Mugwump wrote:
I'm talking individual players here and I'll start with Jon Wilkin.
I'll repeat what I said in another thread because I think it's important - Wilkin is far too light. I've seen a good bit of him this season as we've been involved with his testimonial and each time I think "this guy is waaaaay too slight for SL".
His physique is not far short of a centre's - and not one of the larger ones. Little wonder his contribution in terms of hard yardage is minimal to say the least. If I were coach I'd be looking to put a good twelve pounds on him.
Wilkin's been completely diluted (going forward) by our play book. He's been given the role of "taking pressure" off the half backs, but seems most of the time to get in their way. I vividly remeber one play when Wilkin took up 1st reciever and Lance, instead of moving out and creating an option, stood a metre behind him an did nothing, and waited for the next play.
What would have perhaps been better would have been to use the old Leeds system, playing Wilkin as your playmaker/distirbutor in the middle and then split Lomax and Hohaia left and right - allowing them to run with the ball in more space.
He is too light, though. His tackle count is great, but he often lets the opposition get over the top of him. In the game at the Stobart, we had widnes pinned back on their line, but Ben Cross ran at Wilkin and drove him for 5 yards more than he should. Flanaghan might not have proved to have the same workrate, but he'd have stopped Cross a lot better.
Given that I expect Wilkin to be on a high wage, I'd try to move him on to someone like Widnes, where his experience and workrate would be invaluable. If he stay then he has to go one way or the other - full time standoff or full time backrow (if he's to be truly effective).
It would be interesting to see what standard of half back you could capture for Wilkin's wage.
