<stops posting dog doo through duckies letterbox>



ok, lets all move on from this.

Drinkwater is Out-Of-Contract at the end of 2024, so I expect that he will playing for us to offer him a new deal and show us what we could have had for the past 2 seasons.



Even if he does show a massive improvement in form AND effort, it won`t continue into 2025 onwards.



Hope he leaves at the end of the season.

Philbin is up end of 2024 too. I look forward to seeing him exhibit his 2019 form and winning an extension. I think SB will get a lot out of him.

I agree as I thought ended last season coming back on decent form. IF he stays injury free I think that Sam could fine tune Philbin to his early career form and hopefully reach his potential.



In what might be considered a lean year or two he didn't lack application IMO but needed to be less predictable and discover a bit of self belief (all not helped by injury)

Yeah I have never doubted his commitment at all, and he was becoming more effective towards the back end of the season.

Drinkwater



Years

2013 St. George Illawarra

2014 London Broncos

2015 Wests Tigers

2016–17 Leigh Centurions

2018 Catalans Dragons

2019 Hull Kingston Rovers

2020–22 Catalans Dragons

2023– Warrington Wolves



We are Drinkwater's eighth club. He is the classic journeyman professional and I don't believe you will ever see the level of commitment that you would get from most other players, particularly the home grown like Thewlis. We are stuck with him for another year and I guess SB is just trying to make the best from a less than optimum situation.

And thankfully Burgess has been harping on about how impressed he is with Leon Hayes in training. I get the feeling a Price / A.N Other Aussie type coach would have Drinkwater as first option every day of the week.

Good to hear his comments about Conor Wrench playing centre too.



Hopefully he will give Wrench a decent chance to secure that position, it depends I suppose if Tai settles in Warrington, or whether the lure of the NRL is too great.

Drinkwater often looked impressive for Catalans and Hull KR though, to be fair, and the reaction on here was largely positive when we signed him. I hoped that he was going to finally provide us with an excellent attacking kick option. Instead, he just became Mr Anonymous for most of 2023, unfortunately.

This, we need the right player as captain and acting as a captain on the field, backed up by two or three others who make sure nobody presses a panic button.

Oh hell is Drinkwater going to become the next Mata'utia on the forum? BTW I'd love it if Hayes stepped up and played every game.

I'd rather have Wrench at centre than Mata'utia and Ratchford.



Drinkwater's best attribute has always been his kicking game, which has been awful for too long in the P&B. Players should earn the shirt, Smiffy, but there's been too many poor performance by too many players over a number of years. If SB promotes a system of meritocracy, then we'll have laid the first stone of a good foundation for the future.

Totally agree. Let the young guns prove their worth at training and on the pitch & step up & we'll all be happy.

But let us show respect to our older lads too. Seems fair doesn't it.

Yes, but only if they walk the walk and set the standard and an example to our younger squad members and our academy.

Nice to see a new pair of eyes looking at the situation. It should be seen as an opportunity for all to show their worth.

It makes the early season selections great fun.

There was the perceived (rightly or wrongly) correlation of Drinkwater's decline in form/attitude around the time of McGuiregate. I think when we were 8/8 no-one was complaining. Then we got a taste of reality from Saints and Wigan and it all went downhill.

The leadership group for 2023 was ...



George Williams,

Josh McGuire

Stefan Ratchford

Peter Mata’utia

And thereby hangs a tale

Doesn't it just

I still don’t understand how Maguire was seen as a leader and Vaughan wasn’t. I was surprised at the time and gobsmacked as the season progressed!

I do remember a poster on here arguing that Maguire ought to be made Captain prior to his first game. He was just what we needed!!!

He might not want to be captain or part of the leadership team. He might just want to crack on doing his job, although like Morley, sometimes a captains actions speak louder than words.

I'm not sure who should be captain but Williams or Vaughan wouldn't be a bad choice at all. I think Williams would suit it well

If there was betting on it I’d say Williams would be favourite, not saying he would be my choice but based on the body language last season I’m not sure who the leader is on the field. Back in the day yes Morley did not need to be vocal but we had Briers for that.

I'd be happy with Vaughan. I think Williams will run the show on the field whatever happens but may not want to be Captain.

Larks Ascending! A Vaughn Williams captaincy at the HJS.