: Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:47 am  

IMO Mathers has been the worst full back in SL in the past 12 months, so it's a nil poi from me.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:54 am  

Tony Soprano wrote:

IMO Mathers has been the worst full back in SL in the past 12 months, so it's a nil poi from me.

even worse than Platt?

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:57 am  

leicester_rhino wrote:

even worse than Platt?

Platts slowness is a little less slow than Mathers slowness so yes.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:18 am  

Tony Soprano wrote:

Platts slowness is a little less slow than Mathers slowness so yes.

Platts not that slow unless you mean between the ears.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:33 am  

tvoc wrote:

That's fair enough but as Leeds generally don't do sloppy seconds it's all rather academic.

Mathers has shown nothing (bar one match V Leeds) since his return to suggest he could hold down a starting place at Wigan let alone Leeds. IMO of course.

We also re-signed Simon Irving IIRC when we saved keighley, but I don't think he ever made it into the 1sts second time around (thank goodness).

As for Mathers, sadly, no. Great player though he was for us we have Webb, Smith and BJB in the stalls.

Let this be a lesson. The grass isn't always greener. If you leave for pastures new or big money RU you may end up losing all your skills playing for a vastly inferior team like Wigan.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:39 am  

G1 wrote:

We also re-signed Simon Irving IIRC when we saved keighley, but I don't think he ever made it into the 1sts second time around (thank goodness).

As for Mathers, sadly, no. Great player though he was for us we have Webb, Smith and BJB in the stalls.

Let this be a lesson. The grass isn't always greener. If you leave for pastures new or big money RU you may end up losing all your skills playing for a vastly inferior team like Wigan.

Or bradford, or Hull KR

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:40 am  

King Monkey wrote:

I'd bring him in on a contract that suited us. His confidence is shot at the moment and it wasnt helped by a softcock Wigan pack not doing their job.

The fekwitted Wigan fans didnt seem to notice that last year though.

Who says he has to play full back anyway. He could be used as a utility and is capable of filling in at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

You raise a good point, a lot of people forget his natual position is actually a half back.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:41 am  

G1 wrote:

We also re-signed Simon Irving IIRC when we saved keighley, but I don't think he ever made it into the 1sts second time around (thank goodness).

As for Mathers, sadly, no. Great player though he was for us we have Webb, Smith and BJB in the stalls.

Let this be a lesson. The grass isn't always greener. If you leave for pastures new or big money RU you may end up losing all your skills playing for a vastly inferior team like Wigan.

Can't fault him for trying the NRL though. Thought he made the right decision as he'd acheived everything over here

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:43 am  

G1 wrote:

We also re-signed Simon Irving IIRC when we saved keighley, but I don't think he ever made it into the 1sts second time around (thank goodness).

So that's Simon Irving 0 Appearances second time around, Dean Bell 1 Appearance second time around (and he picked himself) leaving Gary Mercer as the exception.

Pre SL there may have been a case for Les Dyl, John Atkinson and a few others who came out of retirement to play again, although probably in most cases without playing semi pro RL anywhere else in the meantime.

Les Dyl had opened a bar in Spain and came back to play centre to Eric Grothe. I couldn't seeing him doing that for Mark Massa or even Ryan Hall in all honesty.

: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:52 am  

Gandy wrote:

Can't fault him for trying the NRL though. Thought he made the right decision as he'd acheived everything over here

Not at all. It hasn't worked out for him and I feel for the lad. He was a much better player for us than people give him credit for.

Still don't think there's a place for him here any more.