: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:53 am  

tad rhino wrote:

i think he has a point. at this moment in time watkins isn't ready.
we should have got in a centre on a one year deal and loaned him out to play week in week out NL1

Ala Ratu, definately works does that, oh hang on....................

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:54 am  

simy123 wrote:

No there not over - but at present we cant carry any passengers. He is a passenger, and is offering nothing.

He loses the ball or does a daft off load on a regular basis.

He needs to play National 1 for a year, against experienced older players. In the meantime, we need to sign an International centre of any nationality.

On that basis so is Kirke, Diskin, Kylie, Burrow, Webb, JJB, Bailey this list is long and makes unpleasant reading

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:54 am  

it has worked with plenty of others though.
better than playing in our reserves

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:55 am  

How about moving Keith to the right and Watkins/Gibbo to the left?

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:57 am  

tad rhino wrote:

it has worked with plenty of others though.
better than playing in our reserves

That is for sure the Reserves are dire, I would farm him out to the Queensland Cup for a season, there would be plenty of takers.

Re: Right hand side - cracked record : Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:33 am  

tvoc wrote:

Leeds' choices are limited (until Smith gets back) on the right but at least Gibson had a decent defensive performance at Huddersfield. His non selection last night was bizarre or was it another perceived (by the coach) easy game where the team just had to turn up to collect the points? Bradford was another such game and Watkins was given a hit out in that one as well and found wanting.... again.

Absolutely. I couldn't believe Gibson was dropped last night. He was solid against Huddersfield, didn't shine on attack but didn't have any opportunities to do so. At least until the experiment with Smith can be tried, Gibson is easily our best option at right centre. I thought he had good potential before his injury and I feel sorry for him now for the way he's been treated - only player dropped after Saints game despite not being bad and several senior players being disappointing, only player dropped this week despite having a sound game - if anyone should have dropped it should have been Donald after his calamitous performance. Watkins has tons of potential but he is raw, makes silly mistakes (unsurprising in a young, confident player) and, as McClennan said in the week, is more of a left centre than right. So why was he playing right centre before Gibson last night? Maybe a loan spell could do him some good as his confidence could suffer if he keeps making mistakes in the Leeds first team.

Re: Right hand side - cracked record : Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:33 am  

Lawrie L wrote:

Unlike you to miss some sarcasim

I don't always recognise it in my own posts (and they're usually overflowing with it) let alone in anyone else's.

I still maintain that the Leeds first team is not the best place to learn to play. When he's good enough, he's old enough but I'm afraid he's not ready to come into this particular team. If Leeds aren't seriously going to compete this season then fine leave him in there.

McClennan can be a confusing coach at times. Last week (in the build up) he said "Kallum Watkins will develop, but he is primarily a left-centre." The young bloke is then selected on the right and low and behold his opposite centre Howell has a field day. I'm one of Gibson's biggest critics but even I could see he had a good game defensively at the Galpharm last Saturday. Very strange.

JMT - jinx.

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:37 am  

Matt23 wrote:

How about moving Keith to the right and Watkins/Gibbo to the left?

If Watkins is going to start, he and Donald on the left with Senior and Hall on the right would be better than last night's formation. Would still have gone Hall, Gibson, Senior, Donald though.

Re: Right hand side - cracked record : Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:38 am  

tvoc wrote:

JMT - jinx.

You've confused me there, tvoc!

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:39 am  

Watkins is just going through a bad patch like many players are at the moment. Its just that we lay the blame on Watkins now just like we have done in the past with other players. Looking forward to the Watkins is god thread sometime this season. If it doesn’t come from any of you then it looks like it’ll have to come from either me or Adam as some sort of love in thread.