Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:45 am  

The playing staff are a secondary issue, the bigger issue which must be addressed is the style that we have come to play.

TL doesn’t become a poor player overnight. At the NZ Warriors in 2016 he provided excellent control and a foil for Johnson. TL moved them around the park and allowed Johnson to drift in and out of the game with his line running and off the cuff plays.

If we were to sign Gale whilst I agree he would improve our kicking options hand and goal we still wouldn’t see the best out of him with the one dimensional rugby we play.

All the top halves rely on option runners and the best ones pick the right option to hit from 2 or 3 runners. Our halves generally have 1 option, over and over again.

Our playing roster should be competitive and challenge for honours but it simply will not if we continue to play negative one out rugby.

I’m not saying we don’t need to strengthen however if we don’t change our ethos as a club then regardless of who we sign we will not get the best out of the playing resources at our disposal.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:32 am  

jonh wrote:

All the top halves rely on option runners and the best ones pick the right option to hit from 2 or 3 runners. Our halves generally have 1 option, over and over again.

TL could have 8 different options and he'd play the inside ball to Bateman every single time.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:56 am  

We don't need to sign any halves. We have two of the best halves in the competition In williams and Tomkins. We simply need to play Escare at 1 Sam and George at halves and Tommy Micky and Powell battling it out for a place at 9.

If we get injuries we have depth to cope with shuffling those players around. Why cant anyone see this

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:02 am  

Because Tomkins hasn't played in the halves since about 2009?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 5:19 pm  

Wigg'n wrote:

Because Tomkins hasn't played in the halves since about 2009?

2010 went to FB after Amos got injured who took over after someone got injured (Phelps)and that person replaced Mathers who got injured.

Hope that clears it up I think Sam played last at halves Easter Monday.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:07 pm  

Let's be honest, Sam wouldn't have any sort of issue playing in the halves. He's a top class player who needs an injury clear run. He was off his best again last season but again was coming off a very serious injury, yet even then he produced a couple of fantastic performances (cup semi and Saints away) that not many in the league could produce.

He's at that age (and pace) now where you think he needs to get back in the halves and use his experience to lead the team around the field. He like any player would thrive more if he had a pack to play on the back of who were getting us at least a level share in games.

Sort the pack and the halves will look after themselves for me.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:08 pm  

tank123 wrote:

2010 went to FB after Amos got injured who took over after someone got injured (Phelps)and that person replaced Mathers who got injured.

Hope that clears it up I think Sam played last at halves Easter Monday.

Wasn’t a bad 4th choice FB was he

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:40 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Let's be honest, Sam wouldn't have any sort of issue playing in the halves. He's a top class player who needs an injury clear run. He was off his best again last season but again was coming off a very serious injury, yet even then he produced a couple of fantastic performances (cup semi and Saints away) that not many in the league could produce.

He's at that age (and pace) now where you think he needs to get back in the halves and use his experience to lead the team around the field. He like any player would thrive more if he had a pack to play on the back of who were getting us at least a level share in games.

Sort the pack and the halves will look after themselves for me.

Spot on. Sam Tomkins is a brilliant rugby player with an unrivalled will to win. It won't matter where he plays if he can avoid injury he'll have a positive impact on our season. It's the emergence of Escare at FB that that makes me think we should move Sam to the halves. I think we have to find a way to accommodate both players (assuming they're both still with us next season).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:20 pm  

Wigg'n wrote:

Wasn’t a bad 4th choice FB was he

Not bad at all.

Still think Amos in about 4 or 5 game he played was the best full back I have seen in SL. But Sam took it on and become a world star and the best player in SL by a mile.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:07 am  

It's a real test of Wane. IMO the best thing for the good of the team would be to move S.Tomkins to the halves, Leuluai to the bench and drop/loan out Powell, but will cronyism see the status quo remain and the relative outsider (Escare), shipped out to the wing or dropped? I get the feeling Leuluai would play prop if he was told to, far less sure about Tomkins.