[Winslade's Offload]

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:45 pm  

I wonder why we didn't make a serious play for Hardaker. I know we were sniffing around, but it sounded a bit half-hearted.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Sun Nov 27, 2016 1:37 pm  

Captain Hook wrote:

But your full back HAS to be secure under the high ball, and Russell most definitely isn't. Don't you recall the ludicrous situation where players were having to swap positions to cover that weakness?

This.

Unfortunately I have to agree with you Captain I say unfortunately because I don't like seeing our players struggle, but, ever since that belt on the mouth at Widnes Russell hasn't coped under a high ball. Ratchford, Penny, Johnson and Evans are all better in the catching department.

How fit is/will Johnson be next year?

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Sun Nov 27, 2016 3:25 pm  

morleys_deckchair wrote:

everyone is talking about a centre or another scrum half.... i would like a new centre, but a very good FB could be the making of us now we have 'sorted' the pack out

i dont like ratchford there... and i dont think ratchford likes playing there...... Smith doesnt seem to want to play Russell there.

a good FB would free Ratchford up to play centre or in the halves... we would then have Gidley, Patton and Ratchford fighting for 6 and 7..... we could drop evans and play Ratch and Atkins at 3 and 4... we could become more flexible during a game and move players through the HB positions.

i dont think we are that weak at FB, as we have options... we dont have a quality FB though.

I'd agree with that and mulled it over when Sandow fulfilled the inevitable.
However there's not getting away from TS love for Russell. Id rather see Russell outside Atkins because there's no point having Jason Nightingale there....whoever it is, isn't likely to get many a pass anyway. Russell is going to be in out team somewhere so I'd rather see Ratchford as the FB. You don't waste a talent like Steph in the 3/4s.

There is still a question over Patton. I'd take a hb.

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:33 am  

I don't understand why Gidley has never been played there. Was given the 1 shirt last season and has openly admitted that 1 is his preferred position.

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:41 pm  

moving on... wrote:

I don't understand why Gidley has never been played there. Was given the 1 shirt last season and has openly admitted that 1 is his preferred position.

He played full back in the Christmas friendly at Widnes and was excellent, you could actually see him talking to the players and guiding them from that deep position. I'm pretty sure he didn't play there again.. Another of Tony Smiths baffling decisions .

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:57 pm  

MikeyWire wrote:

moving on... wrote:

I don't understand why Gidley has never been played there. Was given the 1 shirt last season and has openly admitted that 1 is his preferred position.

He played full back in the Christmas friendly at Widnes and was excellent, you could actually see him talking to the players and guiding them from that deep position. I'm pretty sure he didn't play there again.. Another of Tony Smiths baffling decisions .

I'm pleased about these comments, i was starting to think i had imagined it. He has obviously come over as a fullback why not try him there?

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:59 pm  

MikeyWire wrote:

He played full back in the Christmas friendly at Widnes and was excellent, you could actually see him talking to the players and guiding them from that deep position. I'm pretty sure he didn't play there again.. Another of Tony Smiths baffling decisions .

Not so baffling. If I recall Ratchford was injured at the beginning of the season, Gidley and Sandow built a relationship and TS didn't want to break it up. I presume that after that he didn't want to start bringing in new players AND swapping positions around.

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:14 pm  

Russell was fullback for the Widnes friendly. Gidley played stand-off. Another baffling example of forum posters thinking they know better than Tony Smith.

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Mon Nov 28, 2016 8:16 pm  

Knowing Smith he would buy a FB n play him at centre.

There's an awful lot of generalisation goes on with regards to players weaknesses, Russell can catch a high ball, he needs to work on doing it consistently. We undoubtedly playedour best rugby this season with him at FB, I don't for one minute think it was purely down to him being at FB but he played an important roll early on which we were able to capitalise on.

For every ball Matty may drop Stephan will lose getting tackled or getting up to play the ball die to his loose one handed carries

Having Russell at FB allows Steph to play either centre or in the halves it gives us a winger on the wing too. Idk West seem to still be trying to find our best team n have been for some seasons now

Re: should we use the cap space cash on a FB? : Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:21 pm  

Paul Youane wrote:

Russell was fullback for the Widnes friendly. Gidley played stand-off. Another baffling example of forum posters thinking they know better than Tony Smith.