Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:43 am  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Soliola is untouchable for me, hes one of the best backrowers in the league and definkitely the best at saints. Id be tempted to start him on the bench next week, as he gets through alot of work.

Manu and Flanaghan are at risk for me. Manu has had a poor start imo, always does seem to look threatening with the ball, but that seems few and far between. Flanaghan tackles his heart out, but does nothing in attack - we have jones who can do that. For me, chan and fuimu (sp) always seemed to come out on top running in the wider channels and both Manu and Flanaghan didnt win the ruck. Greenwood didnt really get enough time (or get involved enough, I havent watched it back yet) to say, so it might be a case of wilkin in, soliola to the bench greenwood to drop out.

Sia is top class and be one of the first names on my team sheet every week.


I'd start sia, he's a player that can play long mins and that means we can rest the likes of Manu who IMO needs to be spelled.

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:44 am  

Saddened! wrote:

Seems old Wello is as untouchable as I said he would be. Even though he's completely untouchable and cannot be dropped, surely he should still be included in the natural rotation element? The last thing we want is our weakest forward player in both attack and defense having to cope with fatigue as well?

Wello was outstanding against Leeds and deserved his place yesterday? Maybe we should give him a rest between big games as he wasn't as good v's Huddesfield (tired maybe, hard to raise your game 2 weeks on run at his age?)

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:50 am  

Rommel wrote:

Wello was outstanding against Leeds and deserved his place yesterday?

He was, but then so were 16 other players, some of whom were dropped without any issue.

Rommel wrote:

Maybe we should give him a rest between big games as he wasn't as good v's Huddesfield (tired maybe, hard to raise your game 2 weeks on run at his age?)

He should get plenty of rest. He should be there as cover. Using this season as an example he'd have played against Leeds and against Wakefield. When there are so many fit forwards lying round the club, we shouldn't be playing him week in week out.

I'd love to see his stats yesterday, are they available anywhere? The Beeb did a couple of top tackler graphics and he wasn't on those and I only remember him touching the ball twice.

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:55 am  

Saddened! wrote:

He was, but then so were 16 other players, some of whom were dropped without any issue.

He should get plenty of rest. He should be there as cover. Using this season as an example he'd have played against Leeds and against Wakefield. When there are so many fit forwards lying round the club, we shouldn't be playing him week in week out.

I'd love to see his stats yesterday, are they available anywhere? The Beeb did a couple of top tackler graphics and he wasn't on those and I only remember him touching the ball twice.

I think people got carried away with the way wello played against Leeds. Fair enough he did ok and the run for the try was top class but would greenwood or Manu etc get the praise wello did ?

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:59 am  

St pete wrote:

Sia is top class and be one of the first names on my team sheet every week.


I'd start sia, he's a player that can play long mins and that means we can rest the likes of Manu who IMO needs to be spelled.

It simply comes down to I'd rather get Sia playing long minutes at the end of the season rather than the start! Keeping him as fresh as possible for as long as possible is a top priority.

I have question marks over manu this year - most players dip whilst contract negotiations go on (as I assume they are) - but maybe he just cant do the minutes he could last year ... no doubting his abilities ball in hand taking on the opposition though

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:17 am  

I have no problem with Wilkin getting straight back in the team for his kicking game and defensive work. my concern is his discipline which regularly gives away penalties at iinnopportune moments. Last week in particular, we did really well by building pressure on Leeds. With Wilikn and LMS in the team, you are always likely to release the pressure with a daft penalty

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:24 am  

We've got a big squad and with a tough cup draw & easter coming up I imagine we'll see the squad used to it's fullest. LMS, Laffranchi and Wilkin could all come back in this week and there's a few who played yesterday that need game time to get back into the swing of things.

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:36 am  

Sia has to stay in and start, he has taken a step up in terms of leadership this season IMO and good for the team our best back rower and would be close to the best in league

Flash has been flash no more no less top top player in defence and average at best in attack

Manu been a lot better this year compared to last (I know not the only player who can say this) and his best game was away vs wakey which he failed to finish due to injury and kept him out vs Leeds. I don't think he 100% yesterday and looks like he took another knock, if fit he stays in he links well with Walsh

Greenwood hasn't let us down yet, solid in defence and a strong runner and runs some good lines, I feel can only improve with more minutes

Wello, did he play yesterday? Club legend and will be remembered as such and rightly so but is he earning that shirt every week based on recent games! other than Leeds, sickens me to agree with saddened but should only be used as cover or big games for that experance

Wilkin let the team down big time getting himself suspended and should not just walk back into the team. He didn't know we were getting Walsh back so soon as we did and because he was taken a little late he throws a shot that rightly got him a two week ban, that could have been the difference yesterday no Walsh, wilkin, wheeler and having to play lance and wello 6/7 unprofessional!

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:39 am  

Walker isent good enough for St Helens. Walker and Greenwood out and LMS, Wilkin in. Easy decision and i cannot believe LMS and Laffranchi missed out vs Hudds for a challenge cup tie. It very much nearly back fired as apart from the first 20 mins the Hudds pack dominated us.

Re: Wilkin Return : Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:48 am  

LFC Saint wrote:

Walker isent good enough for St Helens. Walker and Greenwood out and LMS, Wilkin in. Easy decision and i cannot believe LMS and Laffranchi missed out vs Hudds for a challenge cup tie. It very much nearly back fired as apart from the first 20 mins the Hudds pack dominated us.

very strange comment to make. Walker at worst will go on and "become a clough" - but still has potential for much more. Whether he has as much potential as the next crop (Richards, Thompson, Savelio) is open to debate - but to write him off completely seems to be jumping the gun a little! That said, he did have a relatively poor game yesterday, so should drop down and have to rework himself back in the team.

Some interesting comments here. Especially about Flanaghan keeping his place owing to his defensive capabilities, even though certain people dont accept that Laffranchi and Jones deserve their place in the team for the exact same reason. :S

btw Wellens and Walmsley as a pair charged down every drop goal attempt I believe. Great effort from both of them.