Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:03 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Dont forget there's a chance Tommy Leuluai may face a ban.

If you bring Gildart, Hankinson and Hastings back we quickly look a lot better.

Not looking forward to our pack coming up against Fifita, Arona and Co. There's no doubt our front row is the worst in SL for post contact metres - I personally thought Brad Singleton's performance was the most worrying.

Singleton was statistically very similar at the back end of last season. He is going to need to keep his aggression high in defence and keep his work rate up or else he’ll be questioned, no two ways about it. Joe Bullock needs a rocket on the back of Friday for me. He was going down so easy in collision. The guy needs to realise he can be what he wants to be. At that size and with the pace he’s got he should be smashing holes in teams. He had a good season last season but he’s got so much more to give IMO.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:12 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Singleton was statistically very similar at the back end of last season. He is going to need to keep his aggression high in defence and keep his work rate up or else he’ll be questioned, no two ways about it. Joe Bullock needs a rocket on the back of Friday for me. He was going down so easy in collision. The guy needs to realise he can be what he wants to be. At that size and with the pace he’s got he should be smashing holes in teams. He had a good season last season but he’s got so much more to give IMO.

I think teams tend to target Joe and get stuck into him - not convinced he has that element of grit or toughness to respond and give a bit back.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:16 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

I think teams tend to target Joe and get stuck into him - not convinced he has that element of grit or toughness to respond and give a bit back.

He does seem a bit too nice and in terms of props it’s been something I’ve put at a lot of the ones we’ve brought through and brought in. I just wish we could find a player with the natural attributes of Bullock but the attitude of Partington. I hope we get to see Kilner pretty soon because he looks to have a bit of mongrel about him, whilst being physically quite imposing.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:19 pm  

Interesting to see Hankinson was named in London's squad earlier in the week but he's not made the match day squad.

Has he suffered an injury, or have we called him back?

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:42 pm  

Levrier wrote:

On that showing I would not be confident against any team in this league. I do not think that any single player played particularly badly but we did not have any player who would get us the go forward that we need to trouble opponents. If simple runs from dummy half can tear us apart we will always be on the back foot.
For the life of me I cannot see why so many are slating Hanley who had a solid game with a few mistakes. He was generally good under the bomb and carried safely. We should be looking at why Leigh were constantly able to walk out of their own half and kick from just outside our danger zone.
In attack we look devoid of ideas. Are our forwards so much smaller than everyone else's or are we not using them effectively? We seem to have the attitude that we will play to find the floor, but to do that the follow up also has to be quick, otherwise we need to be able to mix it up. It is almost as though we do not have the skills and vision to think on our feet.

It's mainly just me being critical of Hanley to be fair. Bit of a reaction to people saying a player who made 5 errors (2 unforced whilst playing the ball in our own 20m) had a solid game. We all want him to do well but saying he was solid or carried safely just isn't accurate when he kept giving up possession and gifting Leigh try-scoring opportunities. A better team scores 4 tries off his errors IMO (2 sets on our line for the knock on at the ptb and the ptb into the man, 1 for when they beat him in the air and threw a forward pass for what would have been a try, 1 for when he threw the loose ball backwards and the Leigh player ran clear for it but knocked on the pick up). Tom Johnstone, Reece Lynne & Co won't fluff all those chances.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:09 pm  

I think it's a little harsh to drop Hanley on his second game especially his first out of position on the wing, in a team without any first choice starters in their positions in our back line. That also effects massively the go forward gains. Off the first three hit ups, after any kick, it's normally a combination of full back, wings and centres taking us towards the 40. We was lucky to get over the 20 before any forward took the ball up. We miss Marshal from play the ball scooting early in the set he often gains ground, gets a quick play or earns a penalty, Hastings helps in that department lack of yards from half is one of Powell less impressive stats, though I find it very hard to criticise him 60 tackles. Gildart and Zak also make us plenty yards and the threat of French also creates space for others. Hanley coming into a full strength team would be a much kinder passage into SL to be judged on than the less than ideal games he's faced upto now. Having watched him from juniors I imagine he's the best option under the high ball we have out wide at the moment to drop him would do more harm than good at this stage.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:10 pm  

Hanley was also incredibly lucky not to have conceded a penalty try for the grab on Tierney. But I think he deserves a go again.
Given the way things have started, I think I'd get short odds on at least 1 more player going down injured this week....

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:26 am  

The lad is being asked to do a job to which he is unaccustomed. He did some things well and made some mistakes which he will learn from as he is a clever rugby player. The reality is that we should not be relying on the likes of Hanley and Field to play on the wing.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:35 pm  

It is amazing how we all see games differently; I thought Bullock was great and although he could do with a bit of mongrel, he was excellent in the go forward. It is frightening for us watching to think of the pace and talent you can recall at some point, my team started okay (Hull), we always do but I think , given your injuries, to get past a spirited and very well coached Leigh side, was a better result than you give credit for. Also think Hardaker was exceptional at full back and you have an embarrassment of riches there; he would be my pick though as I don't think there is a better numver 1 in SL. Serious question- What has happened to Hankinson? I liked him on the few occasions I saw him, nowhere near the finished article but sizeable and great potential.

Re: Team Next Week/Jai Field Injury : Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:33 pm  

GrahamBray wrote:

It is amazing how we all see games differently; I thought Bullock was great and although he could do with a bit of mongrel, he was excellent in the go forward. It is frightening for us watching to think of the pace and talent you can recall at some point, my team started okay (Hull), we always do but I think , given your injuries, to get past a spirited and very well coached Leigh side, was a better result than you give credit for. Also think Hardaker was exceptional at full back and you have an embarrassment of riches there; he would be my pick though as I don't think there is a better numver 1 in SL. Serious question- What has happened to Hankinson? I liked him on the few occasions I saw him, nowhere near the finished article but sizeable and great potential.

He only made 40 odd metres mate. That’s really unusual for Bullock and he did play at a time when Leigh were going at 200mph. I always bang on about us getting more from Bullock but that’s not done from a POV of not rating him, It’s the complete opposite, I think he’s brilliant but probably doesn’t have the belief in himself that he can kick on and be one of the best in the comp. He should be aiming for an England place IMO but he needs to push himself to his limits.