Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:45 pm  

Great to see them willing to throw the ball around even in conditions like tonight, didn't come off all the time but it was a breath of fresh air after the last couple of seasons

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:58 pm  

Leeds had a few missing, we had a couple. Today's weather along with it being the fact its still very early into the season as well as Leeds psychological advantage having nilled us at home was always going to be a tough one for us.

Despite a difficult first 20 minutes I thought we recovered well and literally blew them away in a twenty minute period playing some of the best rugby I've seen in the last two years under Lam.

The good thing is there's still a lot more from us yet. Exciting times hopefully.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:05 pm  

We can’t be anything but pleased with that. It was such a slow start, with last weeks bad points (errors and penalties) rearing their head but the game turned with the Field tackle and the introductions of Byrne, Mago and Smithies and it was excellent after that.

It’s so pleasing to see Field playing like that and the threat him and Cust are bringing is huge for us. I think we’ve signed a real player with Cust. He looks so well suited to this league and has a real sense of calm about him. There is a lot of Blake Green about him.

In the pack Bateman has his spark back, Farrell is Farrell, Mago has added so much, Byrne has kicked on and I’d reserve praise for Smithies. I think he’s now able to play his role in the side because we’ve got better props and more threat in the backs and it allows him to just glue it together and set a tone in the middle.

Not a lot to moan about really.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:10 pm  

So pleased overall. Isn't it nice to be looking forward to the next game?

Good point on the Blake Green analogy, NK. But a little quicker, perhaps?

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:12 pm  

The good thing is, we've probably put together a good 50 min performance in each game and won both games. Lots of improvement in us, but we already much better than last year.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:20 pm  

moto748 wrote:

So pleased overall. Isn't it nice to be looking forward to the next game?

Good point on the Blake Green analogy, NK. But a little quicker, perhaps?

Probably yes.

It’s amazing what you can get from the NRL first team fringe players. You have to look at Cust, Field, Mago and before them French and wonder how these guys haven’t been regulars. Easy to say when they’re playing well and you’ve won a couple of games but it looks a clever recruitment model.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:25 pm  

Just walked in and thawed out!

I didn’t think we’d win that 25mins in but we stuck in there and once it clicked, did it click! Mago, Field brilliant. I said to my dad just before the try off the kick off that Mago looked exhausted and needed to be fitter…then he does that and for the rest of his time on the pitch was an absolute menace.

Field drifted across the pitch dropping in and out of play creating that doubt and fear. Cust organised the play and got us around the park. Zak, KPP put some phenomenal work in. I thought Singleton was brilliant as well.

The only negative I’ve got is that Powell for the most part was shown up by Leeming as to how to be a hooker. If we had a Leeming on our side tonight we’d have won by 50 odd IMO. Don’t get me wrong, Powell didn’t have a poor game at all. I actually thought he played well but it’s clear his limitations at hooker.

The real conundrum comes when French is back and ready to go. You can’t take Field out of that side and I’d be loathe to move him in the halves, I think he’s a far bigger threat and danger man from FB. He’s as safe as houses back there too.

Great performance and win against a strong Leeds outfit. And what’s even better is knowing that there’s much improvements to be made as well.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:35 pm  

Far better night of entertainment than I was anticipating. Leeds started well - they looked stronger up front and had some zip out of dummy half with Leeming. We got a chunk of luck with Fields first try and looked a different team after that.

A couple of great calls by Peet to start off his tenure by putting Field at fullback and KPP at centre to get him into the starting lineup. Everyone played well - some great contributions from the forward pack in particular.

In terms of negatives I still think Singleton is a weakness in this team, not convinced Bibby is a centre (maybe we should swap him with Hardaker?) and a few too many sloppy errors at times. But really good start overall.

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:36 pm  

Bateman looks like he's gonna have a Stella season. Mago, Ellis and Singleton taking up the hard graft this year is freeing up Bateman to be more of a threat with his own game.

Great performance all around, some things still to work on. Well done Wigan and Matty Peet ♥

Re: Squad for Leeds : Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:37 pm  

100% Warrior wrote:

Just walked in and thawed out!

I didn’t think we’d win that 25mins in but we stuck in there and once it clicked, did it click! Mago, Field brilliant. I said to my dad just before the try off the kick off that Mago looked exhausted and needed to be fitter…then he does that and for the rest of his time on the pitch was an absolute menace.

Field drifted across the pitch dropping in and out of play creating that doubt and fear. Cust organised the play and got us around the park. Zak, KPP put some phenomenal work in. I thought Singleton was brilliant as well.

The only negative I’ve got is that Powell for the most part was shown up by Leeming as to how to be a hooker. If we had a Leeming on our side tonight we’d have won by 50 odd IMO. Don’t get me wrong, Powell didn’t have a poor game at all. I actually thought he played well but it’s clear his limitations at hooker.

The real conundrum comes when French is back and ready to go. You can’t take Field out of that side and I’d be loathe to move him in the halves, I think he’s a far bigger threat and danger man from FB. He’s as safe as houses back there too.

Great performance and win against a strong Leeds outfit. And what’s even better is knowing that there’s much improvements to be made as well.

I’ve never seen anyone quite like Mago before, he looks absolutely frigged within 2 minutes of coming on but he then gets the ball and drags about 4 players on his back and keeps doing it over and again. He also looks solid enough in defence, all whilst looking like he might keel any second. It’s all pretty unique and I’m absolutely loving watching him.