Martin Dermott : Tue Nov 27, 2018 10:27 pm  

Watching some old Wigan videos and had forgotten just how good Dermott was. He was such a smooth operator at 9 and his passes were like bullets right into the bread basket. He was also a real tough cookie who wasnt afraid of the biff.

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:40 am  

Yeah I agree was a great passer from dummy half could wiz the ball out quick and accurate and was as tough as nails! Remember him getting a boot in the face in a regal trophy final I think?! Not sure what game it was

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:55 am  

I often mention Dermott. We often discuss Hanley, Edwards, Greg, Bell etc (and rightly so) but Dermott was also a key part of success in the golden era. I thought at the time he was arguably the best in the world, only second to Benny Elias.

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 1:38 pm  

Dermot is probably in my top 5 favourite players ever, just so clever and natural with the ball.

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 3:49 pm  

Yeah thats the reason i posted. He is often over looked when people talk of the great players we had back in the early 90's but Dermott was a world class player in his own right. He would even pass the ball to a half back and then do a run around and get it back acting as an extra half back. He had a real box of tricks up his sleeve. Martin Hall wasnt a bad player either but not as clever as Dermott.

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 4:14 pm  

I think it was John monie who said that dermott was the best player he’d ever seen at passing the ball from dummy half. He just passed the ball in one movement and hit the mark every time.

Re: Martin Dermott : Wed Nov 28, 2018 6:31 pm  

hatty wrote:

I think it was John monie who said that dermott was the best player he’d ever seen at passing the ball from dummy half. He just passed the ball in one movement and hit the mark every time.

He stood ready to pass, it's all about foot placement trying to get quick ball. Nobody seems to do it anymore.

Re: Martin Dermott : Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:57 am  

ChrisA wrote:

He stood ready to pass, it's all about foot placement trying to get quick ball. Nobody seems to do it anymore.

I think that is because the style and standard of play from dummy half has changed in SL. I find it odd that the likes of Danny Houghton (a solid worker who puts in a lot of graft) and Daryl Clarke (a scooter hooker) are lauded as top 9s when they are actually quite limited. I guess it is what coaches want these days - Roby to some extent (a player I do rate highly) and McShane are the only two I would consider to be closer to the older style of creative dummy half players going back into the past. It is another area where I think Australian RL is well ahead of us.

Dermott was maybe not a top name in a star studded team but amongst true fans his work was appreciated his dummy half play allowed the half backs to shine.

Re: Martin Dermott : Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:44 am  

exiled Warrior wrote:

I think that is because the style and standard of play from dummy half has changed in SL. I find it odd that the likes of Danny Houghton (a solid worker who puts in a lot of graft) and Daryl Clarke (a scooter hooker) are lauded as top 9s when they are actually quite limited. I guess it is what coaches want these days - Roby to some extent (a player I do rate highly) and McShane are the only two I would consider to be closer to the older style of creative dummy half players going back into the past. It is another area where I think Australian RL is well ahead of us.

Dermott was maybe not a top name in a star studded team but amongst true fans his work was appreciated his dummy half play allowed the half backs to shine.

Don't agree with the criticism of Clarke and Houghton. How are limited? They can make quick yards from dummy half on a scoot, get the team moving forward off the front foot with a scoot then pass to a prop, have the speed and movement to move outside the ruck to cause overlaps and pass accurately from dummy half and are top tackles in defence, especially Houghton who racks up high tackle count.

Re: Martin Dermott : Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:32 am  

hatty wrote:

I think it was John monie who said that dermott was the best player he’d ever seen at passing the ball from dummy half. He just passed the ball in one movement and hit the mark every time.

It was, in his book. He said that split second allowed the likes of Edwards and Gregory the extra space they needed. The only other player I have seen to compare favourably with Derms is Cameron Smith, and he is the best I've ever seen.