Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 6:39 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Chris what did you make of Jack Smith then overall? I was thinking Simpson would be our next one off the line but Smith looks decent - lightweight though still.

Another controversial opinion but Luis Roberts seems to be improving too.

Id put Jack Smith as 3rd or 4th choice winger, he looks ready, was excellent in defence too

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 6:43 pm  

christopher wrote:

We did one short kick off during the game (which we won) one short drop out and one with seconds on the clock, it wasn’t really a thing that we were doing as a standard.

We were actually quite structured and nothing like last season’s friendlies

Thats better to hear, I was envisaging similar to boxing day which wasnt far removed from last year in how we started.

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 7:03 pm  

christopher wrote:

Id put Jack Smith as 3rd or 4th choice winger, he looks ready, was excellent in defence too

Given his pace I wonder if wing might be where he does make the breakthrough. Would you play him ahead of Olpherts yet?

Great to see a new crop of young players starting to apply pressure to first teamers. I just noticed from the clips again that some of O'Connor's distribution didn't seem on point again, but it could have been just the bit I saw. Hopefully this year the question of who is Leeds reserve hooker will be answered between O'Connor and Johnson.

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 7:17 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Given his pace I wonder if wing might be where he does make the breakthrough. Would you play him ahead of Olpherts yet?

Great to see a new crop of young players starting to apply pressure to first teamers. I just noticed from the clips again that some of O'Connor's distribution didn't seem on point again, but it could have been just the bit I saw. Hopefully this year the question of who is Leeds reserve hooker will be answered between O'Connor and Johnson.

Yes if play him above Olpherts I think

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 7:28 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Given his pace I wonder if wing might be where he does make the breakthrough. Would you play him ahead of Olpherts yet?

Great to see a new crop of young players starting to apply pressure to first teamers. I just noticed from the clips again that some of O'Connor's distribution didn't seem on point again, but it could have been just the bit I saw. Hopefully this year the question of who is Leeds reserve hooker will be answered between O'Connor and Johnson.

Given his pace and height, could well break through on the wing, long term, he's got real quality in putting his winger into space, so would envision him being a centre. One doubt i have had about him, since his Fev Lions days, is his overall agility, evasive skills, but he seems to be coming on in that regard. He'l be a big unit when he hits his early 20's thats for sure

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:37 pm  

mattsrhinos1978 wrote:

Given his pace and height, could well break through on the wing, long term, he's got real quality in putting his winger into space, so would envision him being a centre. One doubt i have had about him, since his Fev Lions days, is his overall agility, evasive skills, but he seems to be coming on in that regard. He'l be a big unit when he hits his early 20's thats for sure

Your knowledge of the young players is unbelievable mate.

Personally still like the look of Webster, Frater and Qareqare. Do you know much about Iceton or Smart?

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:10 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Your knowledge of the young players is unbelievable mate.

Personally still like the look of Webster, Frater and Qareqare. Do you know much about Iceton or Smart?

No nothing about Iceton pal.

Smart has joined from Siddal, plays centre, he's been doing well with Siddal u18's, winning the national and Yorkshire u18's cups, he's also been doing some good things for England community lions over the last couple of year.

Looks like we've signed Jacob Rushforth aswel, who plays fullback in the same Siddal and England community lions teams as smart.

Both scored nice trys in the recent Yorkshire cup final, Rushforths was a cracker from 90 meters out

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Tue Jan 30, 2024 10:57 pm  

Cassell is going to be ready for first grade in a couple of years; Smith has 13 nailed down. Where do you play Cassell?

Can’t wait for this season to start; we will look very different.

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Wed Jan 31, 2024 10:42 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

Cassell is going to be ready for first grade in a couple of years; Smith has 13 nailed down. Where do you play Cassell?

Can’t wait for this season to start; we will look very different.

I noticed Peter Smith mentioned Cassell in his latest talking points piece. Don't think I've seen him play but they obviously have high hopes for him. Must say I think young McCormack will definitely make the grade over the next 3 or 4 years. He has everything I like in a stand off.

Re: Pre Season 2024. : Wed Jan 31, 2024 11:20 am  

ArthurClues wrote:

I noticed Peter Smith mentioned Cassell in his latest talking points piece. Don't think I've seen him play but they obviously have high hopes for him. Must say I think young McCormack will definitely make the grade over the next 3 or 4 years. He has everything I like in a stand off.

Yep I was 50-50 over Morgan, thought he had a chance but McCormack looks the better prospect for sure.

Maybe Cassell ends up in the back row because I can’t see Cam Smith being displaced unless injured.

This is what you want from an academy set up - a few standout talents you can see in first grade.

We’ve had too many false dawns with Sutcliffe, Broadbent, Mustapha, Edwards etc. I do think this crop feels different and the lads are generally big as well as good.