Re: 16 men : Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:25 pm  

Maybe Wheeler was injured? I mean he went through a lot. Changing into kit is a big worry, those socks are hard to get onto your feet, a back could be strained. He walked to the bench in studded footwear, prone to slippage on the concrete. He could easily have tweaked an ankle. He then sat for 40 minutes, a DVT could have been an issue. He was then thrown a water bottle on 32.43 (You can see this on Sky) which could easily result in a broken rib. Drinking from said bottle could result in a pulled bicep or strained side.

Re: 16 men : Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:26 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Well, he came off the bench against the u20s after just returning from injury I believe. Fat lot of good he would have been! Especially since he would have been a first team rookie. Next week is a different scenario as Hull KR are not a massive pack with ridiculously pacey wingers fighting it out in the rain for third spot. They have their own challenges but that would be a better match to blood a first team rookie I should think. In fact, it would be a shame not to blood a rookie prop over the next few weeks just in case we need one come play off time!

Yep good assessment. He's been back for a couple of weeks now though I think and should feature either this week or next depending on how Royce decides to rotate his props.

Re: 16 men : Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:37 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Maybe Wheeler was injured? I mean he went through a lot. Changing into kit is a big worry, those socks are hard to get onto your feet, a back could be strained. He walked to the bench in studded footwear, prone to slippage on the concrete. He could easily have tweaked an ankle. He then sat for 40 minutes, a DVT could have been an issue. He was then thrown a water bottle on 32.43 (You can see this on Sky) which could easily result in a broken rib. Drinking from said bottle could result in a pulled bicep or strained side.

As I said last week before Fridays squad was announced. Wheeler has been in full training for few weeks and was 100% available to play. He just wasn't used.

Saints are now going to supply our back on the bench with a nintendo DS so they ain't bored during the 80 mins.

Re: 16 men : Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:30 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

No idea. He's a second rower and anyway he's played just one game for the first team so far. You'd really rather have him play against Hudds in a third place (potential) decider after just one game?

Seriously?

Seriously, a second rower who has only played 1 game, giving 5 or 10 minute spells would have been more use. Quite frankly Jonny Vegas would have been more use. Wheeler did not play, we may as well have had a hobnob on the bench (or maybe rich tea). It would have been of equal use and maybe even offered a few more options if we threw it at someone.

You can't argue that having a back sit around for 80 minutes is more use than using a player with little experience. If we aint' going to use them, then don't put them in the squad, simples.

Re: 16 men : Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:59 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

Seriously, a second rower who has only played 1 game, giving 5 or 10 minute spells would have been more use. Quite frankly Jonny Vegas would have been more use. Wheeler did not play, we may as well have had a hobnob on the bench (or maybe rich tea). It would have been of equal use and maybe even offered a few more options if we threw it at someone.

You can't argue that having a back sit around for 80 minutes is more use than using a player with little experience. If we aint' going to use them, then don't put them in the squad, simples.

In the end you just have to accept its just how the cookie crumbles.

Re: 16 men : Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:03 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

You can't argue that having a back sit around for 80 minutes is more use than using a player with little experience. If we aint' going to use them, then don't put them in the squad, simples.

Yes I can, actually. I can argue anything at anytime with anyone!

I think Wheeler was a genuine sub on Friday night. He was there purely to cover for potential injuries. We should be grateful, really, that he wasn't needed. It means that Gaskell, Pryce, Meli, Shenton, Armstrong and Foster made it through the game. Hopefully, they made it through the game fit.

But even if we hadn't have needed that cover - and we did, given that four backline staff were already sitting in the stands - we still wouldn't have had a prop to sit in his spot. It would be a totally wrong move to put a rookie into a game like the one on Friday night. Only if we had had absolutely no forward cover at all would that have been considered IMO.

Re: 16 men : Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:11 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Yes I can, actually. I can argue anything at anytime with anyone!

Can and do.

Re: 16 men : Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:05 am  

Surely the next 3 fixtures are games when we could try someone like Forster or Hand out?
Jammer could do with a rest, maybe not a whole week off, but at least reduced minutes.

Re: 16 men : Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:08 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

But even if we hadn't have needed that cover - and we did, given that four backline staff were already sitting in the stands - we still wouldn't have had a prop to sit in his spot. It would be a totally wrong move to put a rookie into a game like the one on Friday night. Only if we had had absolutely no forward cover at all would that have been considered IMO.

I could've sworn you spend most of your time bleating about giving young players opportunities. Does that only extend to backs? How do our young forwards ever get game time?

It's not just about Friday anyway (although it was ridiculous) it's about the fact we have run with this mental policy throughout the season and are UNNECESSARILY FLOGGING OUR FORWARDS week in week out, whilst the other "big" teams recognise that it is a stupid thing to do.

Re: 16 men : Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:57 am  

FearTheVee wrote:

I could've sworn you spend most of your time bleating about giving young players opportunities. Does that only extend to backs? How do our young forwards ever get game time?

It's not just about Friday anyway (although it was ridiculous) it's about the fact we have run with this mental policy throughout the season and are UNNECESSARILY FLOGGING OUR FORWARDS week in week out, whilst the other "big" teams recognise that it is a stupid thing to do.