What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:16 am  

A good kicking display last night but he cannot kick if he is not on the pitch. Do we build him up and play him at second row given that we have Greenwood, Farrell and others or do we play him in the centres where we already have options? I am not sure that he is the best option in those positions but we are still weak in the kicking department.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:24 am  

Levrier wrote:

A good kicking display last night but he cannot kick if he is not on the pitch. Do we build him up and play him at second row given that we have Greenwood, Farrell and others or do we play him in the centres where we already have options? I am not sure that he is the best option in those positions but we are still weak in the kicking department.

Based on last nights performance, I’d keep him at centre. It’s clearly his best position. I do still have my doubts about him ability wise but I can’t sit here and say last nights performance from him was anything other than superb. It was certainly encouraging.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:27 am  

We play him! That standard of kicking at Leeds wins games.
My preference would be centre. He will play 80 mins and early pens could get us ahead on the scoreboard. Converting 4 into 6 is so important.
We signed him as a centre so play him there. His attacking play committed 2-3 players into tackle him and he defended soundly against Hurrell.
A player who took his chance last night.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:56 am  

His goal kicking really is outstanding from what I've heard off Swinton fans. Having a top quality goalkicker can be important and it's something worth considering.

I'm not really sold on him being an option in the back row this year as I don't think he has the size to really offer much and he's not as 'all action' as Isa and Farrell who also lack size. Presumably Greenwood is going to come back into the mix somewhere so Farrell and Greenwood are going to play the full 80 and O'Loughlin will get minutes too so it wouldn't really be an option anyway if we need his goalkicking.

We might need to see a bit more of what he can do in attack to see if he has the pace or handling to be good enough to be first choice centre. Our right centre usually gets little opportunity in attack so we wouldn't lose too much and he seems to be a better tackler than Sarginson. The problem is Sarge is valuable for his carries and workrate and Hankinson doesn't get anywhere near that.

Our front row is still poor and even though Clubb had his best game of the season and is getting closer to the player he can be we got nothing at all from Navarrete, Bullock and Partington in terms of making the hard yards. It's the outside backs who are really having to put the work in. Players like Gildart and Sarginson alongside Faz and Isa are the ones we're really relying on to get us going. Apart from Clubb our middles were nowhere near good enough and that probably shows how bad Leeds are!

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:57 am  

Better than some give him credit for. If he keeps playing well, keep him in.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:58 am  

We don't have a better defensive right centre at the club so play him there. Maybe if he gets a run there we'll start to see more in attack.

If Sarge plays it probably needs to be at fullback or on the left. We can't shift Gildart or Burgess so Lam will have to make a call between.him and Hardaker.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:11 am  

Right centre with Sarge moving to wing. I like Marshy covering but I’m not sure I could leave with of Sarge or Hank out.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:19 am  

He was great last night, hopefully starts to get the credit he deserves when playing in his favoured position.

Given kicking is so often the difference between winning and losing, add to that his defence is typically really good, for me he’d start right centre. (Questions why we would sign Bibby).

The question then becomes what do we do with Sarge/Hardaker. Personally I think Hardaker has been consistently one of our best in what has been a pretty poor team. His last ditch defensive efforts and ability under a high ball would give him the edge but would be unfair on Sarge not to be in the starting lineup.

At least we look to have some competition for places...

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:53 am  

He did well defensively last night, but attacking wise he isn’t a threat. If we are to just have him in the team to kick goals we may aswell sign Jamie Foster and Barry Eaton.

With his high work rate and defensive capabilities and lack of an attacking threat I think second row may be the way to go, but he’d need to learn how to play that position in running good lines and put a bit of timber on. That is the only way he could have a future here, and even then he’d be fourth choice. I honestly can’t fault his effort I admire him for it, but we should be looking at better centres.

Re: What do we do with Hankinson? : Sat Jun 15, 2019 11:11 am  

Bigredwarrior wrote:

Right centre with Sarge moving to wing. I like Marshy covering but I’m not sure I could leave with of Sarge or Hank out.

I think that's an idea worth considering. Gives Hankinson a chance to show what he can do at centre, keeps Hardaker in the side who's been one of our best players this year and means we don't lose Sarginson's excellent work rate and good carries. Plus there's scope to move those players around if something isn't working.

I like Marshall but his effectiveness is limited on our right edge because we don't generate enough space down that side. His carries (while improving) are nowhere near as good as our other outside backs.