Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 8:50 pm  

Firstly, Nathan Brown must be questioned about the starting lineup. The 16-0 scoreline after 20 minutes was a direct outcome of the starting 13. You start your strongest, most secure lineup and you soak up that early pressure.

After those opening 20 minutes, where we were frankly farcical in probably the worst 20 minutes I've ever seen from any team, it was a brave effort. The players clearly spotted it wasn't acceptable and the likes of Wilkin and Wellens actually led the team for once.

Wellens was a hero tonight. I bag him constantly, but he deserves a brew after that showing. He put everything into that and us being on the back foot and scrambling around suits him as it doesn't expose his attacking frailty nearly as much if we're constantly under the kosh.

Stu Howarth put in his best showing so far as well, opening up Leeds a couple of times with clever distribution. But the Man of the Match? Alex Walmsley by an absolutely enormous distance. I'd love for one of the geekier people on here to come up with some stats about the score when Alex was on and the score when he was off the field. His impact is dramatic, what a player.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 8:52 pm  

Agree with most of that, it was the errors and in discipline that cost us early on rather than the personell in my view though

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 8:53 pm  

What's the age limit on Young Player of the Year? If eligible, Walmsley should walk it. Been a sensational find for you guys.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:04 pm  

it was a tough gutsy display after the first 20 mins of shambolic bumbling . Wellens and Will in both stood up and as you say led by example.


on the other end of the scale though Perry was again pretty much turd and Ashe is never superleague class in a million years.


for the older posters here. does anyone else get reminded of George Mann when they see Willie Manu run?

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:08 pm  

I'd have had Wellens for MOM. Howarth was brave and industrious but his service from dummy half is frustratingly slow. A couple of times we were offside at the kick because it took him so long to get the ball back to the kicker.

Jordan Turner was very good, I thought. Walmsley was superb again. Thompson was out of his depth in the first spell but came good once we were back in the game. Laffranchi was pretty anonymous and Perry was completely bobbins. Why no Clough?

Willie Manu could have a real impact on how the rest of our season goes. Abysmal for the first half, but instrumental in our comeback.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:18 pm  

Dux wrote:

I'd have had Wellens for MOM. Howarth was brave and industrious but his service from dummy half is frustratingly slow. A couple of times we were offside at the kick because it took him so long to get the ball back to the kicker.

Jordan Turner was very good, I thought. Walmsley was superb again. Thompson was out of his depth in the first spell but came good once we were back in the game. Laffranchi was pretty anonymous and Perry was completely bobbins. Why no Clough?

Willie Manu could have a real impact on how the rest of our season goes. Abysmal for the first half, but instrumental in our comeback.

I agree with that.

On the subject of Manu, we don't use him correct, he's a player that is devastating with good ball, we are using him as a prop, he needs good ball out wide.

Thompson really struggled against a dominant Leeds pack early on but credit to him, he came back on and stood his ground. Nobody was stoping him near the line.

Wello was superb and in all honesty I'd leave him at fullback. I would play lomax at 6 with wilkin at 7. IMO lomax is the best fullback at the club but for the benefit of the team, I would play him at 6. The spine would be wello, lomax, wilkin, roby and IMO its pretty strong.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:27 pm  

i would pick Walmsley for England v Exiles, i would like to see how he goes and if he can add some impact off the bench.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:30 pm  

St pete wrote:

On the subject of Manu, we don't use him correct, he's a player that is devastating with good ball, we are using him as a prop, he needs good ball out wide.

Maybe he's playing as a prop because some of the others aren't fronting up? Perry was again useless, LMS tried hard to be fair but just doesnt make big yards with the ball and neither does Laffranchi. He's kinda forced to do it because no-one else is, or that;s the impression I get? His ball for Makinson's try was top drawer.

Wellens, Soliola and Walmsley were superb tonight, those three drove us home in that 2nd half and really led the way.

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:32 pm  

Hopefully we won't see Perry or lance in the vee again, they simply don't deserve a spot.

Ashe is clearly not the answer, surely charnock is a better bet

Re: Thoughts from tonight : Mon May 20, 2013 9:33 pm  

FearTheVee wrote:

Hopefully we won't see Perry or lance in the vee again, they simply don't deserve a spot.

is clearly not the answer, surely charnock is a better bet

I'm surprised we've not seen swift at 6. He's played at 6 for England.