Hi my name is Gareth O,Brien and I play either scrum half or stand off, I have the best kicking game in the club and I am quite creative in attack. I sometimes struggle in defence but I hold my own. I seem to be losing out to other people despite playing really we'll at the minute but still get over looked. Can any one give me some advice as to what I need to do win a shirt in the team each week? Any suggestions would be great.
Thanks
Gareth

mature.
RD

Yes he is maturing well and to me, looking like a good creative player given the chance to learn. But why does he get dropped all the time ?

No he needs to mature more.
next year he needs to step it up or he may well find himself out on loan to a championship side.

clubs will be very reluctant to loan out to another SL team anymore.

Go to the NRL
Change your name
Get a tan

In two years time when the club has cottoned onto the fact that we need a half back they'll re-sign you for £200,000 a year, you'll be guranteed a starting place irrespective of performance and form, and you'll be lauded to the rooftops.

Actually do something with the ball in your hand, instead of simply receiving it, and getting rid of it at the earliest opportunity.
Your first half "performance" against Widnes (a) recently, was a shining example of this. We were camped out on Widnes' line for the first 10 mins, yet you did nothing to break Widnes down.
Your passes were predictable, and your kicks even more so

May I suggest having a plan A, let alone a plan B.

I hope you heed my advice.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that all through the first half of the season MM ripped into anyone who dared to question some of the awful football which we have played. We were all moaning fake fans, or something like that.

Why the sudden change of heart?

No change of heart, early season some were questioning relegation, Smiths knowledge ect. I said that we would be there abouts and competing at the end of the season, which we are.
My issue is this Kid is so skillful but needs a chance to bed in and let people learn his game and visa versa. We need to play him in big games and let him develop. Mr Briers had time to grow and develop due to different circumstances and i feel that he can be a great scrum half and very creative. We dont have a creative player in the halves. Bridge plays with speed and power, Ratchford plays off people by following and backing up loose play. Myler kicked well on Saturday for a change and works his socks off in defence, but again plays as a back up player, he doesnt create space for anyone.
O'Brien for me is far from the finished player but has so much potential.
The management has a big call to make, do they try and buy a quality half from somewhere or develop what we have got. Myler, Bridge, Ratchford have been tried and used extensivly and do not create, O'Brien does but needs the time to learn. Its ok saying he has been here and there and payed a lot at Swinton, he needs to play in our first team in all games to learn and develop the game sense and cheeckyness needed to be a great 7.

No answer from me.
the first time I saw O'Brien play in the first team, despite the weak opposition, I saw more in him than I had seen, and have subsequently seen in Richie Myler.

He is still the only half back at the club who plays like a half back and not like someone playing touch rugby with his mates on the park.

I remember Lee briers in pretty much every MOM speech paying tribute to the "Awesome" "ridiculous" "immense" "world class" pack of forwards who laid the platform for his work. O'Brien hasn't had that luxury. Bridge has looked good because he can be individually brilliant that was never in question. O'Brien is not like that.

I think this will be his last season at the club and its a shame really.

What this thread tells us all is that we need a scrum half in the mould of a Rob Burrows or a Michael Dobson.Time to get the cheque book out.

I think we have got one but he needs time to learn.
Can anyone name the last scrum half who was world class at 21 years old. Bobby Goulding was the last one i can think off?

?Which one? they're two completely different types of halfback, Burrow being one that hasn't regularly played half back for leeds in forever and the leeds fans dont want him playing half back.

Start talking in an Aussie accent and pretend you were born in Queensland?

To be fair he has had chances but doesn't grab them and use them as he could.

I think we should take a punt on Kevin Brown or Travis Burns.

Who do we all think would be suitable and available. When i say available i proberbly mean affordable?

Tim Smith

not a chance

Travis Burns

Just to return to the subject of GOB, I think the fact that he was dropped last week (after a run of 6 straight games) probably tells us where TS currently views him. He is still only 22 and certainly looked as though he is busting a gut to try and kick on, but for me, the critical point is that he occupies a key position and we can't afford anything but a high quality player in that slot if we are going to challenge for trophies again.

It's ironic that waste of space Asotasi can be carried by the team, but GOB, who is not quite producing the goods, cannot.

But is there any high quality out there ? Most of our talented player are now somewhat long in the tooth. We seem to have reached a plateau where talent is concerned ,that is why Australian clubs are cherry picking our talent.

There is no comparison between GOB and a young briers.

That young Briers was the vent of most peoples friustrations for years dispite holding the a poor team together. He only became world class in our eyes once he hit his mid 20's. O'Brien is 21/22 i think

O'Brien is also a very brave HB, he puts himself in that sacrificial situation to create a gap, hold's on to it, releases it and gets smashed.
He does lack something but i can't quite put my finger on it.

Respect yed. he wont earn it being sheepish.
GOB in name but not in his nature.

He needs to find his voice. The second I see him screaming at J. Monaghan and co like he wants them dead I'll know he has what it takes.

He has all the skills but for the world doesn't look a leader.