Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:34 pm  

I'd have him as a 3rd option, currently we have Wilkin but he is getting older and who currently takes the ball to the line?

Sure if we are lining up a replacement for walsh then don't sign him. But if we are just waiting and seeing, then why not.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:43 pm  

I don't think he offers anything at all that we don't already have. Yes, he does occasionally take the line on, but no more effectively than Walsh does. He'll find a home at one of the current set of Middle 8 clubs, I should think.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:11 pm  

Nowhere near good enough, light weight & offers an average kicking game only. Would take Fages all day long before OBrien. His employment tribunal is in next few weeks I read somewhere?

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:29 pm  

People go on about us making mediocre signings then claim that O'Brien is good enough, amazing stuff.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:46 pm  

Hawkandro wrote:

He is 24 in October, so not a kid anymore.

24 is still very young mate. Some players only start coming into their own in their mid 20's when they finally get settled somewhere.

SecondRowSaint wrote:

People go on about us making mediocre signings then claim that O'Brien is good enough, amazing stuff.

I assume this is directed at Saddened, because I've said as a squad player.

That said, we are restricted by a salary cap and thus have to recruit 'some' players that can come in and do a job without costing the earth.

People bring up that we've got Walsh for next season but what does that mean? Look at his injury record, it's awful. Is it realistic that he can play every game next season? And Wilkin does a decent job when called upon but he's not a natural scrum half.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:10 pm  

SecondRowSaint wrote:

People go on about us making mediocre signings then claim that O'Brien is good enough, amazing stuff.

It's a sad statement of affairs, but he would certainly improve us.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:26 pm  

He is not durable enough either. We need someone like Burns, but with legs.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:53 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

It's a sad statement of affairs, but he would certainly improve us.

He really wouldn't. Look at Warrington halves and it shows how poor O'Brien is in that he can't get a game over them. This season they've ran Myler, Ratchford, Bridge and Patton over O'Brien. Walsh is better than all of them bar Ratchford and he's only stepped in a few times as he's at full back most of the time. Burns the same. You're absolutely mad if you think he'd improve us.

As back up as another question but IMO O'Brien is no better than Charnock. If he's good enough for us then he'd be good enough for Warrington, but they're releasing him. If he's not good enough for a 6th place side he's not good enough for a top 4 side. There's a reason why he'll end up at one of the bottom sides of this league or in the Championship.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 5:32 pm  

Twentyman wrote:

How do we know that Fages is up to the standard...I mean, he's been talked up by Koukash which means nothing. Next year could possibly be Walsh's and Burns last year at Saints. Wilkin is getting older. Charnock is a number 9. We're all hoping Richardson can step up.

O'Brien is 24 next month. Fages just turned 21 and already has more SL experience than O'Brien.

Re: Gareth O'Brien : Thu Sep 17, 2015 6:01 pm  

Walsh is improving each week, albeit slowly. Hopefully he can start next season like he started last season, as the best 7 in the comp by far. No matter how good an off season GOB has, he is never going to be half the player that Walsh can be. People are right to compare him to Matty Smity, they are both journeymen who will never be anything more than average.