Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:41 am  

This is a bit out of left-field, but have a think with an open mind.

We clearly have a half-back problem. Lomax has proved himself a much better fullback than halfback, and should be retained with that position. Wilkin is having an honest go, and his kicking game is better than Lomax or Gaskell's was, but he's not an organising halfback, clearly. Hohaia and Gaskell have disappointed when they've been in the halves, failing to provide direction for the team, and Wheeler, poor bugger, is made of polystyrene.

We clearly have a real need for a halfback who has a rugby brain and leadership qualities. Not the nip-through-a-gap-and-score-yourself version, but more of a Sinfield-esque organiser who combines such good vision, leadership and experience that his lack of pace is irrelevant. Sinfield also provides a much better defensive contribution than your more traditional nippy halfbacks, which is greatly needed at Saints where our flank defence is currently a bit ropey. We actually have someone like this, who, if I recall correctly, actually began his career at halfback.

Can you guess what it is yet ?

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:44 am  

Not Wellens surely???

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:57 am  

Brown has said that when Wellens is fit, he'll be straight back into the team. Well he'd have to be mad to replace Lomax at fulback with Wellens. Is it possible that, having discovered that our Number 7 is a better fullback than halfback, Brown might experiment with whether our Number 1 is now a better halfback than fullback ?

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:05 pm  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

Brown has said that when Wellens is fit, he'll be straight back into the team. Well he'd have to be mad to replace Lomax at fulback with Wellens. Is it possible that, having discovered that our Number 7 is a better fullback than halfback, Brown might experiment with whether our Number 1 is now a better halfback than fullback ?

Don't be daft you need to pass the ball to be a scrum half.

Wellens +cash swap for Marc Sneyd would be a better plan.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:06 pm  

Sinfield has a top drawer kicking game and decent passing game to go along with his vision, experience and leadership. I sense a fairly big hole in your idea...

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:16 pm  

I think a Hohaia/Gaskell partnership would be better.

Its either that, sign someone or play Danny Yates and hope he does as well as Mark Percival.

Unless you're not talking about Wellens and you're talking about Roby?

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:21 pm  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

Sinfield has a top drawer kicking game and decent passing game to go along with his vision, experience and leadership. I sense a fairly big hole in your idea...

Wellens' passing, on the few occasions he's been required to show it, has always been fairly good. It's just that as fullback, the need to demonstrate that is fairly limited. I agree his kicking game is not anywhere near the same league as Sinfield's, but only one half has to be able to kick (especially as Roby actually has a much under-rated and under-used kicking game out of dummy half).

I agree that Wellens is no Sean Long, but it's not a case of getting the best possible solution in the best of all possible worlds, because there aren't any Kangaroo halves looking for a much lower salary to swap the misery of the Gold Coast for the delights of Parr. If you look at what we're clearly lacking - organisation, leadership, a cool head, some flank defence, then at the moment, there isn't anyone else at the club who is offering these things. Which is why we're currently playing a back-row forward at halfback, having tried four other halfbacks in as many games with limited success.

Perhaps the way to bring on Gaskell, for example, is to pair him with a much more experienced player who can free him up to develop his game.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:24 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I think a Hohaia/Gaskell partnership would be better.

Its either that, sign someone or play Danny Yates and hope he does as well as Mark Percival.

Unless you're not talking about Wellens and you're talking about Roby?

Well, yes, the best soultion would be to have some teenage sensation ripping up trees in the Academy who will sieze his chance and fearlessly boss around the older players on the pitch. The next Bobby Goulding, but without the self-destructive tendencies. I guess the problem I have is that (a) I'm not aware of anyone of that ilk, and (b) when we've had much-praised young halves emerge in the last few years - and there have been a lot for a single club : Eastmond, Lomax, Gaskell, Wheeler, Smith; the first team reality has failed to match the reserve team promise.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:38 pm  

I prey to god we don't put wello in the halves. He was to slow as a 20 year old trying the make it as a scrumhalf.

Re: Halfback problem - solution ? : Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:41 pm  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

when we've had much-praised young halves emerge in the last few years - and there have been a lot for a single club : Eastmond, Lomax, Gaskell, Wheeler, Smith; the first team reality has failed to match the reserve team promise.

You missed out Ellis there, who is now plying his trade for Cas.

I would imagine since so many have failed to make the step up that there is perhaps a problem with the system rather than the players. While I wouldn't expect them all to be Longys, if they have all failed to meet their early promise then that suggests the hinderance to their development lies with someone/something other than the players themselves.