Widnes friendly thoughts... : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:01 am
Wow, I realise now why I've never bothered with friendlies. No intensity, rusty attack and non-existent defending.It is hard to really judge anything from the game, given how slow and lacking in intensity it was. But I didn't see much from either Laffranchi or Flanagan to suggest either is anything more than an extra body to add depth. LMS impressed me tonight though, he seems to have bulked up nicely and I think he's going to develop into a sensational player. He won't be able to match Jammer's workrate but I don't think anyone ever could. We're a prop light even when you throw TP back in. You will always have one or two forwards injured such is the nature of their role and we've not got enough big men to cope. Roby was a standout again tonight, we need him to stay fit this season and I would suggest the club removes him from the field whenever a game is won to preserve him.
Onto the backs, a typical early season Saints performance. Slow, defensively woeful and very rusty. Ade looked back his usual self, as if he'd never been away, Meli was very dumb but also our brightest back. Wheeler still looking fat and disinterested.
The halfbacks were bright tonight I thought. J-Lo was lively and I thought Lee Gaskell was our best player tonight. He glides across the field effortlessly and ghosts through gaps that don't exist to the naked eye. I think we're going to regret the length, value and existence of Lance's contract. He proved to be exactly what I thought he would, poor hands, poor kicking, poor defensively and reasonably lively in attack. I can understand why we signed him, knowing Kyle was off and not knowing if either J-Lo or Lee would make it, but seeing as they did, it's an expensive signing we just don't need. He was given the starting role tonight and looked likely to be from now on, but should he? Is he a better player than either Lomax or Gaskell? I don't think he is.
Tom Makinson at fullback? Yes. Very comfortable under the high ball, beats the first man, makes metres and is dangerous in both broken play and linking into the line. Wellens HAS to be moved and from the start of the season, no need to ease Makinson in, just give him the shirt for the season.