Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:34 am  

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

Not as good a kicker as Smith. Very streaky. Can miss ones in front of the posts then knock one over from the edge. His technique is poor meaning he is always liable to miss kick it. Not worth his place in the team either. So I would disagree with you on all counts.

A.O.P

That little dig from you should cement your place in the "no one allowed to criticise Wane or Wigan brigade), as an answer has Hampshire ever been given a fair chance?
Also for what it is worth in my opinion I do not think we shall see Rocky in a Wigan shirt again, I think that the season long loan is just a smoke screen to let him go quietly.

Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:47 am  

If Hampshire were to go, which I don't think he will, it most certainly won't be quietly.

Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:50 am  

stillinthepast wrote:

A.O.P

That little dig from you should cement your place in the "no one allowed to criticise Wane or Wigan brigade), as an answer has Hampshire ever been given a fair chance?
Also for what it is worth in my opinion I do not think we shall see Rocky in a Wigan shirt again, I think that the season long loan is just a smoke screen to let him go quietly.

I doubt they would have given him a new deal if that were the case, certainly hope he does well at Cas and stays with us. Him and Williams in the halves with Sam Tomkins at full back sounds bloody devastating.

I get that on his day Smith can offer leadership and be a very good play kicker, if lacking in flair or the ability to really tear the opposition apart; but I don't think he does that consistently enough, particularly in the big games, to be good value for the 7 shirt in the long term. If he's going to play in that mold then IMO he needs to be a Sinfield type of player who takes control in the tight games every time and comes up with those great kicks (both play kicks, penalties and conversions) that really put the opposition to bed. That would make up for him not offering that much of a threat ball in hand.

As it is, I'd sooner Williams develop those skills a bit more and have Rocky, who is far more devastating ball in hand and clearly has that game-breaking ability, partnering him. Smith could still be useful as an interchange hooker IMO, he's gone well there for us in the past and could be more useful that McIlorum there in some scenarios.

Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:06 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I doubt they would have given him a new deal if that were the case, certainly hope he does well at Cas and stays with us. Him and Williams in the halves with Sam Tomkins at full back sounds bloody devastating.

I get that on his day Smith can offer leadership and be a very good play kicker, if lacking in flair or the ability to really tear the opposition apart; but I don't think he does that consistently enough, particularly in the big games, to be good value for the 7 shirt in the long term. If he's going to play in that mold then IMO he needs to be a Sinfield type of player who takes control in the tight games every time and comes up with those great kicks (both play kicks, penalties and conversions) that really put the opposition to bed. That would make up for him not offering that much of a threat ball in hand.

As it is, I'd sooner Williams develop those skills a bit more and have Rocky, who is far more devastating ball in hand and clearly has that game-breaking ability, partnering him. Smith could still be useful as an interchange hooker IMO, he's gone well there for us in the past and could be more useful that McIlorum there in some scenarios.

It could also be said that giving Hampshire and extended contract at the same time has giving him a 12 month loan deal can also be seen has Wigan having an hold on him if he decided he did not want to return to Wigan . A transfer fee could then be asked for

Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 3:06 pm  

stillinthepast wrote:

It could also be said that giving Hampshire and extended contract at the same time has giving him a 12 month loan deal can also be seen has Wigan having an hold on him if he decided he did not want to return to Wigan . A transfer fee could then be asked for

also a sensible move

Re: Goal kicker : Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:37 pm  

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

Not as good a kicker as Smith. Very streaky. Can miss ones in front of the posts then knock one over from the edge. His technique is poor meaning he is always liable to miss kick it. Not worth his place in the team either. So I would disagree with you on all counts.

Will have to disagree then.
He kicked alright for the U19s. How in your judgement have you arrived that Smith is better?
He Has pace to burn which Smith will never have and the team is lacking in general.
Not worthy of his place either is more appropriate for several other members of the squad.

Re: Goal kicker : Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:13 am  

Grimmy wrote:

I doubt they would have given him a new deal if that were the case, certainly hope he does well at Cas and stays with us. Him and Williams in the halves with Sam Tomkins at full back sounds bloody devastating.

I get that on his day Smith can offer leadership and be a very good play kicker, if lacking in flair or the ability to really tear the opposition apart; but I don't think he does that consistently enough, particularly in the big games, to be good value for the 7 shirt in the long term. If he's going to play in that mold then IMO he needs to be a Sinfield type of player who takes control in the tight games every time and comes up with those great kicks (both play kicks, penalties and conversions) that really put the opposition to bed. That would make up for him not offering that much of a threat ball in hand.

As it is, I'd sooner Williams develop those skills a bit more and have Rocky, who is far more devastating ball in hand and clearly has that game-breaking ability, partnering him. Smith could still be useful as an interchange hooker IMO, he's gone well there for us in the past and could be more useful that McIlorum there in some scenarios.

A bit tangentle- but ill always take time to defend Sinfield
people think that he only had a kicking game and is therefore as much deserving of an england place as smith, but this is forgetting that he also regularly threw 20 meter passes and did have a running game even though he didnt have any pace, the reason people say he didnt have a running game is because he couldnt finish his own breaks, luckily he had burrow or Mcguire to do that for him, if you even look at his performance in the world cup alot of tries are set up by his half breaks.
If smith wants to keep his place in the team with all the young halves you guys have got, he needs to offer more in attack.
Luckily for us though your coach seems to be pretty content with his performance, because if this year your 1 6 7 was Bowen/hampshire Tompkins Williams, youd have won it at a canter imo.

Re: Goal kicker : Thu Feb 04, 2016 7:37 am  

leedsnsouths wrote:

A bit tangentle- but ill always take time to defend Sinfield
people think that he only had a kicking game and is therefore as much deserving of an england place as smith, but this is forgetting that he also regularly threw 20 meter passes and did have a running game even though he didnt have any pace, the reason people say he didnt have a running game is because he couldnt finish his own breaks, luckily he had burrow or Mcguire to do that for him, if you even look at his performance in the world cup alot of tries are set up by his half breaks.
If smith wants to keep his place in the team with all the young halves you guys have got, he needs to offer more in attack.
Luckily for us though your coach seems to be pretty content with his performance, because if this year your 1 6 7 was Bowen/hampshire Tompkins Williams, youd have won it at a canter imo.

Cracking player, ill miss him

Re: Goal kicker : Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:34 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

Cracking player, ill miss him

Damn it, I was making good points till then, rookie error.

Re: Goal kicker : Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:18 am  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

Will have to disagree then.
He kicked alright for the U19s. How in your judgement have you arrived that Smith is better?
He Has pace to burn which Smith will never have and the team is lacking in general.
Not worthy of his place either is more appropriate for several other members of the squad.

Which game was it last season when Hampshire kicked 1 out of 7 and had an absolute mare? I also watched him in the U19s and as I said his kicking is streaky - good one game, poor the next.

I'm not sure where people have got this idea of him as a devastating runner from? Or that you even need one at scrum half. Take a close look at the greatest player in the world. Not much devastating running there, but he doesn't need to. I personally don't see Hampshire and Williams as a pairing. Okay I know they did well at U19 level, but there isn't much competition there. I don't see either of them being a leader or an organiser.

IMO people are seeing things that they want to believe are there, but there really isn't much evidence to back it up - so far.

This opportunity at Cas will make or break him. I genuinely hope, for our sake and his, that he succeeds, but for me, the jury is definitely out.