: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:37 pm  

I thought that he had a good first half up until he lost the ball for buchanans try from the kick off , then his confidence suffered for the rest of the half . But normal service was resumed after half time.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:03 am  

Snat Chunter wrote:

cant agree with that, this season blaymire seems to have improved in this area no end. i accept its early days but its too early to write him off in such a dismissive fashion imo

Totally agree. I thought blaymire had a very good game. Hopefully back to his best.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:18 pm  

Something i noticed at Leeds and the friendly i saw him in at Leeds, is that it seems he is running full tilt when returning the oppositions kick, which is something he didn't do last year as i he tended to jog it in.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:31 pm  

1991 wrote:

Something i noticed at Leeds and the friendly i saw him in at Leeds, is that it seems he is running full tilt when returning the oppositions kick, which is something he didn't do last year as i he tended to jog it in.

Blaymire had a great first season and admittedly a poor second one. The good thing is he's realised this and has obviously worked very hard in pre-season which is testament to his character and mental toughness. A lesser man would have crumbled and seen his career slide down the pan. Think it was Broadbent who said in preseason that matty would always find it difficult to back up his great first season in super league and that he was working very hard on his game to get himself up to scratch for this year.

Well done Matty is what I say.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:12 pm  

Come On The Trin wrote:

He really impressed me last night. Thought he worked really hard.

Looks to have added a bit more size and he looked to be playing with confidence.

IMHO I still don't think he's a 6 or 13, FB for my money and I'd pick him over Blaymire everytime as he adds a different dimension coming into the line whereas Blaymire IMHO does not.

Come off it Grix is not a F/B he can't catch a ball. Blaymire is a very good F/B and was back to his best last friday. I really think you should watch the game facing the pitch and then you will see what the rest of us do.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:13 pm  

Snat Chunter wrote:

cant agree with that, this season blaymire seems to have improved in this area no end. i accept its early days but its too early to write him off in such a dismissive fashion imo

Makes you wonder if you watched a different game played in a parallel universe sometimes

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:16 pm  

Uptoncat wrote:

Blaymire had a great first season and admittedly a poor second one. The good thing is he's realised this and has obviously worked very hard in pre-season which is testament to his character and mental toughness. A lesser man would have crumbled and seen his career slide down the pan. Think it was Broadbent who said in preseason that matty would always find it difficult to back up his great first season in super league and that he was working very hard on his game to get himself up to scratch for this year.

Well done Matty is what I say.

I think the difficulty for him was that everything came too quick for him in that first season, after what was his first season as a full time player he then got called into the England train on squad, this left him with a short pre season for last year and apparently he has admitted himself that he wasn't fully ready for last season as the step up to SL and the training that went with it left him drained for the start of last season, subsequently he was playing catch up for most of it but never really caught up enough to do himself justice. It's a great credit to him that he battled through in spite of all the criticism he was getting from the fans, it will have made him a stronger person for the experience and his form this season looks to be getting back to that of 2007, good on him he deserves to have some success this season for battling through the last one.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:41 pm  

Last season Blaymire's problems seemed more psychological than physical. I am sure in the second-half of the season he was a fit as anyone else in the team but he was clearly suffering a crisis of confidence after struggling early season.

Hopefully, after a much better start to this season, fans will forget about his performances last season and give him the support and encouragement he deserves.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:24 pm  

vastman wrote:

Come off it Grix is not a F/B he can't catch a ball. Blaymire is a very good F/B and was back to his best last friday. I really think you should watch the game facing the pitch and then you will see what the rest of us do.

OK vasty, as per usual you know it all don't you.

Q - Where did Grix play most of the games he played for Widnes?

I think you should read the post again, I wasn't knocking MB, purely pointing out that I fell he doesn't offer a lot going forward.

I feel MB is not a bad FB, just pretty one dimensional for me and the modern day FB needs to provide more of an attacking edge.

: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:27 pm  

Come On The Trin wrote:

OK vasty, as per usual you know it all don't you.

Q - Where did Grix play most of the games he played for Widnes?

I think you should read the post again, I wasn't knocking MB, purely pointing out that I fell he doesn't offer a lot going forward.

I feel MB is not a bad FB, just pretty one dimensional for me and the modern day FB needs to provide more of an attacking edge.

do you not think that in the first 2 games he has improved in this area quite noticeably on last year though? he has been returning the ball with much more purpose and coming into the line more imo.

admittedly its still early days