Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:52 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

To be honest this is where someone like Wilkin should be stepping up. He's the only experienced pro we have (excluding Hohaia who is still finding his feet) with a head for tactics. The moment he saw Lomax and Gaskell falling to pieces he should have assumed responsibility and led the side. I've defended Jon for years. He's an outstanding pro who's been consistently undervalued throughout his career. And I appreciate he has a testimonial this season which is a lot for any player to organise. But right now we need his influence more than ever - and Royce should be stressing this point to him in the most unmistakable terms.

I completely agree with this. He, Gardner and Wello are now our longest serving players. Wello just throws his hands around and sulks when anything goes wrong - useless for a captain - and Gardner is three sheets to the wind on most occasions. Wilko is the only one who has what it takes. For me, make him joint captain and charge him with the responsibility of leading the team. Make it official.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 1:18 pm  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

Noone cares and it doesn't matter who finishes top anymore - deal with it. It makes me a sight angrier than it does you that this is the case believe you me (read any of my dozens of rants on the subject that you now have the delight of being able to discover), but it is the case. Saints need to grind out another dozen or so dodgy wins over the next 6 months and then everything resets to zero as far as the race for the "championship" is concerned. We look to have the squad of players and (hopefully) the coaching to beat anyone when it matters. It doesn't matter a hill of beans how we're performing now.

that is the best advert for buying a Saints season ticket I ever heard....you might as well play behind close doors for 6 months.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:55 pm  

Deano G wrote:

What you need is someone senior on the coaching staff who can deliver the required attitude adjustment, the ideal would be a home town lad who played prop for the club and is known for his uncompromising standards and passion for the club. So, a Saints version of Wane, basically... :lol:

Oh joy. Even if it was trolling, yesterday's 'required attitude adjustment' has made that comment far more hilarious.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:29 pm  

Oxford Exile wrote:

that is the best advert for buying a Saints season ticket I ever heard....you might as well play behind close doors for 6 months.

You won't get any arguments from me on that one. Superleague might as well be played behind closed doors these days.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:12 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

To be honest this is where someone like Wilkin should be stepping up. He's the only experienced pro we have (excluding Hohaia who is still finding his feet) with a head for tactics. The moment he saw Lomax and Gaskell falling to pieces he should have assumed responsibility and led the side. I've defended Jon for years. He's an outstanding pro who's been consistently undervalued throughout his career. And I appreciate he has a testimonial this season which is a lot for any player to organise. But right now we need his influence more than ever - and Royce should be stressing this point to him in the most unmistakable terms.

Most people on here know my opinion on Jon wilkin in that I don't think he's a top class but I gave him plenty of praise last year and thought he was the best backrow in super league.

Im pretty shocked people are now calling him for the way he's playing this year, he's been like this for most of the past 6 years!

Obviously last years form was for new contract.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:54 pm  

In terms of leadership though it's a narrow field and Wilkin is the obvious choice, if he is not the best choice to lead us who is. But the monkey has a good point too. A leader on the field can only implement what the general has ordered. So Lomax maybe playing the calls he's been told to, the fact they are not good enough plays does not mean they are being implemented incorrectly.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:06 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

In terms of leadership though it's a narrow field and Wilkin is the obvious choice, if he is not the best choice to lead us who is. But the monkey has a good point too. A leader on the field can only implement what the general has ordered. So Lomax maybe playing the calls he's been told to, the fact they are not good enough plays does not mean they are being implemented incorrectly.

Individual plays during the course of the match when facing an opposition by nature unpredictable are not going to be called by the coach. That is the job of the leader on the pitch. Normally that would likely be the scrum half, in terms of playmaking anyway, but ours is too inexperienced and prone to panic.

Wilkin has the most nous on the pitch now and is one of the most experienced players. He should step up and do the business and the players should listen to him.

Re: Rubbish : Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:38 pm  

St pete wrote:

KP does do most of the talking while Royce takes back seat. Royce does have the last word but most of the talking is done by KP.

He's not doing a very good job then and should take his fair share of the blame.

Re: Rubbish : Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:33 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

In terms of leadership though it's a narrow field and Wilkin is the obvious choice, if he is not the best choice to lead us who is.

To be honest, if Wilkin possessed the kind of leadership qualities we need right now he'd have exhibited at least some evidence of such throughout his playing career. Yes, he has assumed kicking responsibilities in the past. But mostly in isolated games. He has never shown sufficient consistency to warrant kicking duties over extended periods - as Paul Sculthorpe did on numerous occasions. He is a reliable third option who functions best working alongside better players.

I'm skeptical whether - at this stage of his career - he can change his game sufficiently to make a difference.

As for the wisdom of offering long-term contracts to player approaching the veteran stage of his career I'm similarly skeptical. That said, it's not like there's an endless conveyor belt of quality players to pick from.

But the monkey has a good point too. A leader on the field can only implement what the general has ordered. So Lomax maybe playing the calls he's been told to, the fact they are not good enough plays does not mean they are being implemented incorrectly.

I have some reservations about Royce's tactics. I do think we are standing far too flat. For Lomax - who I don't think is a natural scrum half - this seriously eats into his thinking time and the result is the kind of panic passes we saw on Friday night. We would be far better served standing just that little bit deeper thus giving Jonny more time to evaluate whether or not a pass is truly on.

Re: Rubbish : Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:17 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

Individual plays during the course of the match when facing an opposition by nature unpredictable are not going to be called by the coach. That is the job of the leader on the pitch. Normally that would likely be the scrum half, in terms of playmaking anyway, but ours is too inexperienced and prone to panic.

Wilkin has the most nous on the pitch now and is one of the most experienced players. He should step up and do the business and the players should listen to him.

I think that comment is a bit extreme. I think he starts to try too hard when he is not being given any options, That's the fault of the support runners and not his!!