Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 1:28 pm  

Top Saint wrote:

Gaskell - Poop. No concept that there are 12 other players on the park that he can actually pass to. For a stand off that is about the worst attribute you can have.

Jeez, he must have been incredibly lucky then that those three dropped balls all bounced their way to try assists...

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:43 pm  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

Jeez, he must have been incredibly lucky then that those three dropped balls all bounced their way to try assists...

Not to mention that lovely grubber which resulted in Dixon's try! (Or were you including that?! I lost count ...)

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:43 pm  

I can see the arguement for putting Wheeler at 6, however I think overall that would reduce the threat of Saints as a team, whilst putting Wheeler into a role where he will touch the ball more as it will reduce the talent available at centre.

It's a bit like dropping Scully from standoff to put Jamie Lyon in at 6. As player Lyon may have loved playing at 6 for Saints as he would touch the ball more, but as a team we where much more of a threat with 2 creative players on the field. We could not play Scully at centre, so Lyon had to play there.

Same goes currently. Gaskell is not a centre, were as Wheeler is a far superior centre to Meli.

In a line up where we drop Gaskell and put Wheeler along side Lance, that effectively takes out 2 of our creative forces in Lomax and Gaskell and leaves us with meli and Lance.

As a future line up I'd be looking for this.

FB: Makinson
Wing: Ade
Centre: Shenton
Centre: Wheeler
Wing: Foster
Halfback: Lomax
Halfback: Gaskell

Back on the bench Lance.

For me this line up gives us a better attacking threat all over the field than

FB: Makinson
Wing: Ade
Centre: Shenton
Centre: Meli
Wing: Foster
Halfback: Lomax
Halfback: Wheeler

Back on the bench Lance.

I doubt it will happen this year, but next year it's possible.

I think some people have issue with Wheeler being at centre in that they feel it's a 2nd rate role. I think the likes of Iro/Newlove/Lyon/Meniga/Gibbs would argue that you can be creative and effective at centre and still have huge impacts on the game. If I'm not wrong is'nt Newlove still the most highly priced SL player ever.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:47 pm  

Also forgot to say, if we don't have Wheeler at Centre, that means when Meli retires, we need to buy in. There for Sia would have to go as he is the only Quota spot available next year.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:58 pm  

I don't see it as a second rate role. I see half backs more vital to our attack though and would prefer our strongest attacking pair which for me is Wheeler at 6 and either Lance or Lomax at 7. Just because Wheeler can play well at centre doesn't mean we should stick him there to try and get all the talent we can on the field. You wouldn't have put Lockyer at centre cause he can do a job there. I'd rather have 4 talented players in there correct position than 6 out of position.

I'd like our lineup to look a bit like this.

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Shenton
4. Meli
5. Foster
6. Wheeler
7. Lance

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:17 pm  

but he's not out of position at centre, he is a better centre than meli. Posible even our best centre at the club.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:17 pm  

But he's an even better stand off probably the best at the club so I see a position which isn't his strongest as out of position.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:24 pm  

TheVee wrote:

But he's an even better stand off probably the best at the club so I see a position which isn't his strong as out of position.

I think we need to keep Gaskell at 6 and show total faith in there, he's the most natural halfback at the club. He's how a stand off should be. He's got good hands, makes breaks and has a kicking game.

I think wheeler at 6 would leave our outside backs with no ball, gaz and lomax like to take the line on and are pure runners and I fear we'd starve our outside backs.

Gaz wheeler is a good stand off but I think he's more effective in the centre for this current saints team.

I don't see any harm in giving him few little bursts at 6 during the game tho if needed.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:27 pm  

Meli has to be the one to miss out for me when Foster and Shenton return. If you take his threat close to the line out of the equation he offers very little.

Our backline for this season should be:

Hohaia
Makinson
Shenton
Wheeler
Foster

Gardner to offer back up, although there were occasions were he occupied (or at least it appeared to me) a 2nd row position.

And for all those bagging Gaskell, are you fooking loopy? And I am not worried about Makinson kicking if Foster is out. His technique is sound. Just needs practice at the top level. Looks like he could be a great kicker to be honest.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:29 pm  

Got to say Wheeler looks very promising at centre, why move him.