: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:40 pm  

The Key wrote:

I did kind of hint at that when I said about him not costing you though. It's just he won't add anything either. I can't remember him doing much wrong this season but can't remember him doing anything of note either tbh

If the "knockers" are right and Lee isn't up to it, what went wrong? When I watched him as a junior he was stand-out: he had flair, vision, pace and led the team around the park. I definitely thought he was a star of the future. Do you think the way he got knocked by all the supporters when we dropped him in at the deep end as a kid lost him all self-confidence? Or maybe, playing him in all sorts of positions instead opf leaving him at scrum-half made him lose his RL identity? Ideas? Prefereably one-word clever comments with a wink attached.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:41 pm  

downtheante wrote:

If the "knockers" are right and Lee isn't up to it, what went wrong? When I watched him as a junior he was stand-out: he had flair, vision, pace and led the team around the park. I definitely thought he was a star of the future. Do you think the way he got knocked by all the supporters when we dropped him in at the deep end as a kid lost him all self-confidence? Or maybe, playing him in all sorts of positions instead opf leaving him at scrum-half made him lose his RL identity? Ideas? Prefereably one-word clever comments with a wink attached.

Sharp

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:45 pm  

Standee wrote:

Sharp

hehe.

But I think you might be right.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:48 pm  

downtheante wrote:

If the "knockers" are right and Lee isn't up to it, what went wrong? When I watched him as a junior he was stand-out: he had flair, vision, pace and led the team around the park. I definitely thought he was a star of the future. Do you think the way he got knocked by all the supporters when we dropped him in at the deep end as a kid lost him all self-confidence? Or maybe, playing him in all sorts of positions instead opf leaving him at scrum-half made him lose his RL identity? Ideas? Prefereably one-word clever comments with a wink attached.

I actually think the best thing for Lee would have been for him to have a season in NL1 around 2007, when he was still looking at being a halfback. Outside of the pressure of SL he could have learnt how to try and control a game without such a high percentage of his errors proving costly. His off the cuff style would probably have thrived rather than suffered then IMO.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:55 pm  

carl_spackler wrote:

I actually think the best thing for Lee would have been for him to have a season in NL1 around 2007, when he was still looking at being a halfback. Outside of the pressure of SL he could have learnt how to try and control a game without such a high percentage of his errors proving costly. His off the cuff style would probably have thrived rather than suffered then IMO.

Again, I think pretty sound thinking.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:03 pm  

carl_spackler wrote:

I actually think the best thing for Lee would have been for him to have a season in NL1 around 2007, when he was still looking at being a halfback. Outside of the pressure of SL he could have learnt how to try and control a game without such a high percentage of his errors proving costly. His off the cuff style would probably have thrived rather than suffered then IMO.

Thats a very good post. As a youngster he seemed such a natural SH and was one of the best young HB's i'd seen for many years. Where its all gone wrong is open to conjecture, but i'm not sure Hull were ever the type of club to bring that kind of player through. Had he been at a club where they played a more expansive game he may have been more successful as a HB, but alas we'll never know. Hulls recent policy of turning HB's into hookers seems to have claimed another victim.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:04 pm  

Gordon Gekko wrote:

Thats a very good post. As a youngster he seemed such a natural SH and was one of the best young HB's i'd seen for many years. Where its all gone wrong is open to conjecture, but i'm not sure Hull were ever the type of club to bring that kind of player through. Had he been at a club where they played a more expansive game he may have been more successful as a HB, but alas we'll never know. Hulls recent policy of turning HB's into hookers seems to have claimed another victim.

Aye, just like Houghton he was a SH all his time at East Hull and a bloody quality one at that. Signs pro for Hull, next thing he's a hooker.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:15 pm  

A unknown superstar wrote:

Aye, just like Houghton he was a SH all his time at East Hull and a bloody quality one at that. Signs pro for Hull, next thing he's a hooker.

But in contrast to Lee, I don't personally think he has the passing game for a scrum half. Maybe a running stand-off, but we already have a pretty good one of those. Houghton actually is suited to hooker IMO, which is why the change was made. With Lee it seemed to have been done just because it was his best chance of getting in the side when Swain was injured.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:20 pm  

carl_spackler wrote:

But in contrast to Lee, I don't personally think he has the passing game for a scrum half. Maybe a running stand-off, but we already have a pretty good one of those. Houghton actually is suited to hooker IMO, which is why the change was made. With Lee it seemed to have been done just because it was his best chance of getting in the side when Swain was injured.

Washbrook was tried at hooker in his acadamy days as was Anthony Thackary and of course Josh Hodgson. I just don't know what this fixation is with trying to continually turn players into hookers.

: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:23 pm  

Gordon Gekko wrote:

Washbrook was tried at hooker in his acadamy days as was Anthony Thackary and of course Josh Hodgson. I just don't know what this fixation is with trying to continually turn players into hookers.

Arn't they trying to turn Hodgson into a backrower?

Scrum half > Hooker > Back row.

Houghton will get murdered in the back row!