Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:34 am  

Albion wrote:

All this 'we need someone to play off Walsh' is utter BS. Brown splits his HBs. Anyway, how on earth is someone who cannot pass to the standard required of a HB play 6?

I am baffled, unless we change our offensive structures. That didn't seem to be the case on Fri. Obviously it's a see how it goes sort of situation.

I'd rather give Wheeler or Charnock a chance than do something like this. But Wheeler looks like he'll play centre instead of Turner I think. Seems odd that he'd change the natural positions of two players.

Didn't wheeler play in the halves against batley? In ideal world it would be wonderful for wheeler to step up, command the 6 role and fulfill all the promise he's shown. However, being as brittle as a twig means I'd be more worried if he was considered our only plan!

Charnock is probably a few years away from being ready to make the step up to super league from what I've seen.

6 and 7 were 1st and 2nd reciever most of the year so it's not as if they're totally separated - though I agree the concept of partnerships is less important than it once was.

It is on the face of it a strange one ...

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:59 am  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Didn't wheeler play in the halves against batley? In ideal world it would be wonderful for wheeler to step up, command the 6 role and fulfill all the promise he's shown. However, being as brittle as a twig means I'd be more worried if he was considered our only plan!

Charnock is probably a few years away from being ready to make the step up to super league from what I've seen.

6 and 7 were 1st and 2nd reciever most of the year so it's not as if they're totally separated - though I agree the concept of partnerships is less important than it once was.

It is on the face of it a strange one ...

Wheeler played right centre on Fri when he came on in the second half.

I agree Charnock is probably not ready but I wasn't saying he would be first choice. Wheeler has to be used. Definite last chance - I think he's in his last year anyway.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 1:30 am  

Albion wrote:

Wheeler played right centre on Fri when he came on in the second half.

I agree Charnock is probably not ready but I wasn't saying he would be first choice. Wheeler has to be used. Definite last chance - I think he's in his last year anyway.

I don't think he did, did he? I'm pretty sure Jack Ashworth slotted in there with Wheeler going to 7.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:35 am  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

What do you want for a 6?

If you want someone to ease the burden of responsibility of organisation off Walsh the person playing 6 is Wilkin.

If you want someone whose going to run at the line and run off the shoulder of forwards looking for the offload, Turner is as good a shout as any. Will he be better than lance? His handling and distribution has a question mark over it but so does lances no? Personally, turner is more likely to make something out of nothing than lance is - aka is less predictable...

I think the comparisons to Leon are pretty fair, let's be honest Leon's distribution was problematic at times too!

It may just be a way to get turner jones and Percival into the same team? Maybe another centre is coming in on lances money? It seems a sudden change so something's a foot...

The only comparison with pryce is colour and size. Pryce was quicker off the mark, had a genuine eye for a gap, better rugby brain and most importantly pryce had the winning mentality.

I posted regular last year how frustrated I get with Turner, he's got the makings of being a top player but seems to lack that extra effort. He's one of them players that "nearly" makes the break but just makes the half break.

If he puts the effort in, gets involved and actually runs at the line with convictition he could actually do a job of a running stand off but it's the other areas IMO he lacks.

Only time will tell.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:11 am  

I'm cautiously pleased at this news.

I'm not certain that Turner would be a success at 6, but I do feel pretty certain that Lance doesn't cut the mustard in that position. I reckon that Brown will go with Walsh at first receiver on both sides to maximise his control of the team, allowing Turner to run off him without too much creative responsibility.

The other bonus of this move is that we might see Lance play a full season as a rotation 9, which I think is the only position in which he'll ever make an impact as a Saints player.

It does leave us pretty thin in the centres, though; we might see a fair bit of Matt Dawson playing there.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:21 am  

Dux wrote:

I'm cautiously pleased at this news.

I'm not certain that Turner would be a success at 6, but I do feel pretty certain that Lance doesn't cut the mustard in that position. I reckon that Brown will go with Walsh at first receiver on both sides to maximise his control of the team, allowing Turner to run off him without too much creative responsibility.

The other bonus of this move is that we might see Lance play a full season as a rotation 9, which I think is the only position in which he'll ever make an impact as a Saints player.

It does leave us pretty thin in the centres, though; we might see a fair bit of Matt Dawson playing there.

Do you not think the lack of the second pivot will drain lomax of the ball?

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:47 am  

St pete wrote:

Do you not think the lack of the second pivot will drain lomax of the ball?

I think Turner is a better option than Lance (thats not saying much) but Turner did show glimpses last year of the ability, perhaps with a preseason he could up his game enough.
As for the centres, think Percival and Jones will start there. We've also got Wheeler who knows its win or bust this season for him so he could interchange with percival or jones if either needs it. He'd also do a good job at 6 if Turner doesnt work or to cover injuries. But you just cant rely on his fitness.
Dawson and even Ade too can cover centres and wing so i think we've got ample cover there.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:56 am  

St pete wrote:

Do you not think the lack of the second pivot will drain lomax of the ball?

Hopefully not. I think Lomax will be the main focus of our attack so I'd be surprised if we made a move that starved him of ball. I don't think he'll see any less ball than he would with Lance at 6, put it that way. I think we might still see a fair bit of creative input from Wilkin - perhaps with him at 2nd receiver on one side and Turner at 2nd receiver on the other, with Walsh at 1st receiver all the time.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:02 am  

Dux wrote:

Hopefully not. I think Lomax will be the main focus of our attack so I'd be surprised if we made a move that starved him of ball. I don't think he'll see any less ball than he would with Lance at 6, put it that way. I think we might still see a fair bit of creative input from Wilkin - perhaps with him at 2nd receiver on one side and Turner at 2nd receiver on the other, with Walsh at 1st receiver all the time.

I can see the idea of Turner going to 6 as he is big strong lad who should really break tackles but if it's the same performances he put in at 6 last year with that hop skip step and the run across the pitch and pass inside then it's not good enough as it's to predicable.

Hopefully with a full pre season at 6, he will have more idea of the stand off position.

Re: Halfbacks for 2014 : Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:11 am  

St pete wrote:

Hopefully with a full pre season at 6, he will have more idea of the stand off position.

thats what i'm hoping for