Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:09 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Not true,
I was always critical of Ainscough at both academy and first team level, Charnley is a far better prospect.
He, Marsh and Thornley have given Wheeler a very difficult time over the past few seasons.

How many games has Wheeler played at centre against any of those three in the last 2 years?

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:18 pm  

FearTheVee wrote:

How many games has Wheeler played at centre against any of those three in the last 2 years?

He played at least two last year, but not sure this year. What position did he play in this years reserve Grand final?

All I'm saying is that he has not impressed me in the five years I have seen him play, but I know there are people at Wigan who rate him, and indeed Wigan offered him a contract last year.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:09 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

He played at least two last year, but not sure this year. What position did he play in this years reserve Grand final?

All I'm saying is that he has not impressed me in the five years I have seen him play, but I know there are people at Wigan who rate him, and indeed Wigan offered him a contract last year.

I think he's got class. Some guys are good players because they're brave, some are good because they work hard, some are good because they're fast.
Every so often, however, guys come along who are just plain good at rugby, they make situations look easy, as if they've got all the time in the world. That's what I see when I watch Wheeler.
Most of that is based on 2009 performances when he strung together a good few runs in the side.

2010 was a bit of a right off, but I do recall him doing Matt King on the outside and schoolboying Brett Hodgeson as a couple of highlights.

If he can get and stay fit, I think he'll make a very good centre or standoff.
If he doesn't make it, it will be due to injuries imo.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:08 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

schoolboying Brett Hodgeson as a couple of highlights.

That was hilarious. It happened right in front of me. Wheeler just ran up to him, nicked the ball and scored a try. Made Hodgson look a right fool. Gary Wheeler thinks of things that most fans assume most players would think of but they don't. He just is so good at thinking rugby and is audacious as well.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Sun Nov 14, 2010 2:19 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

That was hilarious. It happened right in front of me. Wheeler just ran up to him, nicked the ball and scored a try. Made Hodgson look a right fool. Gary Wheeler thinks of things that most fans assume most players would think of but they don't. He just is so good at thinking rugby and is audacious as well.

When he had a decent run of games in 2009, he often made scoring look pretty easy aswell. I said his finishing close to the line reminded me of McGuire.

That's why it aches so much to see him injured all year. I really hope its just a stage in his growth and that he'll come through.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:00 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I think he's got class. Some guys are good players because they're brave, some are good because they work hard, some are good because they're fast.
Every so often, however, guys come along who are just plain good at rugby

Best description of Wheeler that I have heard.
Since we turned full time pro in 1996 "rugby players" of Wheelers quality have been rare.

His double step for a try against Wakefield and his assist for Melis try at Huddersfield were the both hallmarks of a natural Rugby player.

Focusing on his assist to Melis try at Huddersfield he had a small window to pass to Francis to send him through the gap and he instinctively passed it at the exactly the correct time at speed. I know it seems a bit OTT to talk about one pass from 6 months ago but you could just tell from that play that he has some fantastic god given ability.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:45 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

I know it seems a bit OTT to talk about one pass from 6 months ago but you could just tell from that play that he has some fantastic god given ability.

The fact that you remember it probably speaks to just how much of a natural he is. Damn shame that his body hasn't allowed that talent to develop - yet? I really hope he has the opportunity, finally, to show just what a good player he is during 2011. And for the best part of a full season too. Someone of his ability shouldn't be lost to the sport. That would be very sad.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:54 pm  

SaintsFan wrote: The fact that you remember it probably speaks to just how much of a natural he is. Damn shame that his body hasn't allowed that talent to develop - yet? I really hope he has the opportunity, finally, to show just what a good player he is during 2011. And for the best part of a full season too. Someone of his ability shouldn't be lost to the sport. That would be very sad. http://www.superleague.co.uk/video/player.php?id=20306 Yep its the second Meli try I was thinking of even though the first one is not too bad. Runs round Graham takes the ball at pace dummies once and gives the ball to Meli at the exact moment he needed to. Looks simple but there are a lot of centres in the league that couldn't do it. Pre 1996 when everything wasn't so super-fast and super-tough there we a lot of good rugby players about as there was not such an emphasis on conditioning. To find a player that has the conditioning to survive in the Super League in 2010 and has great rugby skills is something that cannot be passed up. But as you say lets home that Gary can get his conditioning right and stay healthy. Let hope he does not become a Tommy Martyn (a great natural player with his own bed at Whiston Hospital).

SaintsFan wrote: The fact that you remember it probably speaks to just how much of a natural he is. Damn shame that his body hasn't allowed that talent to develop - yet? I really hope he has the opportunity, finally, to show just what a good player he is during 2011. And for the best part of a full season too. Someone of his ability shouldn't be lost to the sport. That would be very sad. http://www.superleague.co.uk/video/player.php?id=20306 Yep its the second Meli try I was thinking of even though the first one is not too bad. Runs round Graham takes the ball at pace dummies once and gives the ball to Meli at the exact moment he needed to. Looks simple but there are a lot of centres in the league that couldn't do it. Pre 1996 when everything wasn't so super-fast and super-tough there we a lot of good rugby players about as there was not such an emphasis on conditioning. To find a player that has the conditioning to survive in the Super League in 2010 and has great rugby skills is something that cannot be passed up. But as you say lets home that Gary can get his conditioning right and stay healthy. Let hope he does not become a Tommy Martyn (a great natural player with his own bed at Whiston Hospital).

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Thu Nov 18, 2010 1:08 pm  

Those tries just show how good Jammer is rather than anything else.

Re: Team V Wigan at Cardiff : Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:04 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

I honestly don't get the Wheeler bit, I've yet to see anything from in in the five years I've watched him to make me think he is anything special.

For the sake of British / English RL I hope I'm wrong.

As usual