Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:10 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Top marks to him for going in on Flower after the Lance incident, thought he played like a true captain today keeping the team together.

Although he weren't laying punches on him like Peacock on Mason a few years back, he proper flew in on him. That's what his team mates needed to see.

Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:12 pm  

Great kick for Makinson and yes he was first in to stick up for his team mate laying prone.

Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:24 pm  

Twentyman wrote:

Can't help going OTT mate, I'm ecstatic. He made a couple of mistakes but he was hugely influential. I wanted him to get another year before tonight.

Yes he was totally up for it and made some top tackles but I was not impressed when he ran out of the line for the goon try.

Having said that I think they might have had a 3 on 2 at that stage?

Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:26 pm  

saint at wire wrote:

Yes he was totally up for it and made some top tackles but I was not impressed when he ran out of the line for the goon try.

Having said that I think they might have had a 3 on 2 at that stage?

I think it was a tactic in cutting off the wigan "move" turner did it 3 or 4 times and smacked Bowen each time, but Wellens miss was the downside of it.

It's also why Swift jumping out was so disastrous for us - he did a great job at controlling himself in the second half though...

Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:37 pm  

I think our edge defence was generally shaky because we had to make so many changes to our line up due to Lance being taken out. But we got better as the game went on.

Re: Paul Wellens : Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:59 pm  

I love Wello. Love him to bits and was in tears watching him slap the badge and struggle with the emotion of it. He'd throw himself in front of a bus for the club and you have to respect that. I have gone overboard at times when expressing my frustration at the most obvious target. Jordan Turner as well is another I've vented at at times, but he was superb tonight and has cut out the goose step and was very committed to the cause. I'm pretty sure his tweet with the trophy from the changing room was meant for me and again I probably deserve that too.

Having said that did Wello play that well tonight? No, he didn't. He almost cost us the game with the ridiculously poor defensive effort in shooting out of the line for Wigan's try. It was very poor and there were many attacks he stopped dead through arriving late or just taking too long to shift the ball. He's not good enough to play in the halves in SL and he's too much of a defensive liability in the line because of his lack of mobility. His kick was Makinson's try kind of made up for a difficult night for him with the ball and I was delighted to see him celebrate at the end.

Where does he go from here?

I really hope he bows out now. He's been superb for us over the years, a true great. But he doesn't come close to Lomax, Makinson (Who was utterly sublime tonight), Swift as a fullback and he's not up to playing anywhere else. Another year of forcing him into the 17 for the sake of it would be wrong. I'm very drunk now and I'd even take the suggestion of him getting a new deal, but only playing when we're down to academy players who aren't ready. He really shouldn't be getting in the 17 next season if we're even close to full strength.

Re: Paul Wellens : Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:10 am  

Saddened! wrote:

Snip.

Post more on the forum when you're drunk, it makes your posts tolerable to read.

Re: Paul Wellens : Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:16 am  

Yeh thought once or twice Swifty was back to his old ways.

But thankfully we managed to cover it in the end and 2nd half although we got opened up a couple of times, it was a more solid defensive display.

Re: Paul Wellens : Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:40 am  

For me, its time for Wello to hang up his boots. He's exercised a few demons with a win tonight and I wholeheartedly thank him for everything he's done at the club.

Realistically, I'd like to see either Makinson or Swift used as cover for fullback, with Gardner coming back onto the wing (now brown's gone, I don't see much here for Dawson). Past that, you could even be using Hohaia.

The victory at OT has made men out of some young lads, galvenised the squad and also hopefully given them the belief that they're winners. I hope that they no longer need Wello on the pitch to look after them and gee them up.

I would like to give him a slow burning job in the juniors in order to give him a long apprenticeship in coaching. Take time to invest in him, don't rush him up the ranks like we did with KC. Send him over on exchange with one of the NRL clubs. Get him out in the community, building bonds with the local youth teams.

Thanks Wello, you are a club legend and a great ambassador for our club AND our sport. You've literally won everything in the domestic game. 10 grand finals, is it, of which you've won 5; Two WCC wins, harry sunderland, lance todd (I think), 5 Challenge Cup winners medals.
I'll always remember the sight of you and Longy after the win over Brisbane in 2001, you eye closed by the fractured cheekbone you played on with.

Re: Paul Wellens : Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:53 am  

I'm happy for wello to play on but only as cover. He shouldn't be in the 17 next year but what a player to have if we get injuries. He's pure saints to his core and at times you need that.

I'd give him a 1yr playing/coaching role. Let him help coach and if we need him we play him.