Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 11:49 am  

Seth wrote:

I'm not saying collectively as a team they are miles ahead, this is professional sport and St Helens are a good side. I challenge you to name others who would get in though. Certainly non of the backs.

Makinson and Percival would be ahead of Moon and Briscoe for me in the backs. Walmsley, Roby, Vea, Savelio and potentially Greenwood in the forwards as well.

I'm as disappointed as anyone with Walshs performance last night, but I don't know the solution is. Dropping him doesn't really solve anything, and we need him to get to speed for next year, and game time is the only way for that to happen. But his kicking game which was one of his strongest assets was very poor in particular.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 11:52 am  

Seth wrote:

It wouldnt shock me if sts did win the gf. That's not what I said though, I was asking (as individuals) which players would get in Leeds side.

Neither of us is impartial so it's pointless playing such a silly game.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:00 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

Makinson and Percival would be ahead of Moon and Briscoe for me in the backs. Walmsley, Roby, Vea, Savelio and potentially Greenwood in the forwards as well.

I'm as disappointed as anyone with Walshs performance last night, but I don't know the solution is. Dropping him doesn't really solve anything, and we need him to get to speed for next year, and game time is the only way for that to happen. But his kicking game which was one of his strongest assets was very poor in particular.

There's nothing "bad" about pulling a player who is clearly not over a serious injury. The real crime is in continuing to ask him to recover form he's just not capable of right now (if ever again).

Watching Walsh last night was like watching one of those horses with a broken leg at Aintree desperately trying to get to its feet. Just call in the stewards, draw the curtain and shoot the poor bugger.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:09 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

There's nothing "bad" about pulling a player who is clearly not over a serious injury. The real crime is in continuing to ask him to recover form he's just not capable of right now (if ever again).

Watching Walsh last night was like watching one of those horses with a broken leg at Aintree desperately trying to get to its feet. Just call in the stewards, draw the curtain and shoot the poor bugger.

He needs to be playing, but at reserve level - unfortunately there are no reserves and duel reg is now locked. It's a confidence thing more than anything and the only way to get that is by being in the collision.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:13 pm  

I forgot to add - I really do hope Saints put Walsh through the most rigorous fitness test BEFORE handing him a new contract.

We've already got two potential crocks on the books with Lomax and his replacement. The club and coaching staff are going to look very foolish indeed if three of our most important players next season are no longer capable of hitting 100%.

This is a massive test of Cunningham. It's very easy for a young coach to be taken in by players claiming to be "all right" when in reality they are desperately hoping to hide injuries long enough to secure a new contract.

Experienced coaches know this ruse inside out because they will likely have been hurt by it at some point. But whether Cunningham has learned the hard way yet I'm not sure.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:17 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

He needs to be playing, but at reserve level - unfortunately there are no reserves and duel reg is now locked. It's a confidence thing more than anything and the only way to get that is by being in the collision.

He's gaining no confidence whatsoever if he's hemorrhaging tries each game. I'm sure his teammates have every sympathy. But sympathy won't last forever. Pretty soon someone is going to say something because in this sport you can't carry a player.

Either Walsh is fit or he's not. If he's not there's no place for him on the pitch in this sport.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 5:15 pm  

Walsh has got to be the worst defender in super league at the present time. There are some really big games on the horizon and Saints cannot afford to be carrying players. If Wilkin is fit play him and drop Walsh.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 5:27 pm  

redex113 wrote:

Walsh has got to be the worst defender in super league at the present time. There are some really big games on the horizon and Saints cannot afford to be carrying players. If Wilkin is fit play him and drop Walsh.

He's not, he was still in a splint on tv today - a couple of weeks away at least if not more - and if Vea and Greenwood are out again, he's needed much more in the backrow...

Re: Luke Walsh : Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:37 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

He's not, he was still in a splint on tv today - a couple of weeks away at least if not more - and if Vea and Greenwood are out again, he's needed much more in the backrow...

Meh! A double-dose of lidocaine will fix that problem ... toot sweet. I'm not sure why you want him in the backrow since almost all his best performances this season have been in the halves.

Re: Luke Walsh : Sun Aug 02, 2015 11:46 am  

Walsh was pretty shocking the other night, and Burns wasn't much better. If only we had a backup we could play there, rather than no one apart from an 18 or 19 year old and 4 utility forwards.