Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 12:42 pm  

I'd play Sneyd, the way Moses is kicking we need someone who can match him, not sure I'd want to bet England's World Cup on Makinson's boot, Welsby to centre with either Watkins or Farnworth in the other spot

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 1:05 pm  

apollosghost wrote:

I'd play Sneyd, the way Moses is kicking we need someone who can match him, not sure I'd want to bet England's World Cup on Makinson's boot, Welsby to centre with either Watkins or Farnworth in the other spot

Watkins and Farnworth are both better centres than Welsby. He’s a waste at centre but I do agree about Sneyd’s kicking being vital.

The brave decision would be to put Welsby at 1 and Sneyd and Williams in the halves but I can’t see Wane doing that. He’ll want Tomkins experience.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:56 pm  

Stu M wrote:

Watkins and Farnworth are both better centres than Welsby. He’s a waste at centre but I do agree about Sneyd’s kicking being vital.

The brave decision would be to put Welsby at 1 and Sneyd and Williams in the halves but I can’t see Wane doing that. He’ll want Tomkins experience.

That wouldn’t be brave it would be crazy. You need your best players on the field when it comes to the crunch and Tomkins is in that category, Sneyd isn’t.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:58 pm  

Stu M wrote:

To be fair, Knowles provides a higher intensity in defence and kick pressure chase than Batchelor. I know it was only against Greece but both Brown and Graham commented on his efforts in these areas highlighting one example of kick pressure at 74 mins with the game out of sight. I woudl argue his qualities are better than Batchelors in a high intensity tight game.

Knowles is in a different league to Batchelor.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:02 pm  

Stu M wrote:

Agreed. Vossy is brilliant. The way he engages with fans on Twitter is outstanding. He loves our comp and the UK in general and doesn't denigrate either like most Aussies do.

His food ratings and food videos throughout have been superb and very entertaining. I've lived in Wigan for 21 years and love living here. Indeed I only go back to St Helens for the games now so I get quite defensive if outsiders criticise Wigan as a town. Seeing Vossy talking about Galloways pies was brilliant and then to see him engage with their official account too was even better.

Sky could certainly learn a lot from BBC and C4 and hopefully we will see Vossy commentate on SL at some point as he has admitted that "it is an itch that he needs to scratch"

Well said. Perhaps we could encourage Rabbits out of retirement, another great commentator.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 5:22 pm  

Stu M wrote:

I'm not saying instead of or in front of Radley, I'm saying instead of Batchelor as a bench option

Do you think he's a better 2nd row than Batchelor, Stu? Radley is an 80 minute player so I can't see the benefit of having a spare 13 on the bench (Radley's elbow injury notwithstanding) and we're more than well stocked at prop.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 7:16 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

Do you think he's a better 2nd row than Batchelor, Stu? Radley is an 80 minute player so I can't see the benefit of having a spare 13 on the bench (Radley's elbow injury notwithstanding) and we're more than well stocked at prop.

I don’t no. However in a high intensity tight game I’d rather have Knowles than Batchelor. If Ackers isn’t in the 17 then McIliroum can be spelled, Radley to 9 and Knowles to 13. That’s two good defenders in the middle, hitting hard and leading from the front.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:29 pm  

I'm not keen on that one. McIllorum can easily do the 80, there should be no reason to play players out of position in a world cup unless there is an injury in the match.

Re: Mr Predictable : Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:50 pm  

Pie_Eyter wrote:

I'm not keen on that one. McIllorum can easily do the 80, there should be no reason to play players out of position in a world cup unless there is an injury in the match.

Which is why I’m not a coach

I know for a fact though that Knowles is 100% a Wane type of player and that he really rates him. That’s why I think he’ll be in the 17 somewhere.

Re: Mr Predictable : Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:57 pm  

Pie_Eyter wrote:

Vossy is a breath of fresh air. Dave Woods is good though i think too as is Davies and Amor. I can't tolerate Noble too much, i think he talks too much nonsense and Kevin Brown is very articulate too. Graham has been very good also. Wilkin, i don't know why but he always seems to come across 10x better on the BBC than he dos on Sky.

I do have one big bug bear with all of them though (except Voss and Woods) and that is calling players by their nicknames, Mickey Mac, Tommy (Makinson) etc. We are trying to engage a wider audience outside of the usual RL speccies so a bit more professionalism is required in areas like this for me. The Sky commentary team are dreadful for things like this.

No, no, no! Jiffy is a miserable old git who has forgotten (if he ever knew) that pro sport is supposed to be entertaining. Find Woods' catch-phrases a bit annoying. Jammer has been the surprise hit. I thought, oh no, but in fact he's been very good.

One thing most of them could still do with (Henderson especially, I think), is commentate on the actual game more, in real time. Don't witter on about generalities like the Sky goons do!