NI Trophy Qualifying

[rivercard]

Just noticed that all the higher ranked players seeded through to the last 48 won their matches this morning, forming a solid wall that no qualifier could get over.

Actually I find this very disappointing. The young talents like Pagett, Wells or even Grace are not able to perform too well, and in the end the same old players (often journeymen) go through the qualifications and will get beaten in round one or two as usual.. This is not their fault of course, they did very well to beat the young guns, but we can't really expect anything refreshing from players like Marcus Campbell, Adrian Gunnell or Mark Davis. Once again, this is not an attack on these players, more like a critic on the young ones. A lot was expected from Michael White last year as well, and we all know what happened.

At least Trump, Walden and Wenbo are through, I hope they'll do well.

[ronnieisthebest]

Actually I find this very disappointing. The young talents like Pagett, Wells or even Grace are not able to perform too well, and in the end the same old players (often journeymen) go through the qualifications and will get beaten in round one or two as usual.. This is not their fault of course, they did very well to beat the young guns, but we can't really expect anything refreshing from players like Marcus Campbell, Adrian Gunnell or Mark Davis. Once again, this is not an attack on these players, more like a critic on the young ones. A lot was expected from Michael White last year as well, and we all know what happened.

At least Trump, Walden and Wenbo are through, I hope they'll do well.

I think we need to give these 'young guns' a chance to get settled into the main tour - this is the first event of the season!!

[jb134]

Unless you are exceptional, there is a lot of matchplay to learn when playing against seasoned campaigners for a living.

[rivercard]

I think we need to give these 'young guns' a chance to get settled into the main tour - this is the first event of the season!!

Oh, I or "we" can give them as many chances as we want, but the reality is that in the current system they will drop off the Main Tour just like Michael White did last year. My opinion remains the same: this is not what I wanted to see in the first event of the season. Of course things can (and probably will) change, but none of the new guys showed anything exceptional (if you can call winning 3 matches in a row exceptional) this time.

Unless you are exceptional, there is a lot of matchplay to learn when playing against seasoned campaigners for a living.

I guess you're right. But I want to see exceptional players, snooker really needs them.

[ADR147]

i think its hard to put a price on experience. the like of white and trump will be top players i have no doubt, they are dripping in talent in 5 years time we will have forgotten when they were always under performing!

[Alex0paul]

After Fergal O'Brien was destined to reach the final last year after a particular pattern I was looking at patterns for this year. The best I came up with was that the two events Jimmy qualified for were the 2007 China Open and the 2006 World Championship (Correct me if I am wrong) and both were won by Graeme Dott.

[Black_cat]

Wouldn't mind Dott winning it, after the terrible season and all the off-table problems he's had.
In fact, wow, I'm approaching this season totally differently, meaning I fully intend to watch all matches relaxedly. Nothing could possibly happen to make it better for a Ronnette than the previous season, so why bother?
Could it?

[Ekphantos]

meaning I fully intend to watch all matches relaxedly.

Good luck with that, don't think it will work...

[Black_cat]

Good luck with that, don't think it will work...

Thank you, of course it won't, I am just deluding myself; have got few more days to do so, anyway. And here we go again, go for the safety not for the long one the saf...oh, sh!, tricky one to the middle, great, 40 up 43 remaining, oh dear, wow....etc etc etc.:snooker:

[PaulTheSoave]

Ah well, a bit of snookertalk. I dont want to disagree with Andrew but I have gone to last season results of Hawkins. He has slipped to number 27 and his best result was the last 16 in a couple of tournaments. Not a real confidence booster. Jimmy of course did much worse but Hawkins can be overcome with the current winning streak Jimmy had. I would say its even odds!

umm not many people would think jimmy is going to beat barry hawkins though.

[ADR147]

umm i see where you are coming from but i will go with hawkins!

[PaulTheSoave]

I always admire a thorough and well argumented analysis!! Chapeau!

umm i see where you are coming from but i will go with hawkins!

[ADR147]

i think hawkins scores to heavily these days for jimmy who in my humble opinion is a spent force and is lucky to have got this far.

[PaulTheSoave]

I agree there as Jimmy did not score high breaks in his qualifiers if I am right. On the other hand he had some match practice and Hawkins might feel a bit rusty entering his first match. When White hits the town clubs a bit too early, he might be out first round.

[ADR147]

hawkins has been playing even if maybe not match level - i still think he will turn jimmy easily enough.