Gidley....one of the untouchables?
I'm not one for shying away from a backlash.

My thoughts...looked a scoop pre-season, and played great behind a stronger pack against our easier oppositions early season.
He looked pretty much bang average to me since returning from that first smack to the nut.

So either you think I'm talking the usual sugar, and Gidley was all conquering which is fine.

Or

Perhaps playing him at 6 for a full season at his age began to take some effect. Playing a central position put him up against big men in defence at a greater rate than a fb might have to endure. Over a course behind a poor pack it took the shine offhis game??

I don't know why or what, but he didn't finish the 2nd half of season in the fashion he started it imo.

For dearing to talk about what should remain as sacred, I await the purest backlash once again.

Very rarely agree with most things you say but do here

Gidley was 'in my opinion' brought here to manage big games and again 'in my opinion' was often found wanting

Saturday completely peripheral
Wigan game we lost, when things started to unravel non-existent
Saints in the semi, game was managed by Patton

I think most people who had seen him play in the NRL knew he wasn't that good. He was a pretty decent utility back, best at fullback until he lost what pace he did have. A pretty similar story to Lance Hohaia, same facial destruction, but without the Grand Final winners ring.



His performances in key games have perhaps been his worst. But if anything I think it was his desperation to win those that caused the drop in quality. He was charging about trying to affect everything rather than just being composed and doing his job. If he was 10, you'd tell him to calm down and stop trying too hard.

Compared to the rest of Super League he's fine, I don't see any need to panic and try to cut him. If you improve your pack (Bailey and Dodds were both truly awful signings, losing Currie was awful luck) he'll be fine next year.

You may be right RD but he was definitely playing when he shouldn't have been for a spell you can tell because he relinquished kicking duties a fair bit. It's not surprising that he wasnt as effective when we stopped bossing matches up front but we should be far better next season especially if the Crosby rumour is true. We will have an actual pack, with a decent back up. Wow.

I'd like to see how he goes at FB but we would ideally put some pace on the wings to help him out. If not just to allow Patton more game time.

Ahhh happy days.........early season when Gidley played 6, Sandow played 7, Matty Russel played Fullback, and we had Wingers on the wing.........oh the joys.......

Gidley and Sandow shoe-ins for Man of Steel....... record breaking run of wins...... Sky thinking widnes were going to win the league....


what a time to be a Wire fan....!!

then it all went to Shit and wasnt Gidley's fault

Saddened hit the nail on'thead (except the bit where he says everyone knew he wasnt that good

)

he has run around trying to do too much but why wouldn't you when a 21 year old rookie has had to step in at the business end of the season..... and crucially for next year he'll have a bit more confidence in Patton if they have to play together for large parts of the season.

He puts his hand up and grafts what more do you want....? Christ Gidley's scored more crash over tries from a couple of yards out than Ashton Sims.... i know its not his job but he'll do for me.


hes got another year in him. no problem with him at all....

Sandow on the other Hand.....

Any truth in the rumours Sandow has played his last game for you? A few of the RL news sites on Twitter going with it now.

We'll have to wait and see, I'd love him to stay personally he was amazing at the start of the season. However Patton needs game time and we have a lot of options in the halves that Patton has to compete with in Gidley, Sandow and Ratchford

I think the silence from the club is deafening over who's coming into the club. Surely Sandows departure would have been announced with Dodds, Bailey & Cox ?

He was getting vastly overrated at the start of the year, doesn't have the kicking, passing or decision making ability against good defences to make the right plays, this was highlighted in the final and semi final. His "try" against Saints didn't gloss over his weaknesses to me.

This is the reason he was deemed a poor player in the nrl for the last few years, and why I would like to replace his wage with a quality centre or fullback.

I want a creative half with a quality kicking game, not one who goes on their own most of the time, plus he is too old and his legs have gone.

Just a word of advice, if you are going have a pop about a player please watch them play ! don't know who you are referring to but it is neither Sandow or Gidley from your description. Gidley would have been the MOM in the grand final had we won, he played through and did so much work in attack and defence. But I suppose if someone doesn't like you they will see loads of negatives and no positives.

The dream team isn't always representative of quality, and nor is the Man of Steel, but they got both pretty much bob-on this year, and that includes Kurt Gidley at stand-off. Given that some complain incessantly about an anti-Wire bias in the media, I'd have thought we'd have been delighted that one of our own was recognised by the broadcasting industry as having had an outstanding season.

But no. Let's write him off, rip him apart and do his down instead. In fact let's bin him off and spend the salary cap on Gareth O'Brien instead, we never had any issues there did we?

With the exception of Wigan and George Williams, any SL team would have had him like a shot, and been all the better for it.

...apart from the NSW and Australia selectors who thought he was good enough to be capped 12 times in each side over a period of several years.

How many of those in his last four years? How many of those weren't emergency cover when someone pulled out injured. I'm not suggesting he's literally no good, as in Jack Owens levels of poorness. Take it as a comparison to 'world class' instead.

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Missed tackle on farrell for their try, bombed a try on their line in the last few seconds running instead of passing, which was a theme throughout the game and season, no creativity. Comfortably outplayed by George Williams who wouldn't be good enough for a place in the nrl

Maybe you should watch games and remember to remove the Rose tinted glasses.

Post Sandow injury we looked best when ratchford and Patton were in the halves.. Gidley is too old and not good enough in the big games, he hasn't been good enough for 5 years.

Funny my watching of Gidley must be in line with the people who select the Dream Team, pity they didn't see your view of Gidley then we could have a public stoning and send him back in a rowing boat. The bloke has brought that professionalism to the squad and the control that we missed for many a season hence the success we have had this season. He may not have scored 3 tries per games and 10 assist but he has changed the team form last season.

Success? Lost in both competitions that are of any real note.

I don't care about the Dream Team, it doesn't mean much... I go off watching the players and their impact compared to how much of the cap their taking up, he doesn't justify it.

I'm with you I prefer it when we finish 7th and bow out of the cup early.

No you prefer that the club invests more than any other in staff and facilities, but never wins the big cup.

Successful season though, always our year.

I expect the club to look to improve every season, this year that has happened, in all honesty my pre season expectation has been smashed no matter how disappointed I am with losing both finals.

I never expected us to be in the hunt for silverware this season, it's hugely disappointing to lose the big ones but I'm very happy with the shield and the forward strides we have taken. I'm optimistic about next year, it's not our divine right to make finals so it would be nice to just be in then hunt again next season.

The biggest plus for this season for me is that in Toby King and Declan Patton I think we have a couple of future stars. Onwards and upwards.

Let's have a little game. We'll take it in turns to list all the 'world-class' half-backs in SuperLeague.

I'll go first.


....


Your turn.

I suppose a forum is a place for all views regardless of how much you agree or disagree with them.

I rate Gidley and Sandow. At the start of the year they were almost unplayable. Injuries have played their part but that's part and parcel of the game.
I'm happy they're with us next year, and with Patton and Ratch we have quite a few choices.
I can easily see why Gidley is rated by most - his influence on and off the pitch appears to impress most including his team mates.
Yes he's made mistakes and has been found wanting more than once this season with his one on one tackling - including at the GF - but does that make him an 'ordinary' player? I think not.

I know, which is why I posted:



So, you agree with me.

Saddened, I can see from your posts on Redvee that you are totally disillusioned with the winning culture and entertaining rugby at Saints, if you want to become a Wire I'm sure you'll be accepted we're a very broad church.

gidleys to old.and we are prepared to go again with him next season.disaster awaits..we have a gem in young declan but where does that leave arnold sorry sandow.for me its last chance saloon for this guy as it is for tony smith...2 non english half backs in games that matter was never ever going to work..

I'd prefer to see him as full back.

I saw him.at the Wigan game before the super 8s n his shoulder was strapped then as it was still in the gf.

He can see more and his ability to read the game will allow hi to compensate for lack of pace.

Again I'm sure gidley and sandow presence has aided Patton progression so to have them playing and coaching Patton makes them a little better value than just as players.

I hope there are more signings to come that may not even be announced until after the 4 nations. Until we know the full ins and outs it's hard to gauge what to expect but either way gidley staying is a positive for me I just hope we can rotate him more next season for some games to keep him fresh for when he does play