Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:22 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I agree, but was trying to look on the bright side of his injury.

His long kicking could be a real asset for years to come, someone posted that they were impressed with how often he found the floor between fullback and winger, but even when he doesn't, his boot is so big, the receiver is taking it over their shoulder going backwards.

He's not as quick or penatrating and Lomax or Wheeler when he runs, but I think as he gets more superleague experience, you'll start to see him ghosting though the line every so often.

The only problem I see with Gaskell is he isn't able to create gaps for himself and occasionally his defence. His kicking and distribution are excellent though.

He doesn't have the ability as say Pryce, Lomax and Eastmond (even Wheeler at times) as halfbacks to dazzle the opponenets, create a gap and go through it. He relies on running through gaps that are already there. His defence has been somewhat lacking at times too.

However, he's only young and there's plenty of time for this to improve so I'm not knocking him at all. I can see him going on to play in the style of somebody like Deacon who tends to distribute and kick rather than take on the line.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:05 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

The only problem I see with Gaskell is he isn't able to create gaps for himself and occasionally his defence. His kicking and distribution are excellent though.

He doesn't have the ability as say Pryce, Lomax and Eastmond (even Wheeler at times) as halfbacks to dazzle the opponenets, create a gap and go through it. He relies on running through gaps that are already there. His defence has been somewhat lacking at times too.

See the last part of my post. I think when he's a bit more used to the pace of SL, you'll find him getting through gaps more often.
As for his defence, it looked shakey against HKR, but the rest of the time he's looked eager enough in defence and when he gets a bit more meat on his bones, he'll have a fair bit of weight behind him.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:45 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

See the last part of my post. I think when he's a bit more used to the pace of SL, you'll find him getting through gaps more often.
As for his defence, it looked shakey against HKR, but the rest of the time he's looked eager enough in defence and when he gets a bit more meat on his bones, he'll have a fair bit of weight behind him.

Fair enough, I've not seen him for the academy so I'll take your word on that one.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:36 pm  

As an outsider looking in I've been really impressed with Gaskell. He reminds me very much of a younger Paul Cooke - great distribution and good kicking game but perhaps unlikely to really take the line on. That stopped Cooke from ever being really top class.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:30 pm  

Tom Armstrong now has a groin injury. Maybe being back at Saints made him jealous of Perry and Pryce and he thought 'I want one of those'.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:39 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

Tom Armstrong now has a groin injury. Maybe being back at Saints made him jealous of Perry and Pryce and he thought 'I want one of those'.

He saw the sun shining and fancied topping up his tan! But his absence would explain why Makinson got his half debut last week and is probably on the bench this week.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:35 pm  

From reading an article in the St Helens Star online, it seems that Paul Clough is having real problems. It looks like he will need an operation but they have to wait for the nerve damage to 'relent' before he is able to have the operation.

Leon Pryce's return has been put back to a further eight weeks away as he is not healing as quickly as expected.

Josh Perry is apparently a week away from returning.

Flannery is expected to be out of action for about three weeks and Lee Gaskell about five weeks.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:41 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

From reading an article in the St Helens Star online, it seems that Paul Clough is having real problems. It looks like he will need an operation but they have to wait for the nerve damage to 'relent' before he is able to have the operation.

Leon Pryce's return has been put back to a further eight weeks away as he is not healing as quickly as expected.

Josh Perry is apparently a week away from returning.

Flannery is expected to be out of action for about three weeks and Lee Gaskell about five weeks.

Spoke to a member of the medical staff I know, Clough is in danger of missing the majority of the season if he has to have the op. They don't know if he'll have to have the op before the nerve settles down.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:43 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

Spoke to a member of the medical staff I know, Clough is in danger of missing the majority of the season if he has to have the op. They don't know if he'll have to have the op before the nerve settles down.

What on earth did whichever Leeds player it was do to Clough's shoulder? He's hardly missed a game in years and yet that one tackle has brought his season to a halt.

Re: Injury updates : Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:47 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

What on earth did whichever Leeds player it was do to Clough's shoulder? He's hardly missed a game in years and yet that one tackle has brought his season to a halt.

He put his head into the tackle wrong which is why at first they thought he'd only be out for a couple of weeks with a 'stinger'. General muscle damage around the shoulder. They then realised that the nerve's had also been damaged but thought that would be settled by now. So it looks like bad nerve damage and after a CT scan he has soft tissue damage which is why he may need an op.