Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:32 pm  

Wheeler offers unpredictability going forward. He also has a willingness to get stuck in. He has great feet and a solid kicking game, as well as being pretty sound defensively. To be honest, I have no idea how any sane man could think Meli would be better starting ahead of him or Shenton.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:34 pm  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

Wheeler offers unpredictability going forward. He also has a willingness to get stuck in. He has great feet and a solid kicking game, as well as being pretty sound defensively. To be honest, I have no idea how any sane man could think Meli would be better starting ahead of him or Shenton.

I agree, leave gaz where he is and play shenton in the other centre. These two could be saints centres for the next 5 years.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:39 pm  

Is Meli's contract up at the end of this season? (The annual question)

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:41 pm  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

Is Meli's contract up at the end of this season? (The annual question)

It sure is!!!

He should never have been given a new contract but to be fair on him, he had a pretty good season in the centre last year.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:53 pm  

The big question is can Wheeler stay fit.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:59 pm  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

The big question is can Wheeler stay fit.

Has he ever put three games in a row together before?

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:04 pm  

St pete wrote:

Has he ever put three games in a row together before?

Yep. Him and Perry managed a massive 6 games of Sh*thead in the physio room one day last season.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:23 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I can see the arguement for putting Wheeler at 6, ...

There is no credible argument for putting Wheeler at 6. The kid has good feet and hands - but I've seen no evidence of greater tactical awareness. I mean, Wheeler can make sixty yards with ball in hand. But driving a team sixty yards is something else entirely.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:38 pm  

Personally if we were to drop Meli from the centres, I would be putting the better defensive centre with the lesser defensive winger and vice versa therefore partnering Shenton with Foster and leaving Wheeler with Tommy.

This would allow us to retain Foster for his outstanding kicking and more natural attack-minded wingplay and allow him to build up his confidence in defensive situations with the support of Shenton's superior positioning and arguably better ability under the high-ball than Meli.

Re: Dixon, and youngsters. : Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:39 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

There is no credible argument for putting Wheeler at 6. The kid has good feet and hands - but I've seen no evidence of greater tactical awareness. I mean, Wheeler can make sixty yards with ball in hand. But driving a team sixty yards is something else entirely.

At Wigan last season Wheeler looked class at 6 until Hoffman hit him while he was kicking.