: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:57 pm  

The All New Chester Wire wrote:

I think our whole pack is good actually. Not withstanding the flak the Andersons are getting, we are really driving forward well (and defending well mostly too). I'd swop Clarke and Higham round and perhaps start Mitchell rather than LAnderson but otherwise, we're fine in the pack.

I think our forwards defend well one on one, but I think sometimes we're too 'central' so to speak. I was watching the NRL the other day, I think it was Canberra vs Cronulla, I didn't watch it all, just a few bits and there was a point where I think it was Cronulla attacking the Raiders' line, and they got it wide and it looked like a walk-in, only for about 3 Raiders players to come sliding out of (what seemed like) nowhere to get him in touch. It seems that if sides attack our line and swing it out wide, a lot of our players are very central and close together, leaving massive gaps out wide, I sometimes think that our forwards are very close together, especially when Rah is on, as he isn't the most agile so it seems they're covering for him quite a lot.

It may seem unfair comparing us to an NRL side, but it was top class defence and the sort of stuff we should be aiming for. I've not managed to see us half as much as I would like to this year, so this may have picked up of late under Smith, but it's just a general thought I've had for a while.

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:58 pm  

GO:
Landerson
Vanderson
Rah
Pickersgill

MAYBE:
Hicks
Monas
King
Briers
Bridge
Johnson

STAY:
Mozz
Penny
Harrison
Westwood
Riley
Cooper
Mitchel
Blythe
Carvell
Wood
Higham
Clarke
Grix

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:03 pm  

Thought I'd bump this 'cause there were one or two interesting points made, and the thread seemed to disappear due to some of the ignorant dross wrote today that's been locked or whatever.

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:09 pm  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

, only for about 3 Raiders players to come sliding out of (what seemed like) nowhere to get him in touch.

Around the turn of the century we used to do that loads. Gang tackle into touch normally with Lee Penny at the heart of it.

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:52 pm  

I'll make this easier.. Keep hold of:

King
Carvell
Higham
P Wood
Westwood
Morley
Bridge - depends on form between now and e.o.s

Plus all or most of

Cooper
Penny
Riley
Blythe
McCarthy
Mitchell
Harrison

All the rest can go for me.

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:08 pm  

These are the players i would let go:

Lee Briers
Michael Monaghan
Louis Anderson
Vinnie Anderson
Jon Clarke
Steve Pickersgill
Chris Bridge
Chris Hicks
Chris Riley
Simon Grix
Kevin Penny

: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:27 pm  

both andersons (not good enough)
rah (financial reasons only)
monaghan ( not up for it)

thats it.
we still have gleesons wage to spend plus the wages of the above four and two of those are on superior contracts.

: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:33 am  

Lee Briers
Michael Monaghan
Louis Anderson
Vinnie Anderson
Paul Wood
Paul Rauhihi - going anyway, has been good for the past 2 years
Jon Clarke
Steve Pickersgill
Paul Johnson
Simon Grix

Seems like a lot of players to replace, V Anderson has been a huge dissapointment for me. However, the difference in performances may be because Saints made him look good and we make him look as good as he is?

There are too many enigma type players at the club IMO, could be a reason the unpredictability of performances

: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:24 am  

Dawson wrote:

Lee Briers
Michael Monaghan
Louis Anderson
Vinnie Anderson
Paul Wood
Paul Rauhihi - going anyway, has been good for the past 2 years
Jon Clarke
Steve Pickersgill
Paul Johnson
Simon Grix

Seems like a lot of players to replace, V Anderson has been a huge dissapointment for me. However, the difference in performances may be because Saints made him look good and we make him look as good as he is?

There are too many enigma type players at the club IMO, could be a reason the unpredictability of performances

Some saints fans would probably argue whether he ever looked good I expect!

I don't have a huge opinion on comings and goings. It's exciting to see things happening and I'll just enjoy it. I wouldn't complain if I didn't have to see the big sulks face every week though.

Re: Who would you release if it were possible ? : Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:48 am  

Rob Wire wrote:

Lets say you were Tony Smith, in an ideal world where contracts were not an issue who would you release ?

These are the players i would let go:

Lee Briers
Michael Monaghan
Matt King
Louis Anderson
Vinnie Anderson
Paul Wood
Paul Rauhihi
Jon Clarke
Steve Pickersgill
Chris Bridge
Chris Hicks
Paul Johnson
Chris Riley
Simon Grix

If we could find takers for both Monaghan and King then in my opinion we would be getting out of a nightmare situation, the money could be far better spent, it will probably be Lee Briers last season so that one speaks for itself and probably the same with Chris Hicks. Both Anderson`s for me need releasing for differing reasons, Paul Wood has been at the club for a long time but he`s never really fulfilled the early promise of turning into something Sam Burgess like, he`s suffered from a lot of problems with his shoulder and i can`t see him really improving as a player at this stage of his career.

Chris Bridge is one of them talents that is an enigma that will probably not fulfil all the promise mainly because of his rumoured attitude problems, he breaks down injured far too often as well and that isn`t good for the cohesian of any squad.

Simon Grix is another that probably won`t kick on and fulfill his potential due to having a very delicate body that seems to break down more often than the Trotters van.

Paul Johnson is another player thats not good for overall squad cohesian, your just waiting for him to break down injured at any moment, at his peak he was a top class 2nd rower, these days he`s just a poor mans Lee Gilmore that lacks lacks pace and is an injury waiting to happen.

Jon Clarke, he`s the enigma that divides fans opinions. Personally i think everything he does is far too slow and predictable, he will never be the type of player that will get the oppositions defence thinking whats he going to do next, he`s a grafter and little else in my opinion.

Steve Pickersgill, i just don`t think he has it to make a difference.

Chris Riley, i like his attitude and the club obviously means a lot to him, i just don`t think he will ever be the calibre of a Lee Smith where he can play in various positions in the backline and look quality and solid, the errors with him seem to be stacking up.

Personally i would let Kevin Penny go out on loan and take it from there, thats just my opinion based on his overall performances for us, you can never be too confident with him as you just feel that their is a blunder waiting around the next corner.

Most teams would snap up half of them players.