Re: Rumours 2 : Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:31 pm  

The Railwayman wrote:

I was rather hoping Kibula was a work in progress prop. Do we really need anymore second rowers ?

6ft 3 and 17st 3 at 20 years of age according to Wiki. He could end up a prop. Philbin was a back rower at his age wasn’t he?

Sounds like he needs a reboot according to the wiganers I’ve spoken to. Bags of talent but not the right attitude. We’ll see how he is when he comes in.

Re: Rumours 2 : Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:32 pm  

Alffi_7 wrote:

6ft 3 and 17st 3 at 20 years of age according to Wiki. He could end up a prop. Philbin was a back rower at his age wasn’t he?

Sounds like he needs a reboot according to the wiganers I’ve spoken to. Bags of talent but not the right attitude. We’ll see how he is when he comes in.

Correct that, he’s probably the most skilful forward come through the academy I’ve seen in 10-15 years come at Wigan but he lacks aggression and mongrel needed to take that next step, if he had the aggression of Partington or Smithies he’d be world class, hope he does well for you because he’s got massive potential

Re: Rumours 2 : Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:42 pm  

KingRoss11 wrote:

Correct that, he’s probably the most skilful forward come through the academy I’ve seen in 10-15 years come at Wigan but he lacks aggression and mongrel needed to take that next step, if he had the aggression of Partington or Smithies he’d be world class, hope he does well for you because he’s got massive potential

i like this kind of signing.... obviously got alot of talent... it just hasnt worked out for him.. so now he needs a new challenge.

he can now come into a RESERVE team next season... which will help us massively.

low risk, high reward signing really.. win win

Re: Rumours 2 : Mon Sep 09, 2019 10:19 pm  

Alffi_7 wrote:

6ft 3 and 17st 3 at 20 years of age according to Wiki. He could end up a prop. Philbin was a back rower at his age wasn’t he?

Sounds like he needs a reboot according to the wiganers I’ve spoken to. Bags of talent but not the right attitude. We’ll see how he is when he comes in.

The best props have a lower centre of gravity...ie Boyd. The taller 6ft plus guys suit a striding backrower role...I'm most cases.

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 7:15 am  

rubber duckie wrote:

The best props have a lower centre of gravity...ie Boyd. The taller 6ft plus guys suit a striding backrower role...I'm most cases.

We were on about this the other night. That used to be the case but now its very old fashioned and outdated. The best props in the modern game are giants! Sam Burgess 6'5" James Graham Chris Hill Mike Cooper Alex Walmsley Luke Thompson Liam Watts Scott Taylor all well over 6 foot tall. Indeed most positions in the game now are dominated by 6' athletes
Gone are the days of the Steve Pitchfords of this world!

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:17 am  

Widnes Al wrote:

We were on about this the other night. That used to be the case but now its very old fashioned and outdated. The best props in the modern game are giants! Sam Burgess 6'5" James Graham Chris Hill Mike Cooper Alex Walmsley Luke Thompson Liam Watts Scott Taylor all well over 6 foot tall. Indeed most positions in the game now are dominated by 6' athletes
Gone are the days of the Steve Pitchfords of this world!

I quite agree....
I keep banging on...a good big un beats a small good un...especial in the backs...Meninga Vinakolo.
However if I offered you a front row of Boyd Tamati and Sorrenson, would I need to ask you twice?

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:21 am  

Widnes Al wrote:

We were on about this the other night. That used to be the case but now its very old fashioned and outdated. The best props in the modern game are giants! Sam Burgess 6'5" James Graham Chris Hill Mike Cooper Alex Walmsley Luke Thompson Liam Watts Scott Taylor all well over 6 foot tall. Indeed most positions in the game now are dominated by 6' athletes
Gone are the days of the Steve Pitchfords of this world!

Contested scrums, were the reason that yesteryear props were smaller squat shaped guys, so that they could push from the front row easier than taller men.

Since scrums nowadays are virtually uncontested.

Most defending teams now even field backs in the scrummages because no pushing for the ball exists anymore.

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:30 am  

A key point in my certainty that Wire will win the CC and GF double is based not just on the depth in fowards but because we've a strong 6"+ hb and 2 outside backs in King and Lineham that wouldn't look out of place in the backrow.
Across the park having large backs does add to extra pack weight when these guys share ptb responsibility.

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:36 am  

Boss Hog wrote:

Contested scrums, were the reason that yesteryear props were smaller squat shaped guys, so that they could push from the front row easier than taller men.

Since scrums nowadays are virtually uncontested.

Most defending teams now even field backs in the scrummages because no pushing for the ball exists anymore.

Even then a team almost never won a scrum against the head and about 1/3 of them ended up as a penalty to the ball controlling team.
You could count on 1 hand how many scrums you won against the head 80s onwards in a season.

Re: Rumours 2 : Tue Sep 10, 2019 9:20 am  

rubber duckie wrote:

if I offered you a front row of Boyd Tamati and Sorrenson, would I need to ask you twice?

Lol no of course not! However I imagine in these days of mamby pamby and every collision scrutinised they'd spend a lot of time watching from the side lines and would each have a key pass for Red Hall!!