Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 4:35 pm  

moving on... wrote:

Ratch

Lineham
Goodwin
Atkins
Russell

Brown
Roberts

The only weak links I see there Is Russell. People can dress it up however they want but he is in no way good enough for a team wanting to win silverware. Hopefully it's spotted early on by Price and Taylor Prell comes in and shows us what we've been missing.

Thanks for the input Taylor. I hope things go well for you at Rochdale this season.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 5:41 pm  

moving on... wrote:

Pull the other one. Lineham scored 19 on his jack jones. Russell had ample service and space last season and he still managed to score 10 and only 3 of those came against a team in the top 8 of SL. The lad couldn't finish a Sunday dinner. In fact, the tries he actually scored he made harder than they were by cutting back inside and running into a tackle he is attrotious

That kind of goes back to my point about Atkins having no passing game. His game is not about creating space and giving a nice pass to the winger. He’s just another backrower playing in the centre position.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 6:08 pm  

For a winger to be classed as successful there needs to be certain criteria fulfilled. Firstly, they have to have to ball and for them to have that they usually need a decent centre to pass it. Fa'filli had it with Gleeson and Hicks had it with King. We have Ryan Atkins who lets be honest about this, is more likely to hit Row Z than his winger. They also need speed, speed to make use of the overlap that said centre has created for them. Lets face it when he played outside Peta Hiku, when he was put in space he never run away from his opposite winger. They also in an ideal world need height and strength.

For me Matty Russell for the ones he can influence, hasn't got. Its not his fault that the centre inside of him cannot pass (Atkins). He is not blessed with burning speed, I have seen him chased down by second rows. He has no height, he is more likely to get out jumped for a cross field kick, both in attack and defence. And although he is a well built lad, he gets splattered quite often. For me Matty should not be in the starting 13/17. He probably costs us more points over a season than he creates/scores.

But God love him, he is a tryer. And for a lot of people this is enough. It certainly was for TS

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:46 pm  

kirtonLindseyWolf wrote:

For a winger to be classed as successful there needs to be certain criteria fulfilled. Firstly, they have to have to ball and for them to have that they usually need a decent centre to pass it. Fa'filli had it with Gleeson and Hicks had it with King. We have Ryan Atkins who lets be honest about this, is more likely to hit Row Z than his winger. They also need speed, speed to make use of the overlap that said centre has created for them. Lets face it when he played outside Peta Hiku, when he was put in space he never run away from his opposite winger. They also in an ideal world need height and strength.

For me Matty Russell for the ones he can influence, hasn't got. Its not his fault that the centre inside of him cannot pass (Atkins). He is not blessed with burning speed, I have seen him chased down by second rows. He has no height, he is more likely to get out jumped for a cross field kick, both in attack and defence. And although he is a well built lad, he gets splattered quite often. For me Matty should not be in the starting 13/17. He probably costs us more points over a season than he creates/scores.

But God love him, he is a tryer. And for a lot of people this is enough. It certainly was for TS

Russell is signed up for this and next season. Quite a dilemma really.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:01 pm  

The dilemma lies with Steve Price. Where does he see him fitting into his team/squad? Can he coach him into being a more effective winger who he wants in his team?

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:11 pm  

kirtonLindseyWolf wrote:

What you haven't factored in is the return of Ben Currie and Dom Crosby. Add these to the additions we have made and we will go fine. Tyrone Roberts will be a massive improvement on what we had in the halfs last year and will lead the team around the park. He will certainly be better than anything else on show this season. BMM will add grunt in midfield. Our bench props will add grunt up front when the starters are spelled.

Tell me who you think will boss this season?

Currie is a great player if he can stay injury free but I don’t rate Dom Crosby at all. I think Saints will boss this season winning the shield and grand final with hull to win the cup again.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:18 pm  

Preparation.... fitness is addressed early with 2 army camps.
have helped.
Ability.....skill and depth is addressed as we have a near full squad of internationals, 2 marquee players and almost full cap spent up.

We've got all the luck in the world.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:21 pm  

AS108 wrote:

Currie is a great player if he can stay injury free but I don’t rate Dom Crosby at all. I think Saints will boss this season winning the shield and grand final with hull to win the cup again.

Ok...they both have a chance.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:34 pm  

Perhaps the time has come to stick someone else at left centre & put Ryan on the wing. His passing is limited but he has a safe pair of hands for catching.

Re: First 6 Games : Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:05 pm  

Well he surprised me last season.
He had a great year and finished off putting a few passes out...one even lead to a Lineham try!

On the bases of that I'm happy to continue with him at centre.