Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:25 pm  

You can't go into a Test series with a weak link in the back 3 and hope to win. Defence at the back comes first, followed by returning the ball safely. Attacking comes third. Today they taregetted the new lad early on but he was outstanding. Suddenly they had nobody to kick to - a first for us in a while.

Hardaker offered as much going foward as any of our backs!!

My England man of the series was James Graham by a mile.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:29 pm  

Dally wrote:

My England man of the series was James Graham by a mile.

Hill was a contender too as he was outstanding

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:53 pm  

Chris Hill was my man of the series.

He's top class.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:54 pm  

Going forward tomkins should come in for widdop in the halves. Give him a free role to do what he wants, with smith controlling the game liks today. Hardaker still at fullback. That spine gives you pefect balance of everything.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:56 pm  

Northern Boys wrote:

I also see a place for both players in the England side next year but it will be Tomkins that will need to move into the halves I'm afraid as IMO you need a rock at the back and we have now found one in Zak

It'll do for me.

I don't have a Wigan vs Leeds hat on when I say we need more from Hardaker in attack. I think he's a fantastic player but he needs to bring more. In fairness to him I think he can and will get better and better. A dry track would be a good starting point for him and all the backs.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:22 pm  

Hardakers defence in this series has been world class. But in comparison his kick returns and link up play against NZ has been average. Did not look good chiming into the line amd got knocked about a bit in kick return but iam sure leeds are working on that. They are not the sort of team that would not be working on a players weak points.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:31 pm  

Defence wins you games/keeps you in games.

Hardaker has to be at Fullback.

Get Tomkins in the halves

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 9:05 pm  

kobashi wrote:

His ball carrying skills are just unreal. does the hard yards every week in SL!

top top player.

which kind of proves my point about the national side been about who your club team is rather than your individual skills, jerry has played this way for years, but has never even been considered for an international shirt until this year, simply because (as with burgess,although he's a good player) as soon as a decent prospect from Wigan or Leeds breaks into their teams,they automatically move up the pecking order.
i'm not saying that these lads aren't good enough but the fact that players from other clubs get overlooked says it all, williams (who i thought looked completely out of his depth but had to play because he's from wigan) and bateman are both good examples, both good players, but as soon as they have a few games for wigan they are both then talked up for international honours, yet holmes, at cas, has been consistently good for a few years and never gets a look in.

[Durham Giant]

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 9:13 pm  

Wire Yed wrote:

Defence wins you games/keeps you in games.

Hardaker has to be at Fullback.

Get Tomkins in the halves

Can all of these people who are talking about Tomkins have to be in the team tell me what exactly he will be doing at either full back or half back.

Is it his kicking game ?
His passing and distribution ?

His organising ?

Or is based on how he was a great attacking full back from a couple of years ago in SL?

Now i am not saying he should not be in the team

BUT

he has to earn his place and then see where he will be playing.

If he spends all season at Full back for Wigan he should not be anywhere near the halves for the internationals unless it is the old he plays for a top team we have to put him in somewhere ala Bateman at centre.

Does anyone still think that was a good idea.?

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sat Nov 14, 2015 9:32 pm  

I'd play Tomkins off the bench to add something in attack in the last 20 minutes or if we are trailing. We need a back on the bench.