Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:31 am  

Awful last night and again they are our biggest weakness. Ben Flower is a good solid steady Prop who gives his all but no way should he be our senior Prop which he seems to have become.

I have tried to be patient with Pettybourne but to be honest my patience has worn out. He is not a Prop and should not be used as one, he is a second row forward and needs to be used there. Keep hearing all the hype about him and his "impact" but he never wins the collision, is always put in his back on the carry and contributes little in the way if meaningful defence usually jumping in as third man.

Taylor not sure what the issue is but he was poor last night but been our most talented Prop without doubt but he does go off the boil now and again.

Crosby has gone backwards this year, I ralyy thought he would kick on but he seems to be stagnating.

The only time any of out Props ran with purpose was in the last 10 minutes when Flower and Crosby took a couple of decent hit ups.

Our props don't put any doubt in the defences mind they lack impact and have no offload.

We in my opinion must sign a leader in this position for next year. We need an experienced head to bring these young lads on and show them how to stand up against an opposition who are dominating you. Tautai I really rate but I see him again more as a backrow and he certainly lacks experience as a Prop.

I keep hearing rumours Lahrs has signed for one of the Hull clubs, I would be gutted if he came to SL and we had not made a move for him.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 7:49 am  

A fair assessment of their performance last night IMO. I was particularly disappointed by Pettyborne. I know he hasn't had much game time this year and hope he will improve if he can stay fit. I barely noticed Scott Taylor. To be fair to Hull KR, their forwards really fronted up in defence but we totally failed to match them with the exception of the last 10min.

Given that props tend to peak later in their careers, I do wonder if this is a specific position where the focus of the club on bringing through juniors is a disadvantage.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:38 am  

Agree with both of you.

I was bamboozled by Barry McDermott's description of Ed Pettybourne as "15 minutes of destruction". It's now mid-August and we're three-quarters of the way through the season. When is the 15 minutes going to start?

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:05 am  

We missed Clubb last night I thought.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:10 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

We missed Clubb last night I thought.

I agree, he gives us go forward and nearly always gives us a quick play the ball as he is so hard to put on his back and usually finds his front.

This for me though is the issue.

Clubb like the rest of the players we have in that position is relatively inexperienced at Prop.

Bring in a Craig Smith or Pongia type player to lead these lads who is battle hardened and can help develop that side of the other lads games.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:36 am  

I'd start Flower and Clubb with Taylor and Crosby coming off the bench. Pettybourne should be a luxury 15-20 minute prop providing impact off the bench, if we were playing with all forwarsd on the bench, but he doesn't do it. I definitely don't think he's a second rower, he'd get torn to shreds defending outwide. Once we have Tautai on board I really don't see a place for Eddy in the squad.

The props didn't muscle up well for large parts of the game last night but I thought a large part of the poor performance was down to a lack of direction. Sam Powell isn't a hooker IMO and I can't wait for us to get McIlorum back. Green should never have started the game after 3 months without playing, though he was instrumental in getting us back in to it late on. Sarginson is really doing my head in now, he's not a centre in a million years and I really hope Thornley comes back in against Widnes and keeps hold of the left centre position.

Add Bateman, Clubb, Thornley, McIlorum and possibly Burgess to last night's squad, plus once Green and Tomkins have more match fitness, and we can still make a good go of the playoffs IMO. My first-choice squad from now on would be:

Bowen
Charnley
Gelling
Thornley
Burgess/Manfredi (not sure when Burgess is meant to be back)
Green
Smith
Flower
McIlorum
Clubb
Bateman
Farrell
O'Loughlin

Taylor
Crosby
Tomkins
Williams

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:56 am  

I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064

I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 11:04 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote: There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 He may have made more meters but he doesn't do anything with the ball, there has been so many times this season and last night where he has the option to send his winger away but chooses to do his predictable step in off the left foot. You can see he has the potential and he's still young but only time will tell if he fulfils it.

Rogues Gallery wrote: There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 He may have made more meters but he doesn't do anything with the ball, there has been so many times this season and last night where he has the option to send his winger away but chooses to do his predictable step in off the left foot. You can see he has the potential and he's still young but only time will tell if he fulfils it.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 11:06 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote: I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 Our outside backs always make loads of metres because we use them a lot to bring the ball out of our own half, it means nothing if you can't do the basics of what's expected of your position. Manfredi barely touched the ball last night because Sarginson's first instinct is to step back inside off his left foot. Sarg is a bit of a jack of all trades master of none. I think full backs probably his best position but he's well behind Bowen, and Hampshire is next in line. He can do a job 1-7 but have better specialists in every position IMO.

Rogues Gallery wrote: I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 Our outside backs always make loads of metres because we use them a lot to bring the ball out of our own half, it means nothing if you can't do the basics of what's expected of your position. Manfredi barely touched the ball last night because Sarginson's first instinct is to step back inside off his left foot. Sarg is a bit of a jack of all trades master of none. I think full backs probably his best position but he's well behind Bowen, and Hampshire is next in line. He can do a job 1-7 but have better specialists in every position IMO.

Re: Props : Fri Aug 15, 2014 11:06 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote: I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 too predictable his style of play, quick shimmy and try to beat the man, not a hope in hell he will pass to the winger. Even Ade Gardener worked him out, don't bother covering the wing man, just smash him as soon as he gets the ball. Thorniley cant come back soon enough for me.

Rogues Gallery wrote: I think it's a bit harsh on Pettybourne. He's only played two of the last eighteen games, so is bound to be struggling a little for match fitness. There has been a lot of criticism of Dan Sarginson but he made more metres than any other player on the field last night. http://www.superleague.co.uk/report/10064 too predictable his style of play, quick shimmy and try to beat the man, not a hope in hell he will pass to the winger. Even Ade Gardener worked him out, don't bother covering the wing man, just smash him as soon as he gets the ball. Thorniley cant come back soon enough for me.