Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 11:13 am  

It is no co-incidence that the only game we have played well in this season is a half against Wakey and Newman was on the pitch.

Our current powderpuff centres are perhaps the worst players I've seen at Leeds in a long, long time.

We have TWO proper centres in the entire squad. One is sadly injured and the other isn't getting picked (god knows why). We haven't tried to recruit - just plugged the gap with squad players.

Briscoe is not a centre. He can't tackle or pass and his positioning is atrocious. He's also no longer a winger (remember when there was talk of him going to the NRL? - yeah me too).

Sutcliffe is probably the worst player i've seen at Leeds in the last 10 years. He also can't pass, or tackle and has even less pace than Briscoe. Again Hull at 31-0 down he was laughing and joking with Connor. 18 months ago he'd essentially signed for Cas and announced he was leaving before CV hit and he came back with his tails between his legs.

I would actually prefer Joe Vickery in the side over either of those two.

Why we haven't tried to bring anyone in is a mystery.


..and don't get me started on Handley...

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 11:20 am  

What’s your issue with Handley? You are quite correct about out centres but that in turn affects our Wingers, Handley has done nothing wrong and doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with the players that aren’t good enough!

Are you Gotcha going by a different username ?

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 11:30 am  

I think Handley's OK? In any event wing isn't the problem. If he gets fit and wants to play Fusitu'a should be good, Handley is solid and Tindall looks like he could be handy with experience.

Agree with the centres. Sutcliffe simply shouldn't be near the club. Had we not re-signed him on a daft long-term contract he would just have slid down the leagues to the level of his ability. Briscoe simply isn't a centre, and again shouldn't have been re-signed. Newman's injury is unfortunate, but its highlighted just how bad these two are, especially with Broadbent not even being given a chance. Broadbent may not be the greatest but he has a touch of class and at least is a bit of a threat with the ball. Sutcliffe and Briscoe don't have size, speed or any clue how to set up their winger.

I understand the frustration with Austin and Sezer, but I'll keep saying it. We can't play tight because our pack is Liliputian. We can't go wide because of the numpties in the centres and a full back who can't be relied on to add width. Then we have a bench hooker who kills momentum because his passing would be considered terrible in junior rugby. Its no surprise though that Agar overused Dwyer - dummy half runs are about all this team has got.

I'm genuinely not sure what the halfbacks can do in that situation. We could have Lewis and Sterling at halfback but even they'd struggle to make this team a threat.

That's why it will be vital for us to get Newman, Fusitu'a, Myler and hopefully Holroyd back. We will look quite different because we will have attacking threat and some kind of physical presence.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 12:46 pm  

Worst SL centre pairing by an absolute mile.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 12:53 pm  

Apparently the lad from Leigh is pretty good. Might be a good recruit for next season? Anyone seen him?

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:11 pm  

exiledrhino wrote:

Apparently the lad from Leigh is pretty good. Might be a good recruit for next season? Anyone seen him?

I think all championship centres would be better than our pairing.

Handley is a white elephant. He scores tries (that is his job) but he flies in far to much, can't tackle, actually isn't very fast and then you had the atrocity of having a captain stood on the wing!

I guess it doesn't help him, or Fusitu'a when the centres cant even pass properly.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:15 pm  

I wonder how much money would have to change hands for Fev to take Thompson and us to get Leilua in return. I'm not saying Joey is sensational, but he's better than the lump of wood that normally wears our number 4 shirt...

What I'd really like to see is us put a stake in the ground and say that when fit, Broadbent and Newman are our first choice 3 & 4. We must start building for the future.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:39 pm  

Newman, definitely. I'm less sure about Broadbent. If we go down the projects route them first we need a coach that can make that process work.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:49 pm  

I don't know whether Broadbent will be good enough but I know Briscoe and Sutcliffe aren't. Why not give Broadbent starting centre for the rest of the season to determine whether he is up to it or not.

Re: Our Centres : Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:05 pm  

Fair enough, no problem with going with him til end of season. But I think at this stage I'd want to know he'd be developed properly before seeing him as our long term centre.
Appoint a Brian Mac type and we've another Liam Sutcliffe on our hands. That style of coach and a Joel Moon type signing makes better sense. A Tony Smith type lends itself better to youngsters.