Re: We need some halfbacks! : Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:56 pm  

the wrestler wrote:

im surprised smith is getting some credit here, as when wigan signed him alot of people thought it was hilarious. not a dig, just curious.

Because he's not as good as long in his prime, playing with players like Scully and Kieron and tommy Martyn .
I fear Matty will repay us in the same way longtime did to Wigan

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:41 pm  

the wrestler wrote:

im surprised smith is getting some credit here, as when wigan signed him alot of people thought it was hilarious. not a dig, just curious.

I think I said at the time that Smith would do better than expected at Wigan because of their structure.

I think most players with the basic skill set to play #7 would do a good job for Wigan. The emphasis at Wigan is on the runners rather than the HBs, it's all about getting the ball to Tomkins or using a second-rower on the short ball. Smith/Green do this well as they have a decent passing game and have a solid kicking game. This sort of structure is perfect for any HB.

At Saints it's a bit different. We don't seem to have that 'robotic' structure that Wigan have - it's not a dig, it's anything but that as it's highly effective. Put Smith into our team and I think he struggles.

Wigan have set the bench-mark for the way they play their offence, and I think when we use Lomax more at FB we will start to see a different structure to our play with ball: look how good Wilkin looked vs Wire when he was playing off Lomax...compare that with the game vs Hull KR where he looked like a second-rower playing at #7.

I don't think we have properly seen Wigan play a run of games without Tomkins and I think that is such a positive for them as he is integral. Is it a coincidence that they rarely win without him? Clarke talked about it on the stats show and I think I can remember them playing 8 games or so without him and only winning a couple. We will see how good Wigan really are when he goes to the NRL or Union.

Lomax will be that player for Saints in the coming seasons and it will be about keeping him fit.

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:21 pm  

Albion wrote:

I think I said at the time that Smith would do better than expected at Wigan because of their structure.

I think most players with the basic skill set to play #7 would do a good job for Wigan. The emphasis at Wigan is on the runners rather than the HBs, it's all about getting the ball to Tomkins or using a second-rower on the short ball. Smith/Green do this well as they have a decent passing game and have a solid kicking game. This sort of structure is perfect for any HB.

At Saints it's a bit different. We don't seem to have that 'robotic' structure that Wigan have - it's not a dig, it's anything but that as it's highly effective. Put Smith into our team and I think he struggles.

Wigan have set the bench-mark for the way they play their offence, and I think when we use Lomax more at FB we will start to see a different structure to our play with ball: look how good Wilkin looked vs Wire when he was playing off Lomax...compare that with the game vs Hull KR where he looked like a second-rower playing at #7.

I don't think we have properly seen Wigan play a run of games without Tomkins and I think that is such a positive for them as he is integral. Is it a coincidence that they rarely win without him? Clarke talked about it on the stats show and I think I can remember them playing 8 games or so without him and only winning a couple. We will see how good Wigan really are when he goes to the NRL or Union.

Lomax will be that player for Saints in the coming seasons and it will be about keeping him fit.

They have lost the last 6 without him and 11 out of 13 in total I think.

I agree with all of your post.

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:27 pm  

Basil's free from today, can he play 6?

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:40 am  

Albion wrote:

I think I said at the time that Smith would do better than expected at Wigan because of their structure.

I think most players with the basic skill set to play #7 would do a good job for Wigan. The emphasis at Wigan is on the runners rather than the HBs, it's all about getting the ball to Tomkins or using a second-rower on the short ball. Smith/Green do this well as they have a decent passing game and have a solid kicking game. This sort of structure is perfect for any HB.

At Saints it's a bit different. We don't seem to have that 'robotic' structure that Wigan have - it's not a dig, it's anything but that as it's highly effective. Put Smith into our team and I think he struggles.

Wigan have set the bench-mark for the way they play their offence, and I think when we use Lomax more at FB we will start to see a different structure to our play with ball: look how good Wilkin looked vs Wire when he was playing off Lomax...compare that with the game vs Hull KR where he looked like a second-rower playing at #7.

I don't think we have properly seen Wigan play a run of games without Tomkins and I think that is such a positive for them as he is integral. Is it a coincidence that they rarely win without him? Clarke talked about it on the stats show and I think I can remember them playing 8 games or so without him and only winning a couple. We will see how good Wigan really are when he goes to the NRL or Union.

Lomax will be that player for Saints in the coming seasons and it will be about keeping him fit.

Totally agree, they are totally my thoughts.

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:41 am  

Albion wrote:

I think I said at the time that Smith would do better than expected at Wigan because of their structure.

I think most players with the basic skill set to play #7 would do a good job for Wigan. The emphasis at Wigan is on the runners rather than the HBs, it's all about getting the ball to Tomkins or using a second-rower on the short ball. Smith/Green do this well as they have a decent passing game and have a solid kicking game. This sort of structure is perfect for any HB.

At Saints it's a bit different. We don't seem to have that 'robotic' structure that Wigan have - it's not a dig, it's anything but that as it's highly effective. Put Smith into our team and I think he struggles.

Wigan have set the bench-mark for the way they play their offence, and I think when we use Lomax more at FB we will start to see a different structure to our play with ball: look how good Wilkin looked vs Wire when he was playing off Lomax...compare that with the game vs Hull KR where he looked like a second-rower playing at #7.

I don't think we have properly seen Wigan play a run of games without Tomkins and I think that is such a positive for them as he is integral. Is it a coincidence that they rarely win without him? Clarke talked about it on the stats show and I think I can remember them playing 8 games or so without him and only winning a couple. We will see how good Wigan really are when he goes to the NRL or Union.

Lomax will be that player for Saints in the coming seasons and it will be about keeping him fit.

Spot on that

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:42 am  

Long > Smith.
Eastmond > Smith

Smith > Wilkin

Simples.

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:44 am  

I was watching SL Fulltime last night and the more the program went on, the more angry I became. Every team has a settled half-back pairing, no matter how average they may be, that are taking their team around the park.

I really feel for the season ticket holders that have to make do with Wilkin and Wellens week in week out.

I'd rather have someone who is perceived as not good enough for us, ie: Sammut, Brough etc, than watch those 2 stink out the place.

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:59 am  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

I was watching SL Fulltime last night and the more the program went on, the more angry I became. Every team has a settled half-back pairing, no matter how average they may be, that are taking their team around the park.

I really feel for the season ticket holders that have to make do with Wilkin and Wellens week in week out.

I'd rather have someone who is perceived as not good enough for us, ie: Sammut, Brough etc, than watch those 2 stink out the place.

Who plays at 6 and 7 for the academy?

Re: We need some halfbacks! : Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:09 pm  

Swift and Yates isn't it?