be seeing him in Bulls colours next year. Hopefully Potter will use him better, however even if he's playing in the backrow where he belongs I'll still need some convincing.

Glenn Hall needs to step it up massively next year from his form this year. I suspect he's not been helped by the situation we've found oursleves in, and he might be one to look better as the team gets better around him?

He won't be the first or last aussie to look better in his second season over here either, Matt King was pretty ordinary in his first season for Wire. We can only hope, but I suspect we'll see an improvement.

I'm sure we signed some winger who was well off the pace in his first season.. Vaini-something-or-other?

We all know how that turned out, I'm well prepared to give Hall another chance, especially given how he's been used this season.

The difference is that Pat Richards had talent, he was the NRL's top try scorer and only in his early 20s. Hall is a no-hoper journeyman and if you are expecting anything above average from him then you're going to be disappointed.

Hall was brought over a second row, not a prop, though I guess no-one realised how good Elliott Whitehead and James Donaldson were going to be. Nor that we would have such an injury problem with the props. He's not played well, I doubt even he would claim he had, though I think it's difficult to apportion blame in the middle of a general failure. It is a fact that imports often improve in the second year, so let's hope for the best, though I can't see him getting much time in the second row, and I hope we persevere with Elliott and James.

I agree about Koppy. He's got better as he's spent more time on the paddock. Maybe there is a lesson from that? He's home grown which is a plus and, whilst not being outstanding, he is a 'safe' pair of hands, so, in the hope that he's getting better, I'm happy enough to see a bit more of him out on the pitch.

Hopefully Hall will improve under Potter. IMO it's fairly obvious he hasn't the size or pace to play prop. I expect that's why he was used as a specialist backrower in the NRL. I'm really not sure why McNamara chose to bring him over given the type of player he is. IMO a quota place should go to the sort of player you can't source in the English market and steady second rowers aren't difficult to find over here.

Unfortunately I only think he'll prove to be any use if played in the second row so I expect he will get gametime there, probably alongside one of Elima, Langley, Whitehead or Donaldson. I do hope we get Elima as we're lacking penetration in the backrow. The young lads are looking good but not yet dominating the opposition so we need to mix them up with older and tougher players so they don't get bullied. Often they've both struggled to get over the advantage line this year when games have been tight and that's been down to their age and size relative to their opponents.



Will Koppy get as much game time once Scruton is fit? Or will Potter pursue the old McNamara gameplan of giving him about 10mins out of 80? If we sign Dowes as is rumoured then that's another factor to consider. Do we go to playing with 4 props again? We could do worse IMO.

While Koppy is a safe pair of hands I do think we need and injection of aggression and impact in the pack somewhere. I think our forwards have been dominated and proven to be poor in defence too often this year. Signing an animal would stiffen things up.

Not heard any rumours about Dowes to be honest. I've always thought him a bit overrated if I'm honest (certainly no animal!!), but then FC fans always do seem to go over the top (until they leave, and then they instantly become FC rejects, of course............

)

I dunno what Potter will do. It's pointless to try and second guess I suppose, but there is no real reason to believe he'll just do what Macca did, why would he? If I were a coach, and I found a still young, great big lump of a bloke like Koppy at a club, I'd want to see what he's capable of; to try and get the best from him; to turn him into the weapon that his physique suggests he should be. Maybe he's another Karl Pryce and is just too laid back, I dunno, but I hope Potter gives him the chance and the motivation to get stuck in, and that he doesn't die wondering.........

I've said before, and it's probably worth repeating, that you can't make any real assessment of what is going to happen until you know [iall[/i the ins and outs. Saying this particular release or signing is going to be good or bad, or who is going to play where, without the wider context is pretty impossible and pointless imo. Though, fair enough, there's not much else we can do is there!

If he's anything like his Dad, he's a player you definitely want on your team and don't want to be playing against!

swapp Hall for Tony Williams at manly


he is a Vainikolo type of winger and kicks


aaaa well theres dreaming