Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:51 pm  

Interesting you talk of Wellens in the halves. my personal preference is at Loose forward.

However i agree with you Roy that as an ex half back, Wellens can give us more direction in midfield. He would certainly be a step up on Wilkin.

Wellens would have his limitations but then so does Sinfield, who you dont see making block busting runs or scoring many tries a season. What you get with him is a top notch kicking game and organisation.

For me the big advantages are that it strengthens our bench options which are weak at present, while at the same time giving our backline more pace as we can play Lomax at fullback.

I will however state that i regard this as merely a stop gap solution for a season or two. It should not be regarded as an optimal result.
Its a case of trying to make the best use of our rather limited resources.
To completely discard Wellens at this time would be a criminal underutilisation of an experienced ex international player who i feel still has something to offer.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:59 pm  

Wilkin and gaskell next up to the plate I would assume.

Gaskell has got another chance earlier than he expected, let's see if he can stamp his authority or whether he will drift anonymously through games.

When is lance due back? He and gaskell are about the only combo we game left to give an extended run!

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:09 pm  

The Chair Maker wrote:

Interesting you talk of Wellens in the halves. my personal preference is at Loose forward.

However i agree with you Roy that as an ex half back, Wellens can give us more direction in midfield. He would certainly be a step up on Wilkin.

Wellens would have his limitations but then so does Sinfield, who you dont see making block busting runs or scoring many tries a season. What you get with him is a top notch kicking game and organisation.

For me the big advantages are that it strengthens our bench options which are weak at present, while at the same time giving our backline more pace as we can play Lomax at fullback.

I will however state that i regard this as merely a stop gap solution for a season or two. It should not be regarded as an optimal result.
Its a case of trying to make the best use of our rather limited resources.
To completely discard Wellens at this time would be a criminal underutilisation of an experienced ex international player who i feel still has something to offer.

Possible. Brown loved having K brown at 13 last year at the Giants. Even after clubs worked out that a small 13 + weak props could be easily exploited Nathan stuck to his plan

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:21 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

You missed out Ellis there, who is now plying his trade for Cas.

I would imagine since so many have failed to make the step up that there is perhaps a problem with the system rather than the players. While I wouldn't expect them all to be Longys, if they have all failed to meet their early promise then that suggests the hinderance to their development lies with someone/something other than the players themselves.

I agree. Either our system is identifying people who don't actually have what it takes (and thus wasting resources), or we are identifying and bringing through genuine young talent, but then failing to transition that talent to the first team. It's a clear problem.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:24 pm  

The Chair Maker wrote:

Interesting you talk of Wellens in the halves. my personal preference is at Loose forward.

However i agree with you Roy that as an ex half back, Wellens can give us more direction in midfield. He would certainly be a step up on Wilkin.

Wellens would have his limitations but then so does Sinfield, who you dont see making block busting runs or scoring many tries a season. What you get with him is a top notch kicking game and organisation.

For me the big advantages are that it strengthens our bench options which are weak at present, while at the same time giving our backline more pace as we can play Lomax at fullback.

I will however state that i regard this as merely a stop gap solution for a season or two. It should not be regarded as an optimal result.
Its a case of trying to make the best use of our rather limited resources.
To completely discard Wellens at this time would be a criminal underutilisation of an experienced ex international player who i feel still has something to offer.

I think that pretty much sums it up for me. As a team lacking leadership and organisation, we would be fools to dispense with Wellens, who has buckets of both. But it is quite clear that his day at FB is now over, and Lomax offers a much more potent attacking threat from that position. So where do you put Wellens ? Personally, I'd rather have Wilkin at loose than Wellens, and so scrum-half seems to me to be a temporary solution to our problem until a more sustainable solution is bought or brought through.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:39 pm  

How about Speakman at 9 and Roby at 6?

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:47 pm  

I'm sick of saying this - The is nobody at this club good enough to play in the halves. We can swap and change all we like but the truth is, nobody is good enough!

We have to somehow bring at least one halfback in now! We can't keep this up every week! Who's turn is it next week?

Lomax - obvious hes not a halfback. He's a runner that likes to take the line on. He has no kicking game, no organising game and no rugby brain.

Gaskell - he's just not good enough at a top level club to start at #6. He doesn't get involved enough. Maybe he could do a job if we had a top class 7.

Hohaia - never make a halfback as long as he lives.

Wilkin - probobly our best option at the club as he does get involved but he's clearly to slow and not good enough.

Wheeler - 52 games in 5 years says it all.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:20 pm  

St pete wrote:

I'm sick of saying this - The is nobody at this club good enough to play in the halves. We can swap and change all we like but the truth is, nobody is good enough!

We have to somehow bring at least one halfback in now! We can't keep this up every week! Who's turn is it next week?

Lomax - obvious hes not a halfback. He's a runner that likes to take the line on. He has no kicking game, no organising game and no rugby brain.

Gaskell - he's just not good enough at a top level club to start at #6. He doesn't get involved enough. Maybe he could do a job if we had a top class 7.

Hohaia - never make a halfback as long as he lives.

Wilkin - probobly our best option at the club as he does get involved but he's clearly to slow and not good enough.

Wheeler - 52 games in 5 years says it all.

Pete, i think everyone agrees with you. However when you have a gaping wound and nothing but a few sticking plasters, you have to make do with whats available. A couple of elastoplasts and a crape bandage can tidy you over before you are rushed to hospital to be stitched up and given a (new) blood transfusion.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:22 pm  

The Chair Maker wrote:

Pete, i think everyone agrees with you. However when you have a gaping wound and nothing but a few sticking plasters, you have to make do with whats available. A couple of elastoplasts and a crape bandage can tidy you over before you are rushed to hospital to be stitched up and given a (new) blood transfusion.

This hospital must have us on a life support then, we've had halfback problems for past 2/3 seasons.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:26 pm  

I'd give anything for Pryce and Long back now!