Futtocks Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 A good Coach will translate that talent into a top flight player. You are right, not all top players make it to the top. You have to remember that, for players like that, the game has got harder and harder, as their opponents have grown up and got bigger. I played against a couple of young giants when we were all 13-14 years old. They could stroll through defences, swatting tacklers aside at will. Deadly elsewhere too - one of them dislocated a goalies fingers when taking a penalty in Football. But if you gave him 50p, he'd knuckle-punch your initials into the plaster of the dining room wall. They would not have had it so easy when the rest of their age group had caught up in size and strength, as well as experience. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allora Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 You have to remember that, for players like that, the game has got harder and harder, as their opponents have grown up and got bigger. I played against a couple of young giants when we were all 13-14 years old. They could stroll through defences, swatting tacklers aside at will. Deadly elsewhere too - one of them dislocated a goalies fingers when taking a penalty in Football. But if you gave him 50p, he'd knuckle-punch your initials into the plaster of the dining room wall. They would not have had it so easy when the rest of their age group had caught up in size and strength, as well as experience. I understand what you are saying but there are not many 125 Kg players or bigger in this game. He has pace, ball skills and size, he should be a main man in the Australian Pack not moving to several NRL teams then ending up in France in his prime. When I was 16 I played "all age" and we came across teams that were like bikers and were in their twenties it was a tough day but it hardened us. Talent is secondary to whether players are confident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadShotKeen Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Franchising is a dirty word over here but it's the best way to promote junior development, using lower league sides as feeder teams where appropriate. Leaving any sports league to the whims of the free market just means that the best kids from wherever gravitate to the small number of elite clubs. The smaller clubs may have some mediocre local talent but so what? That's local players by proxy as opposed to strong development pathways. In other words, we turned Catalan into another middle of the pack side with a host of imports when we made the disastrous decision to bring back P&R in 2013. It's our fault, not theirs. Taylor is enigmatic for sure but a good signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audois Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 This post was as much about the publicity and the way the club today manages it. Broughton was the other player at this press conference earlier this week. The day after this piece on Taylor we had half a page on Broughton too. Yesterday it was the turn of Pat Richards and Richie Myler to meet the Press. Next week they'll do something on Aiton, Horo and Stewart no doubt. Monday next Catalans will launch their season ticket campaign inviting supporters to meet the players over a croissant or two and coffee before the first training session. Its about building expectations and the new season ahead. I think the back-up staff at the Dragons are hitting the right notes. The likes of Taylor, Stewart and Carney are good for the competition in general. Escare and Bousquet have looked average in the European matches of late but put them with class acts they revel in it. Some players are like that. If this overseas recruitment was the only story to tell in Perpignan today some people may have a point but it is'nt. Next year the Catalans U19s Academy side will be officially launched across the Channel. On Wednesday I saw their reserves in action here in Carcassonne. Basically an all-French U23s line-up against the locals with half a dozen overseas blokes on board. "It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires" - Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933 "Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart." - Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959 Si tu( Remi Casty) devais envoyer un fax au Président Guasch? " Un grand bravo pour ce que vous avez fait,et merci de m 'avoir embarqué dans cette aventure" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 On a negative note: Dave Taylor is not too bright. He will struggle to learn French (as Todd Carney also has) and thus will not be as smooth an integration into the team as some other foreign players have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hvy wg Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 On a negative note: Dave Taylor is not too bright. He will struggle to learn French (as Todd Carney also has) and thus will not be as smooth an integration into the team as some other foreign players have been. Dureau and Anderson might be the only ones who can speak French there. Oldfield, Pomeroy, Lima, Pryce, Paea and cie never spoke it neither. We're used to it, Baitieri usually translate what the coach wants. The thing about Taylor is that I suspect he was a big lad from an early age, (same with Jamal Idris), and sometimes when things are all too easy at the beginning, certain players don't develop that relentless drive to succeed when things get tougher, regardless of who's coaching them. That is a real thing. Of course Taylor was always big, he's totally huge for a League player. Remember the Burgess were 120kg at 18yo too but they're making the most of it. On the other hand, we have Julian Bousquet. He's huge now but he wasn't back in the days. Actually he was playing five-eighth before... then boom, puberty! 1m95 120kg. He's like 24 now and does not know how to use his size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleD Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Not got an issue with Catalans signing top overseas players.......... whether Taylor will be one of these remains to be seen.........as for Broughton or Richards, I'm not sure they're better than incumbents. But, I get the impression looking at the squad that Catalans have more overseas players than other teams - do they still have a higher quota? If so, this should have been removed to bring them in line a long time ago......... Obviously English players are not on the quota due to EU laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Worth noting, on the subject of Catalans supplying a stronger French international side: as far as I can tell, there are only two* NZ Warriors in the current Kiwi touring squad. If Johnson and Hurrell were fit, that'd still be only four. Brisbane have four in the squad, as do the Roosters. Kiwi talent is drawn from all across the NRL these days, and that is why they are a strong nation. If other SL sides start taking French talent seriously, France could become much stronger, and that's without taking into account the impression I get of a divisive/toxic atmosphere at Catalans. *Issac Luke may have signed for the Warriors, but he doesn't count (for me) 'til he's actually played for them. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B rad Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 The thing about Taylor is that I suspect he was a big lad from an early age, (same with Jamal Idris), and sometimes when things are all too easy at the beginning, certain players don't develop that relentless drive to succeed when things get tougher, regardless of who's coaching them. Problem was he use to be a 5/8 and still wants to be a 5/8, but he is stuck in a 2nd rowers body. I say give him his chance. The biggest 5/8 to ever play the game. Would be interesting. If he goes ###### after a few games throw him back in the forwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Problem was he use to be a 5/8 and still wants to be a 5/8, but he is stuck in a 2nd rowers body. I say give him his chance. The biggest 5/8 to ever play the game. Would be interesting. If he goes ###### after a few games throw him back in the forwards. Didn't Karl Pryce fill in at that position once or twice for Bradford? Or have I remembered that wrong. Karl (six foot seven, I think) might have been bigger than Dave. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Dureau and Anderson might be the only ones who can speak French there. Oldfield, Pomeroy, Lima, Pryce, Paea and cie never spoke it neither. We're used to it, Baitieri usually translate what the coach wants. Didn't Zeb Taía and Steve Menzies speak French? I think I saw Taía speaking French at a Catalans awards ceremony a year ago. Who is "cie?"" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Didn't Zeb Taía and Steve Menzies speak French? I think I saw Taía speaking French at a Catalans awards ceremony a year ago. Who is "cie?"" "& Cie" is the French version of "& Co." Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaverickX111 Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 It's critical to have two French teams in super league The player numbers are growing but more significantly Catalan have 8000 regular supporters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hvy wg Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Didn't Zeb Taía and Steve Menzies speak French? I think I saw Taía speaking French at a Catalans awards ceremony a year ago. Who is "cie?"" The speaches at the awards are "staged". Menzies does not speaks French but his daughter was almost fluent when he left. On the other hand, Dureau had near perfect French and Anderson even speaks Catalan (I know I know I've said it multiple time on multiple topics but it's amazing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled Wiganer Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Catalan - that is v impressive. I still can't believe that we get to watch Todd Carney every couple of weeks strut his stuff in SL. Class in a glass. The OP had it right on the points he raised - as a club they are doing just fine. Chapeau! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 The speaches at the awards are "staged". Menzies does not speaks French but his daughter was almost fluent when he left. On the other hand, Dureau had near perfect French and Anderson even speaks Catalan (I know I know I've said it multiple time on multiple topics but it's amazing). What about Zeb Taía, who was chosen as the Players' Player in 2014? It didn't looked staged when he spoke. He got through a few sentences of French. Pity that it will all be forgotten on the Gold Coast. On the other hand I hope that Steve Menzies didn't lose the benefit of being in France and put his daughter into French class when he returned to Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun mc Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 If Stewart is bound for the 2nd row, then the Cats have the potential to have the best 2nd row pairing in SL if Taylor performs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hvy wg Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 If Stewart is bound for the 2nd row, then the Cats have the potential to have the best 2nd row pairing in SL if Taylor performs My guess is Stewart will play at loose forward with Horo/Taylor at 2nd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabbitRhinoovOZ Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Like plenty of players, if he was in the right team with the right Coach and his best was dragged out of him he could have been anything. He has not reached the heights of what he could have been. So who is there right team & coach? He's been at 2 of the NRL's biggest clubs under two of the best coaches in Bennett & Maguire and done both of there heads in. If Craig Bellamy though he could do anything with Dave he'd be at Melbourne not Catalan. When you sign Dave Taylor you just strap your self in for the ride and hope his good days out weigh the bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mt smart Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Worth noting, on the subject of Catalans supplying a stronger French international side: as far as I can tell, there are only two* NZ Warriors in the current Kiwi touring squad. If Johnson and Hurrell were fit, that'd still be only four. Brisbane have four in the squad, as do the Roosters. Kiwi talent is drawn from all across the NRL these days, and that is why they are a strong nation. If other SL sides start taking French talent seriously, France could become much stronger, and that's without taking into account the impression I get of a divisive/toxic atmosphere at Catalans. *Issac Luke may have signed for the Warriors, but he doesn't count (for me) 'til he's actually played for them. Roger Tuivasa Sheck will be added to that list of Warriors in the Kiwis which further proves your point.In fact the Warriors are specifically targeting Kiwi Internationals in the hope that the lure of home will help the Club counter their inability to sign Aussie's of note. The other avenue they seem to be exploring is releasing Juniors to other NRL clubs in the hope that they will become more polished products and will also want to come back one day (this is speculation on my part based on the club signing a bunch of Aussie journeymen recently and the reality that it means Juniors will be less relied upon / have less of a pathway to first grade). For French rugby league to be able to do the same, they would need a Nursery of Juniors that get exposure to competitive games, and dominate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copa Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 He is amazing to see in real life...just so bloody big. If they can get him to catch the ball at speed he is very very difficult to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yakstorm Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Maybe the mistake everyone made in the past was expecting him to perform under coaches which are either very process driven or structured. Maybe Dave Taylor needs to be left to play in a more fluid environment? Whether Catalans are that club we will see, however the style of play of Super League is likely to suit him more than the highly defence oriented NRL. PACIFIQUE TREIZE: Join the team by registering as a fan today at pacifique13.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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