Quote: rubber duckie "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.'"
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.