What kind of halfback is George Williams?

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What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Hong Kong Raider »

Is our new English recruit a Ricky Stuart type organising half with a great kicking game or a running half or both?

Does he play on both sides of the field and move around?

How's his defence?

Does he have pace?

I noted that he couldn't make the England team at the end of last year, even when they were not doing well.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Wiki Special »

In the footage I have seen he appeared to play left but he will most certainly play right side this year as Wighton won't be moved. He had a sharp passing game but his true value appeared to he in his running game. His short kicking game is very good by all reports. His support play was also very good.

Haven't seen enough of him defensively but watched the last 20 minutes of a dour Wigan Finals win last year and he was willing to put his body in front of attacking players with the game on the line. How he stacks up defensively over an entire NRL season is probably his biggest question mark coming into the side but I imagine John Bateman will be his Tonie Carroll where possible.

The coaching staff just need to tell him to do the below three things to start the year and I can see his game building from there;

1. Make your tackles
2. Get the right edge good, early ball
3. Back up through the middle
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Makaveli »

More importantly, can he actually get force repeat sets.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Dusty »

Makaveli wrote:More importantly, can he actually get force repeat sets.
One of his strengths from what I’ve seen/heard


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2020: 1. Nicol-Klokstad 2. Cotric 3. Croker (c) 4 Leilua 5. Scott 6. Wighton 7. G. Williams 8. Papalii 9. Hodgson (c) 10. Sutton 11. J. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Tapine ----
14. Simmonson 15. Soliola 16. Guler 17. Horsburgh
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Johno »

Dusty wrote: January 10, 2020, 11:14 am
Makaveli wrote:More importantly, can he actually get force repeat sets.
One of his strengths from what I’ve seen/heard


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If he can do this we will be just fine
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Makaveli »

Considering the English pitches have what seem to be 5M in goals, that is a positive.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Matt »

Makaveli wrote: January 10, 2020, 11:37 am Considering the English pitches have what seem to be 5M in goals, that is a positive.
its 6, but yes.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Matt »

Hong Kong Raider wrote: January 10, 2020, 10:23 am Is our new English recruit a Ricky Stuart type organising half with a great kicking game or a running half or both?

Does he play on both sides of the field and move around?

How's his defence?

Does he have pace?

I noted that he couldn't make the England team at the end of last year, even when they were not doing well.
As others have said, he is a left sided player. However, he did pop up on the right on set plays and long side raids for Wigan this yr. I posted a video on the Green Machine Podcast page with a Wigan game where he did it twice went to a more traditional 2nd reciever and threw the last pass for tries on the right side. So, he can pass left to right just fine.



IMO, he is Luke Keary-esque. He is very quick off the mark, and agile. If he gets into space he will be hard to catch too. I reckon Williams looks stronger through contact than Keary though. His long kicking is ok, but his short stuff is money. He is a very good support player too, will often finish plays he setup to outside men by trailing through the middle. He will hold up ok defensively, but like Keary he isnt bringing down a Burgess, Haas, Maumalo or Latrell by himself.
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greeneyed
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by greeneyed »

People might find this from The Sportress interesting: https://sportress.wordpress.com/2020/01 ... GIaHAx6FX4

Dan routinely posts links to his blog on The GH Facebook group when new stories are produced.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by zim »

G Williams will be fine on the right. There's a bit of Bateman about his game. Competes hard. Can pass off both sides.
Dan thinks Wighton will be more involved off both sides but I think we'll see some more of CNK popping up.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by MrPosh »

Makaveli wrote: January 10, 2020, 11:37 am Considering the English pitches have what seem to be 5M in goals, that is a positive.
Not every club is like that. Most have a proper in goal.

I think Williams will be the best half at the Raiders, this year (I think he'll do well and I'm not a huge fan of Wighton - I think he's a decent player that had an excellent season).
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Ronny P »

Matt wrote:
Hong Kong Raider wrote: January 10, 2020, 10:23 am Is our new English recruit a Ricky Stuart type organising half with a great kicking game or a running half or both?

Does he play on both sides of the field and move around?

How's his defence?

Does he have pace?

I noted that he couldn't make the England team at the end of last year, even when they were not doing well.
As others have said, he is a left sided player. However, he did pop up on the right on set plays and long side raids for Wigan this yr. I posted a video on the Green Machine Podcast page with a Wigan game where he did it twice went to a more traditional 2nd reciever and threw the last pass for tries on the right side. So, he can pass left to right just fine.



IMO, he is Luke Keary-esque. He is very quick off the mark, and agile. If he gets into space he will be hard to catch too. I reckon Williams looks stronger through contact than Keary though. His long kicking is ok, but his short stuff is money. He is a very good support player too, will often finish plays he setup to outside men by trailing through the middle. He will hold up ok defensively, but like Keary he isnt bringing down a Burgess, Haas, Maumalo or Latrell by himself.
Long way to go before he is Luke Keary. Hastings doesnt blow wind up Keary’s a$$ and he dominated Williams last year as did Austin. Different game for a half over here. All our wash ups who cannot play to structure go over there and dominate. I think Mullholand got a bit excited here but I seriously do hope i am wrong. Time will tell but reckon he is a running 6 ( half as good as wighton) not a finishing/steering 7
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by zim »

I think matt's point was he has Luke Keary like qualities not that he is Luke Keary or at that level.

The advantage we have over other teams with signing someone that isn't a dominant classical 7 is that we've been playing that way for quite a while.
In 2019 our 7 was the less dominant half and our 9 was steering us around.
None of our recent 7s have been dominant, and they haven't been consistent finishes either. If they were they'd still be the first choice 7 at the club.

G Williams has a better passing game than Wighton. Our short kicking was pretty terrible last year and he improves on that too. As long as he makes his tackles the kinks will be worked out over the season.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Matt »

zim wrote: January 12, 2020, 12:28 pm I think matt's point was he has Luke Keary like qualities not that he is Luke Keary or at that level.

The advantage we have over other teams with signing someone that isn't a dominant classical 7 is that we've been playing that way for quite a while.
In 2019 our 7 was the less dominant half and our 9 was steering us around.
None of our recent 7s have been dominant, and they haven't been consistent finishes either. If they were they'd still be the first choice 7 at the club.

G Williams has a better passing game than Wighton. Our short kicking was pretty terrible last year and he improves on that too. As long as he makes his tackles the kinks will be worked out over the season.
Correct. Similar skills, attrubutes and game style. His development is not at Kearys level yet. Esp post Cronk.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by greeneyed »

George Williams, Jack Wighton are perfect halves match: Canberra Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson

Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson expects new halves partners George Williams and Jack Wighton to feed off one another as they possess similar attacking traits.

Listing Williams's strengths, Hodgson said: "He takes the line on really well. His short kicking game. When he gets the ball out the back how well he squares up the line and puts his back-rowers into a hole.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/17/wil ... h-hodgson/

VIDEO: Papalii thankful for loyal Queensland support: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/01 ... d-support/

VIDEO: Williams and Scott settling well: Hodgson: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/01 ... l-hodgson/
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Peter »

Interesting quote re Scott over Leilua.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by greeneyed »

Peter wrote: January 17, 2020, 10:32 pm Interesting quote re Scott over Leilua.
This one I assume.
Hodgson believes Scott is set to start at right centre over Joey Leilua.

"[Scott] is a great player: we didn't sign him to be a backup I don't think," Hodgson said.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Peter »

greeneyed wrote: January 17, 2020, 10:34 pm
Peter wrote: January 17, 2020, 10:32 pm Interesting quote re Scott over Leilua.
This one I assume.
Hodgson believes Scott is set to start at right centre over Joey Leilua.

"[Scott] is a great player: we didn't sign him to be a backup I don't think," Hodgson said.
Has Joey done something to upset Ricky? Or is this purely just a long term roster decision?
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by -TW- »

I think the writing was on the wall after the manly game where he gave away the penalty for the 8 point try

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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by julian87 »

-TW- wrote: January 17, 2020, 11:06 pm I think the writing was on the wall after the manly game where he gave away the penalty for the 8 point try

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Hmm you wouldn’t continue to pick someone into a finals series if that incident severed your trust in them. Cotric, Simonsson and Havili were there ready to keep him out of the side too. So I don’t buy this.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Peter »

If Leilua starts the year at Mounties, it is up there with TLL and Campo as huge calls Ricky has made on big name players. I’ll back him. We aren’t losing much by replacing him with Scott.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by julian87 »

Peter wrote: January 18, 2020, 9:44 am If Leilua starts the year at Mounties, it is up there with TLL and Campo as huge calls Ricky has made on big name players. I’ll back him. We aren’t losing much by replacing him with Scott.
Could not disagree more.

Top tier centre for a mediocre one imo.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by Peter »

julian87 wrote: January 18, 2020, 11:12 am
Peter wrote: January 18, 2020, 9:44 am If Leilua starts the year at Mounties, it is up there with TLL and Campo as huge calls Ricky has made on big name players. I’ll back him. We aren’t losing much by replacing him with Scott.
Could not disagree more.

Top tier centre for a mediocre one imo.
Who’s mediocre?
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Re: What kind of halfback is George Williams?

Post by greeneyed »

English connection helps George Williams gel with Canberra Raiders

Canberra's got it's own arm of the Barmy Army and Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson says that English connection will help George Williams fit in.

"He's settled in really well. He's looked really sharp in training and he's been combining really well with Jacko, which is always really good signs for us especially with it only being the first week.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239
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