Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 2:34 pm  

ralvag wrote:

Wardle is top level already by Super League standards - as you say I'd expect he continues to get better, though I'm not hugely sure how that looks because he's barely put a foot wrong this season. Would be great if he can carry that to Test level in the Autumn, on the assumption that he's selected. For me he's a shoe in, though obviously to the rest of Super League fans he'll have only been picked because he plays for Wigan.

Really want to see him start in that test series and do himself justice. He hasn’t been giving the billing he deserves this season. The guys on the Superleague Raw podcast debated the dream team and felt he should’ve missed out over Keighran and King. Now we’re not going to be biased against any of those 3 given the circumstances and all 3 have had good seasons but Wardle has been the best of them by a little distance IMO. He’s a traditional centre and some of his touches are outstanding.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 2:55 pm  

The centres have been a real difference today, we’ve been messing about with Bibby/Hardaker/KPP/Isa having 2 proper centres has done us the world of good.

Take Marshall’s second try for example, absolute super pass from Wardle. The above centres didn’t have passes like that in them on a consistent basis.


From what I’ve seen Keighran has some nice skill but not the work rate of Wardle and King but that could be due to the way Catalan ask him to play. Slightly worried about him playing on the right rather than the left which he’s played all year but we’ll see.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 3:22 pm  

ralvag wrote:

Jumping back a bit in this thread - Smithies would be a bigger loss than some think. Work rate aside (which is exceptional), the link play tends to go AHB- Smithies-Smith-French/Field/Option Runner. We've looked so much slicker in that respect this year. Not claiming Smithies is a SOL or Faz level of ball player, but there aren't many if any better in Super League. O'Neill would be the natural replacement for him at LF...as others have pointed out he has a good engine, added bonus is he can put it about a bit (more so than Smithies IMO) in respect of big tackles.

I understand Ellis/Thompson are going to be strong options at LF.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 3:56 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

I understand Ellis/Thompson are going to be strong options at LF.

Yes one will start at loose forward and one at prop alongside Dupree, Havard and Byrne. Cooper and Mago will be the main back ups. Looks like a loan move for Hill would be sensible. Difficult to see Tiaki Chan playing more than a handful of games unless there are significant injuries.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:01 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

I understand Ellis/Thompson are going to be strong options at LF.

I don't think either particularly suit the way we play...and why change that? Our attack has been outstanding this year in the main. I personally think O'Neill would suit the role best if we were to lose Smithies. In two minds about it though because he's been great at 9 also. If Smithies does leave, in an ideal world Leeming would hit the ground running and O'Neill would transition well to 13 on a more permanent basis. If we end up in games where it's an out-and-out forward battle the option is there to move one of Ellis or Thompson to 13, O'Neill into 9 due to his superb defence, and spell Leeming. Assuming Nsemba will be selected on the bench on a more consistent basis, you don't really lose anything from the prop rotation either as he can step up. The back rowers can do 80 in those games.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 4:56 pm  

ralvag wrote:

I don't think either particularly suit the way we play...and why change that? Our attack has been outstanding this year in the main. I personally think O'Neill would suit the role best if we were to lose Smithies. In two minds about it though because he's been great at 9 also. If Smithies does leave, in an ideal world Leeming would hit the ground running and O'Neill would transition well to 13 on a more permanent basis. If we end up in games where it's an out-and-out forward battle the option is there to move one of Ellis or Thompson to 13, O'Neill into 9 due to his superb defence, and spell Leeming. Assuming Nsemba will be selected on the bench on a more consistent basis, you don't really lose anything from the prop rotation either as he can step up. The back rowers can do 80 in those games.

Ellis is naturally a loose forward to be fair, played at loose forward for St George. Only played prop really when he signed for us in which he’s been very underrated. I know it was only one game but he was outstanding at loose when we beat wire to stop their 8 game title winning run in April.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 5:20 pm  

CJamesy wrote:

Ellis is naturally a loose forward to be fair, played at loose forward for St George. Only played prop really when he signed for us in which he’s been very underrated. I know it was only one game but he was outstanding at loose when we beat wire to stop their 8 game title winning run in April.

I don’t think Ellis is a natural 13.

He fell into the category of being a “middle” when he first came over, much in the same way Thompson did, being capable of running at Prop and 13. Middles generally have a bit more agility and smaller than an out and out Prop.

I do however think this season we have bulked Ellis to convert him to a Prop rather than a middle and the results in his meters gained have been because of this.

I’m sure he could slot into that 13 role but I see him now more as a prop with ball handling capabilities.

Thompson if Smithies goes I’m sure will be our main 13 for 24 and beyond.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:11 pm  

jonh wrote:

I don’t think Ellis is a natural 13.

He fell into the category of being a “middle” when he first came over, much in the same way Thompson did, being capable of running at Prop and 13. Middles generally have a bit more agility and smaller than an out and out Prop.

I do however think this season we have bulked Ellis to convert him to a Prop rather than a middle and the results in his meters gained have been because of this.

I’m sure he could slot into that 13 role but I see him now more as a prop with ball handling capabilities.

Thompson if Smithies goes I’m sure will be our main 13 for 24 and beyond.

I’ve been told that Smithies is gone.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:27 pm  

Hopefully Smithies sees the NRL as a move he wants to make for 2-3 years while he's young before returning to Wigan. But he may also be another Ryan Sutton who sees his longer term future in Australia. I imagine we'll see another of those 'first option' clauses included anyway.

Outside of Thompson and Ellis, I wonder if there is actually to the Owen Farrell rumour. One more signing to come - it may well just be a back up player but who knows.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 09, 2023 8:25 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Hopefully Smithies sees the NRL as a move he wants to make for 2-3 years while he's young before returning to Wigan. But he may also be another Ryan Sutton who sees his longer term future in Australia. I imagine we'll see another of those 'first option' clauses included anyway.

Outside of Thompson and Ellis, I wonder if there is actually to the Owen Farrell rumour. One more signing to come - it may well just be a back up player but who knows.

Wouldn’t surprise me if Thompson or Ellis start the game at 13 then O’Neil or Farrell to interchange.
Personally I don’t go with a prop at 13 but it maybe the way that Peet feels we can dominate more early on.