Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:33 am  

Gaslight wrote:

I'd take Harrison to play SR, Westerman has more to offer in terms of skill & a kicking game so he's more suited to LF imo.

I like a unit of a 13 rather than a ball playing loose personally and Harrisons certainly a unit. Rauhihi didn't retire last year, Harrison ate him.
Both quality youngsters, I was only having a little fish

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:08 am  

Although I'm a Saints fan, I'm not blinkered to the merits of other teams and their players.

I first spotted Westerman, the year Cas won the NL1 (or whatever it's called now). Westerman won all the Young Player awards and I thought he was an outstanding prospect. I was delighted when he confirmed this with his debut season in SL, again scooping the Young Player awards.

I believe last year was a slight blip, caused mainly by the injury, but also by being a teenager played out of position. I am sure that this year he will take his game to the next level, and grab a spot in the England team.

I am sure that, injuries permitting, he will develop into one of the great loose forwards, and be spoken of in the same terms as players such as Scully and Farrell.

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:57 am  

He will be a very good player but Scully and Farrell were better at that age than Westerman. I'm not sure what age they both made their England debuts but it was early, very early

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:05 am  

Dico wrote:

He will be a very good player but Scully and Farrell were better at that age than Westerman

How can you be sure of that? Do you watch him play every week?

And why does it matter what he's like at this age? I'm more interested in how he matures, because I can see a lot more potential in him. There's more to his game we haven't seen, IMO.

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:12 am  

I can't be sure, I don't watch him every week.
But I reckon drawing a comparison to Farrell and Sculthorpe is very unfair on the lad because almost certainly, he won't be as good.

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:32 am  

Dico wrote:

I can't be sure, I don't watch him every week.
But I reckon drawing a comparison to Farrell and Sculthorpe is very unfair on the lad because almost certainly, he won't be as good.

Again, how can you be sure of that? To say "almost certainly" that he won't be as good is stupid. He might not be as good, he might be better.. we don't know yet. But to make that assumption this early on is ridiculous.

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:24 pm  

If he was that good he'd have played for England in the 4N or previously

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:27 pm  

Dico wrote:

If he was that good he'd have played for England in the 4N or previously

Injured this year, operation last year sums up why he didn't play

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:28 pm  

Touche.
Do you think he'd have played mind?
I still say it's an unfair comparison, like I said, time will tell.

Re: Westerman : Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:58 pm  

Joe looked like a player low on confidence last year and suffering the affects of a shoulder injury picked up at the begining of the season. i remember reading he played the vast majority of the seaosn with injections! he also looked put out by faumuina and his form dipped mainly as he was being asked to play a wide runnign SR - not what Joe is all about.

joe's second stint on Friday was increddible he looked hungry for the game and full of enthusiasm. a complete contrast to his 2009 form. i hope for his and everyone associated with Cas' sake that friday's performance was a sign of things to come this season!

i don't care what anyone says a fully fit Joe Westerman is a far better young LF than any other in SL.