Giants reject Sezer link with NRL club

[Total Rugby League]

Huddersfield Giants have laughed off claims that Aidan Sezer is set to leave the club. A report in Australia claimed that the marquee halfback was...

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[DeadShotKeen]

Doesn't this mean that he's a shoo-in to declare homesickness and end his Super League contract early? I mean, we've been here before haven't we? Not saying it's right or anything but it does seem to be the case that those players who come over here whilst their NRL stock is still reasonably high do sort of use the Super League move as a crowbar/safety net option which they know they can bail on if the NRL come calling again early.

From a Raiders point of view they've upgraded nicely at 7 with George Williams and Sezer was something of a weak link in their Grand Final run of last season. He isn't really a benchmark player kind of loss to NRL, although that said it would be understandable that a lesser NRL team than the Raiders would be interested and Tigers does make some sense.

Unfortunately I think these situations are always going to persist whilst Super League is the poor relation to NRL. It's a long-standing problem we haven't addressed and which realistically only can be with a contraction/expansion effort raising the overall standard and profile of the sport over here. If we were able to do that then not only would there be less risk of us losing Antipodean talent but we would also be able to target much superior players than the likes of Sezer and a washed-up Greg Inglis.

[Allora]

1 hour ago, DeadShotKeen said:

Doesn't this mean that he's a shoo-in to declare homesickness and end his Super League contract early? I mean, we've been here before haven't we? Not saying it's right or anything but it does seem to be the case that those players who come over here whilst their NRL stock is still reasonably high do sort of use the Super League move as a crowbar/safety net option which they know they can bail on if the NRL come calling again early.

From a Raiders point of view they've upgraded nicely at 7 with George Williams and Sezer was something of a weak link in their Grand Final run of last season. He isn't really a benchmark player kind of loss to NRL, although that said it would be understandable that a lesser NRL team than the Raiders would be interested and Tigers does make some sense.

Unfortunately I think these situations are always going to persist whilst Super League is the poor relation to NRL. It's a long-standing problem we haven't addressed and which realistically only can be with a contraction/expansion effort raising the overall standard and profile of the sport over here. If we were able to do that then not only would there be less risk of us losing Antipodean talent but we would also be able to target much superior players than the likes of Sezer and a washed-up Greg Inglis.

I thought Sezer had a good season last year and was an integral part of the Raiders success.

[Dunbar]

9 hours ago, Allora said:

I thought Sezer had a good season last year and was an integral part of the Raiders success.

I was just about to post something similar. I thought he was one of the main reasons why they turned from an 'almost' team in 2018 to Grand Finalists a year later.

[DoubleD]

Sezer proved himself to be a very competent half in the NRL last season, and was a great asset in guiding the team around the field, providing a good foil for Wighton, and impressed with his astute kicking game. However, he did come unstuck when he came up against the elite top 4 teams. Whether Williams is an upgrade is too early to say, initial signs are encouraging - Williams offers a greater running threat but it will depend upon his kicking game and whether he can provide the necessary control/direction

[RSN]

14 hours ago, DeadShotKeen said:

Doesn't this mean that he's a shoo-in to declare homesickness and end his Super League contract early? I mean, we've been here before haven't we? Not saying it's right or anything but it does seem to be the case that those players who come over here whilst their NRL stock is still reasonably high do sort of use the Super League move as a crowbar/safety net option which they know they can bail on if the NRL come calling again early.

From a Raiders point of view they've upgraded nicely at 7 with George Williams and Sezer was something of a weak link in their Grand Final run of last season. He isn't really a benchmark player kind of loss to NRL, although that said it would be understandable that a lesser NRL team than the Raiders would be interested and Tigers does make some sense.

Unfortunately I think these situations are always going to persist whilst Super League is the poor relation to NRL. It's a long-standing problem we haven't addressed and which realistically only can be with a contraction/expansion effort raising the overall standard and profile of the sport over here. If we were able to do that then not only would there be less risk of us losing Antipodean talent but we would also be able to target much superior players than the likes of Sezer and a washed-up Greg Inglis.

Comment about Seizer is nonsense, he was the better half in the play offs but Wighton took all the headlines with his GF performance. 

If you offered Greg Inglis to any club in the world they would have him in their side apart from a select few. 

Australia is going to attract better players. It's a bigger sport in their country. 

 

[Allora]

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

Sezer proved himself to be a very competent half in the NRL last season, and was a great asset in guiding the team around the field, providing a good foil for Wighton, and impressed with his astute kicking game. However, he did come unstuck when he came up against the elite top 4 teams. Whether Williams is an upgrade is too early to say, initial signs are encouraging - Williams offers a greater running threat but it will depend upon his kicking game and whether he can provide the necessary control/direction

And yet Newcastle aimed their attack at Williams relentlessly. They felt his defence was suspect or they would burn him up to nullify his attack.

Not unusual for that to happen but time will tell.

[Lowdesert]

57 minutes ago, Allora said:

And yet Newcastle aimed their attack at Williams relentlessly. They felt his defence was suspect or they would burn him up to nullify his attack.

Not unusual for that to happen but time will tell.

Newcastle skipped between Whitehead and Williams quite easily for one of their tries.  Apart from that, I think he stood up quite well but if that was the Knights ploy, it worked.