Matty ashton. : Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:07 pm  

I know post is terribly late as the kid is out injured at the moment. But that is the point to the post.
I like the kid. I thought he would be the guy who would cement place as full back for the next decade.
BUT.
in the last 2 or so years he has come through the system. He has been injured and had 2 or 3 major injuries that have sidelined him. The latest injury being 3 months which he is still out for.

So the question I have. Is ashton the future. Is He guy for the next 10 years at full back. Or is he a liability and someone who will spend alot of time on the injury list.

I dont know where I stand. I think he has a great future ahead of him. And if injury free. Could be one of the best full backs in not only the league. But also national and international level as well. But does he become a liability with such frequent injuries that will hamper not only his development. But also game time that he will miss as a result.

Where do you guys stand on this. Do we stick by him for the long term. Or do we cut our losses and release him as we have another gary wheeler on our hands and maybe look to thewlis (who I would use as a centre with ashton playing) or go in search of a fullback in the academy or as another team???

Re: Matty ashton. : Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:11 pm  

I see him as an out and out winger for the next ten years hopefully as he is a great talent but we already have the best up and coming full back at the club in Josh Thewlis who will cement that position for the next decade if we give him the chance

Re: Matty ashton. : Tue Jun 08, 2021 6:29 am  

WalterWizard wrote:

I see him as an out and out winger for the next ten years hopefully as he is a great talent but we already have the best up and coming full back at the club in Josh Thewlis who will cement that position for the next decade if we give him the chance

Agree 100% with this. Ashton is a talent he will score a lot of tries and I'd prefer we kept him but thewlis is special and a proper out and out full back.

Re: Matty ashton. : Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:57 pm  

The concern with Ashton is that what makes him extra special is his blistering pace; if he keeps succumbing to soft muscle injuries will that pace start to dwindle prematurely?

Re: Matty ashton. : Tue Jun 08, 2021 6:52 pm  

It is not the best idea to get hit from behind or the side when at pace. He needs to pick up awareness of when he's going to get clonked and when to run full blast when things are in his favour. If fear that if he doesn't change his ways then he will miss too many games. I love watching him but he frightens me.

Re: Matty ashton. : Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:07 pm  

Neither of his injuries came from those situations, just innocuous and unlucky on both occasions.

Re: Matty ashton. : Tue Jun 08, 2021 11:22 pm  

Don't see a problem unless it continues year after year, Paul wood had 3 shoulder reconstructions on the same shoulder then came through it and played some of the best years with us with no issue again. So doesn't mean 1. He's injury prone and 2. it will be a continual problem.
It will be interesting to see where Powell thinks is his best position.

Re: Matty ashton. : Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:42 am  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Neither of his injuries came from those situations, just innocuous and unlucky on both occasions.

The trouble is if he continues to get "innocuous and unlucky" injuries there is usually a reason. If I was spending my own money, I reckon, I would try to negotiate no longer than a two year contract. One of the most exciting wingers in SL at the moment is Tom Johnstone but he continues to be "unlucky".

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Matty ashton. : Wed Jun 09, 2021 9:36 am  

must admit, i did wonder something similar after his most recent injury, he had a really bad hamstring tear last year, and this time has ripped ligaments off both sides of his foot, i've never heard of that happening to a player before.

Bit weird.

But hey, at least he's not been a disaster signing like jai field

Re: Matty ashton. : Wed Jun 09, 2021 11:03 am  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

must admit, i did wonder something similar after his most recent injury, he had a really bad hamstring tear last year, and this time has ripped ligaments off both sides of his foot, i've never heard of that happening to a player before.

Bit weird.

But hey, at least he's not been a disaster signing like jai field

The Jai Field injury was horrible. He was a stand off recovering from a hamstring injury and then he was placed on the wing. Most stand-offs do not like being on the wing to start with but if you've got a dodgy hamstring ... no thank you. It looked like he'd been shot.