Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 1:28 pm  

moto748 wrote:

On that Newman try, my feeling at the time was that French would have hauled him in, if Smithies hadn't slightly got in his way.

There was definitely some of that to it, although I didn’t think he bust a gut to try and make it the long way around.

He’s due a big one on Saturday anyway and I’m confident he’ll produce it.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 2:24 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

It will be a totally different proposition when Field is back, I 100% agree with that. A lack of intensity has also played a part since Wire and that’s understandable. Those 2 will feed off each other at 1 and 6 and teams won’t know which one to try and close off. There is a massive target on French at the minute and that will be much harder to do for the opposition when French is back. They play at 1 and 6 for me without doubt but I’m still curious as to which way round would be better.

i posted after the Leigh game that Ryan Brierley was in commentary on the radio, and said that Field at 6 was a nightmare, when he ran the ball. They were happy to let him pass as its not his strongest asset, which was interesting to hear from an opposition player. Suppose defensively, it gives them a break when Field gets rid

Personally i think French is the better passer of the ball out of the 2 of them, but that not me saying he should be playing 6. I think we go with French at 1, with Field at 6, but allow them to play what they see / interchange in the attacking structures to give the opposition the problem to deal with

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 2:33 pm  

The pieman wrote:

i posted after the Leigh game that Ryan Brierley was in commentary on the radio, and said that Field at 6 was a nightmare, when he ran the ball. They were happy to let him pass as its not his strongest asset, which was interesting to hear from an opposition player. Suppose defensively, it gives them a break when Field gets rid

Personally i think French is the better passer of the ball out of the 2 of them, but that not me saying he should be playing 6. I think we go with French at 1, with Field at 6, but allow them to play what they see / interchange in the attacking structures to give the opposition the problem to deal with

Aye, see how we go when they’re both playing together. Whichever way they set it up, it should be entertaining! That small taste in the Leigh game was really really promising. Defending against them both will be a nightmare as Brierley pointed out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 6:25 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Aye, see how we go when they’re both playing together. Whichever way they set it up, it should be entertaining! That small taste in the Leigh game was really really promising. Defending against them both will be a nightmare as Brierley pointed out.

I think the challenge for Matty Peet at the minute is how to give them the platform to play

Not been much mention that we have lost our starting 3 props to injury, so Havard and Byrne are having to do big minutes, thus tiring / not as effective. We could do with 1 of Ellis or Singleton back to give them some experienced back up

Brierley was really good in commentary, and give some real good insights into what an opposition team may see differently to how we as fans see it

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 6:48 pm  

The pieman wrote:

I think the challenge for Matty Peet at the minute is how to give them the platform to play

Not been much mention that we have lost our starting 3 props to injury, so Havard and Byrne are having to do big minutes, thus tiring / not as effective. We could do with 1 of Ellis or Singleton back to give them some experienced back up

Brierley was really good in commentary, and give some real good insights into what an opposition team may see differently to how we as fans see it

Brierley is excellent and hopefully he goes into punditary after he finishes. Been a great player too.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed May 17, 2023 9:54 pm  

The pieman wrote:

I think the challenge for Matty Peet at the minute is how to give them the platform to play

Not been much mention that we have lost our starting 3 props to injury, so Havard and Byrne are having to do big minutes, thus tiring / not as effective. We could do with 1 of Ellis or Singleton back to give them some experienced back up

Brierley was really good in commentary, and give some real good insights into what an opposition team may see differently to how we as fans see it

Ellis back on Saturday apparently, so hopefully we can set a better platform.

I do think just a huge drop off in intensity is as much to blame though. It’s not ideal losing props but the side as a whole has played a couple of gears lower than during that run of Leigh, Saints and Wire.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 18, 2023 6:41 am  

i think Cust looked pretty good, good not outstanding, pre elbow injury at the CC The pairing of French and Field obviously made up for lack of creativity and he was fine.

Since coming back he's been half that player which isn't good enough. LAck of Field exposes this even more.

We are also sorely missing a ball playing forward. Our shift to the wings is far too predictable and easy to read. We very infrequently straighten up the line and have relied on the no look cut out quick hands from French (50/50 balls), or back door from Smith, which again is easy to read against a side willing to push up out of the line. We need to take advantage of this and straighten the attack up, but all too often it's just Faz crabbing sideways rather than running direct at an angle.

I think we have to start playing with a ball playing 13. Gives us extra pivot options and one more point for the defence to think about. It has to be Shorrocks - or Ellis who we all think can play that game but hasn't shown it here.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 18, 2023 7:15 am  

Big Steve wrote:

i think Cust looked pretty good, good not outstanding, pre elbow injury at the CC The pairing of French and Field obviously made up for lack of creativity and he was fine.

Since coming back he's been half that player which isn't good enough. LAck of Field exposes this even more.

We are also sorely missing a ball playing forward. Our shift to the wings is far too predictable and easy to read. We very infrequently straighten up the line and have relied on the no look cut out quick hands from French (50/50 balls), or back door from Smith, which again is easy to read against a side willing to push up out of the line. We need to take advantage of this and straighten the attack up, but all too often it's just Faz crabbing sideways rather than running direct at an angle.

I think we have to start playing with a ball playing 13. Gives us extra pivot options and one more point for the defence to think about. It has to be Shorrocks - or Ellis who we all think can play that game but hasn't shown it here.

dont think many would disagree about a ball playing 13

however, can you name one in the game at the minute. They have been a dying breed for quite a while, and i think SoL may have been the last true ball playing 13 we see in the game for quite a while

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 18, 2023 7:46 am  

The pieman wrote:

dont think many would disagree about a ball playing 13

however, can you name one in the game at the minute. They have been a dying breed for quite a while, and i think SoL may have been the last true ball playing 13 we see in the game for quite a while

Cameron Smith at Leeds I reckon.

Issiah Yeo is the best at it in the NRL.

None as good as SOL/ Farrell/ Sculthrope though.

I’d like Shorrocks to get a run there at some point.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu May 18, 2023 2:14 pm  

Victor Radley and Cam Murray are too.