Re: Gaskell : Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:30 pm  

I have just about written this year off unless Smith signs a few in the next few weeks that change the team. As far as Gaskell is concerned I feel 50/50 on whether he stays. Even though he has played in two SL teams and not done enough to be kept he is still a very good championship player. I know statistics show he has played plenty of games but against other players who get stuck in for example Addey, Pitts, O'Brien he does miss plenty of games and when he gets injured it is usually a long time out. That is unfortunate for players who finds that this happens in their career. If we keep him we must also have cover for him as he does get injured for long periods of time.

All this talk of who to let go depends on how much confidence we have in Smith. If you believe Smith can find two very good half backs then yes let Gaskell go reluctantly. If he has a clear out and frees up overseas space then we can let Clark go if he brings in someone better.

One thing I don't want Smith to do is make do with what we have and then find out he had very few contacts. If he has a list of good players as long as his arm then I want him to go for it even if it means losing one or two players that we like. I hope Rohan's dad has told him he only gets one chance at the club so he should go for it and do everything he wants and not just go along with how it is.
An example of this situation would be if Smith knew an outstanding unknown young centre (the next Shontane) but it meant letting Purtell go what would fans say. Me, I would say yes as I want Smith to really shake things up in his time here and not just do as it has always been done. If we wanted "the same" we could have got Glenn.

Re: Gaskell : Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:59 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Thing is if you do a hamstring then it is almost always going to be months rather than weeks, which is why when the injury was announced along with "he might be back next week" I assumed either he had nothing at all except a the mildest of mild hamstring tweaks (not our sort of luck); or would be out for months; or else it was just a cover story.

I am on the one hand very surprised that he decided to stick with us, and much respect to him for making that choice; but OTOH despite having played a lot of hours, to me he hasn't really shown much at all this season, yes he has not had a proper halfback to work with but then after Gale left, he never did, and yet before the thug Groat crocked him, he was regularly putting on magnificent displays. I'd even say maybe he's never fully recovered from that. There does, to me, seem to be something missing from his game.

I'm sure in the right team, used correctly, he can be and will be devastating for someone. For more than a couple of reasons, though, that doesn't look much like being us.

Think this is a pretty good summation, and I agree with much of it. The injury “cover story” is an interesting point, it probably did happen that way, but in the past couple of seasons the club has been really reluctant to release any solid injury info on any player – see Gaskell last year as well (was that also hamstring?). Thought it may have been a Jimmy thing, but it’s continued recently as well.

If I was coach of an existing SL club, I’d be extremely weary considering recent performances and amount of injuries. As it stands I wonder if he’d be able to get back to SL standards if he were to go straight to Huddersfield or Hull (that one becoming less likely the better they do this year I bet). I think of all the options he potentially has on the table Leigh is the one that makes the most sense in terms of the best fit for both club and player, think he’d fit in pretty well there regardless of if they went up or not.

Although what probably will happen going on past players we have lost is all his injury worries will be gone at his new club, he’ll start playing absolute blinders week to week working his way back into international contention, as well as probably putting us to the sword in a highly controversial fashion at some point down the road.

Re: Gaskell : Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:04 pm  

Have to admit the number of players leaving our Club after injuries, and becoming brilliant players at other clubs is very disheartening.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:06 am  

Bull Mania wrote:

Unless Brough is leaving?

He is out of contract after this season.

If Gaskell leaves, I'm a lot more accepting of it than I would have been last season. Last season he was outstanding. This season he's looked like he doesn't give a toss any more. If he wants out, let him go. I don't want any player at the club who doesn't want to be here, regardless of how good they are. A superstar who doesn't want to be here, will play like they are average at best.

As long as we replace him, then I'm actually not that fussed any more.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:05 am  

HamsterChops wrote:

He is out of contract after this season.

If Gaskell leaves, I'm a lot more accepting of it than I would have been last season. Last season he was outstanding. This season he's looked like he doesn't give a toss any more. If he wants out, let him go. I don't want any player at the club who doesn't want to be here, regardless of how good they are. A superstar who doesn't want to be here, will play like they are average at best.

As long as we replace him, then I'm actually not that fussed any more.

Agree with a lot of that, the only thing is I don't think Lowes ever put Gaskell in a team or a system where he had a decent chance of doing what we know he can do. I'm sure he does give plenty of tosses, but if we're ponderous and constantly on the back foot, and he's the lone halfback, it can't make it any easier. But yes I would agree that even making allowances for that, there's no doubt his form has slumped.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:30 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Agree with a lot of that, the only thing is I don't think Lowes ever put Gaskell in a team or a system where he had a decent chance of doing what we know he can do. I'm sure he does give plenty of tosses, but if we're ponderous and constantly on the back foot, and he's the lone halfback, it can't make it any easier. But yes I would agree that even making allowances for that, there's no doubt his form has slumped.

Absolutely. Don't get me wrong, I always have trouble believing a player is out on the pitch not caring. But he certainly has LOOKED like that this year. But I agree, it can't be easy getting motivated when you know you're the only real playmaker in the side and you're not getting the support you should be getting. You really couldn't blame someone in that position wanting to move on where his job might be a bit easier.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:48 pm  

I will add that in many ways, Gaskell's style is a bit like that of John Woods, both could look disinterested and stood about, but in reality that was just Woods' imperious way, and I think Gaskell is similar. And has that inimitable something extra when the occasion arises.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 1:25 pm  

HamsterChops wrote:

He is out of contract after this season.

If Gaskell leaves, I'm a lot more accepting of it than I would have been last season. Last season he was outstanding. This season he's looked like he doesn't give a toss any more. If he wants out, let him go. I don't want any player at the club who doesn't want to be here, regardless of how good they are. A superstar who doesn't want to be here, will play like they are average at best.

As long as we replace him, then I'm actually not that fussed any more.

brough is contracted till the end of 2017 with the giants not 2016.

grix is though if you want him.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 1:52 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

I will add that in many ways, Gaskell's style is a bit like that of John Woods, both could look disinterested and stood about, but in reality that was just Woods' imperious way, and I think Gaskell is similar. And has that inimitable something extra when the occasion arises.

John Woods - the best player I have had the privilege of watching, in many years of supporting Leigh. A class act, who also did more than his fair share of tackling.

Re: Gaskell : Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:16 pm  

brearley84 wrote:

brough is contracted till the end of 2017 with the giants not 2016.

grix is though if you want him.

I've just double checked and you are indeed correct. God knows why I had it in my head it was 2016...

In fact the ambiguous nature of the statement at the time ("Signed 5 year deal" in July 2013) could even mean he's contracted for 2018 too. Depends if 2013 was included in the 5 or not.