Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:02 am  

Jack Reed is comfortably England's best centre, just have to get him fit for an international series.

Watkins despite all the hype has never shown himself up as anything more than average on the international stage.

Reed is the obvious choice to replace Bateman as he is so strong in defence as well as offering an attacking threat. I can't see anyone ousting Watkins as his form in SL is so good but for me is just doesn't work for him in an England shirt.

I would love to see Watkins have a run in the NRL as I do think there is a top class centre in him but until he tests himself regularly I don't think he will ever reach his potential, his concentration is a major issue in my opinion.

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 12:12 pm  

He didn't do much in attack but I don't really remember him getting the ball in any decent attacking situations. He defended well as always

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 1:02 pm  

I'd be tempted to leave Bateman at centre in the early part of the season at least. The backrow of Farrell, Joel Tomkins and O'Loughlin is probably the strongest in the league and IMO it would be a waste to have any one of those four on the bench. Once Sam Tomkins returns it'll then leave Wane with some interesting selection dilemmas.

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:05 pm  

The Watkins hype is a product of a pretty weak superleague. A guy billed as one of the best in the world previously would be expected to rack up 20+ trys a season and also contribute a huge amount of assists and do this on a regular basis but Watkins doesn't do this.

He's a very good player but when you look at top superleague centres over the years like Jamie Lyon, Paul Newlove, Gary Connelly etc he isn't in that class.

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 5:20 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

The Watkins hype is a product of a pretty weak superleague. A guy billed as one of the best in the world previously would be expected to rack up 20+ trys a season and also contribute a huge amount of assists and do this on a regular basis but Watkins doesn't do this.

He's a very good player but when you look at top superleague centres over the years like Jamie Lyon, Paul Newlove, Gary Connelly etc he isn't in that class.

Add a certain george carmont to that list

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 5:59 pm  

Defensively sound, I think any criticism of any of our centres n wingers is harsh as majority of our play was up the middle and very forwards based.

Watkins hall burgess Bateman were there to stop the opposition and give the props a break running ball up. Worked well this series but we will need a plan b fir the four nations and world cup

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 8:05 pm  

We'll certainly need a plan B for the World Cup because it'll be dry tracks all the way. The Kiwis will bring their offload game out and the Aussies are the Aussies.

We won't win that tournament with no trys being scored by the backs.

Re: Bateman : Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:38 pm  

Watkins needs early ball. Its almost as simple as that - early ball with space to run at the defence. A flat attacking structure doesn't suit him at all IMO (unlike say Senior who liked getting the ball in traffic), and neither does one where the passing is slow.

He does seem to lack a bit of confidence at times. I remember watching him live a few years ago and thinking that he really doesn't realise how powerful he is. He's physically almost perfect for centre - big and strong but quick - and he does have good hands. But he does need to do more than he's shown in this series.

Reed is a super player. The only problem with him is lack of pace, which can be exposed at times one-on-one in defence. Having said that, its his very lack of pace which has probably made him the player he is.

Re: Bateman : Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:30 am  

It was no coincidence that Watkins had the most opportunities to test the Kiwis in that last game with Matty Smity in the team. He unlike Williams and Widdop provided simple, early ball but he failed to use it.

He's a good player but not a great one yet. It's impossible to get players out of Leeds but he'd do well to go and rest himself in the NRL.

Re: Bateman : Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:42 am  

Get stuck into Watkins and he is poor.