Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:32 pm  

Gotcha, is Sam Tomkins really the best full back in the league? He's terrible under the high ball.

He's certainly the best player in the league right now.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:39 pm  

G1 wrote:

Gotcha, is Sam Tomkins really the best full back in the league? He's terrible under the high ball.

Nope he isn't. But he is the best fullback Wigan have.

To back up your argument. I never thought Lockyer was the best fullback in the world either, or the best stand off.

But then again, you can't really compare a 2012 Burrow with either of those players mentioned.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:42 pm  

Ferdy wrote:

I think you do burrow a dis service calling him a odd job player. Yes there are better traditional HB out there but burrow is a genuine game breaker and would be a loss to our squad. As G1 said without burrow we wouldn't have made the grand final let alone win it last year.

I asked the question, not labelled it. Thanks for agreeing on the point though about better traditional half backs.

Oh, and Burrow coming on as an "odd Job" game breaker won us the GF last year. Buderus was the one who got us to the grand final, Burrow was not a key player in getting there. You see we went with a specialist hooker, and a better player starting at half back.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:55 pm  

G1 wrote:

...Tony Smith and Brian McLennan regarded him as the best scrum half at the club. Coach Mcdermott regards him as the best hooker at the club, based upon team selections...

Smith and McLennan will no doubt be very proud to hear that I agree with them, on that point at least.
Burrow still has that blistering pace and the unerring nose for follow-up, plus that jaw-dropping ability to duck under or jink round and away he goes.
All he needs is an organising General at, say LF ... let me see now, ah yes, Sinfield would fit that bill very nicely.
(I'm not sure but I may have mentioned it before).

As for hooker ... when Diskin left, it must have been because he didn't see where fitted as, seemingly, Buderus was the present and McShane and/or Hood was the future ... I'm not normally one for turning the clock back but I'd have Diskin back, no bother, while we grow someone into the role for the future.
I rather suspect, given the situation at Odsal, he could be tempted by an offer.
He'd boost our defence no end.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:06 pm  

El Barbudo wrote:

Smith and McLennan will no doubt be very proud to hear that I agree with them, on that point at least.
Burrow still has that blistering pace and the unerring nose for follow-up, plus that jaw-dropping ability to duck under or jink round and away he goes.
All he needs is an organising General at, say LF ... let me see now, ah yes, Sinfield would fit that bill very nicely.
(I'm not sure but I may have mentioned it before).

As for hooker ... when Diskin left, it must have been because he didn't see where fitted as, seemingly, Buderus was the present and McShane and/or Hood was the future ... I'm not normally one for turning the clock back but I'd have Diskin back, no bother, while we grow someone into the role for the future.
I rather suspect, given the situation at Odsal, he could be tempted by an offer.
He'd boost our defence no end.

I'd have Diskin back at Headingley too. Diskin and McShane. Hood to develop into the Role for the Future.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:13 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

Another way of looking at it is. He isn't the best scrum half at the club, and neither is he the best hooker at the club. In truth he isn't in the top 5 in super league in either of those positions anymore.

As both positions are regarded as pivots, and pivotal to a teams success, when you consider we are a salary capped sport, is there really room for a luxury odd job player?

I think there is a problem labelling a player into a position. The number on someone's back should only be a guide as to what they would be doing. Burrow may not tick all the boxes of a conventional scrum half, and may not tick all the boxes of a conventional hooker, but he ticks a hell of a lot of boxes in things that matter in a game of rugby league. Things like breaks, tackle busts, assists. Whilst posessing these things, and also not showing up too badly in the negative side of things I think you can say he's a damn good rugby player who makes an impact. If he has deficiencies in his game, then someone else should be able to make up for it with their abilities. there arent many Darren Lockyers to go around.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:30 pm  

Now Rob has had his Benefit, he could take the same kind of view as Mat Diskin.
" I have been messed about in terms of selection / position, I've got my tax-free lump sum, I will go where I have been promised a definite role in a successful side."
I tend to think, however that we are at an early stage in negotiations - the nature of which GH will be becoming familiar with - a player looking for a good deal for his final years and the club looking to keep some space for new signings to rejuvenate the squad.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:31 pm  

The Eagle wrote:

I think there is a problem labelling a player into a position. The number on someone's back should only be a guide as to what they would be doing. Burrow may not tick all the boxes of a conventional scrum half, and may not tick all the boxes of a conventional hooker, but he ticks a hell of a lot of boxes in things that matter in a game of rugby league. Things like breaks, tackle busts, assists. Whilst posessing these things, and also not showing up too badly in the negative side of things I think you can say he's a damn good rugby player who makes an impact. If he has deficiencies in his game, then someone else should be able to make up for it with their abilities. there arent many Darren Lockyers to go around.

This.

Modern rugby league players are hugely interchangeable, as are their positions.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:55 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

Nope he isn't. But he is the best fullback Wigan have.

To back up your argument. I never thought Lockyer was the best fullback in the world either, or the best stand off.

Who is a better FB than Tomkins in SL? I'm not disputing his weaknesses but they're isn't anyone better at this point.

As for Lockyer I really can't think of a better FB or SO at the time he played in either position.

As for Burrow, he's one of the best in the league, he wins games and does things no other player can and has done for years now. He's won matches playing in the halves or at hooker. He should go down as a legend for what he's achieved and for his ability.

Re: rumours going around : Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:18 pm  

Whilst I know we released Diskin from his contract, that piece of paper does have some validity and I doubt Leeds would do the same were Burrow to say he was off to a more vexatious club like, I dunno, Wigan.

When is Burrow contracted until?