Pettybourne : Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:27 pm  

From what I can see we've signed 3 players to be in our 17 most weeks. I think Tautai and Patrick will be impact players from the bench. Wane liked having Bateman on the bench since JT came back. I think one of Powell, Hampshire or Williams will be the other bench spot. That leaves the starting props coming from Mossop, Clubb, Crosby and Flower (when his ban ends). I think Eddy might get some games while Flower is suspended, but really can't see him playing much. Assuming he's on a decent wedge, does anyone else think we might be looking to get rid? Wane does like giving youngsters a go. Greenwood and Sutton have experience of SL, Lever is highly rated, do we need Eddy?

Re: Pettybourne : Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:48 pm  

I don't think he offered much this season... he wasn't bad, but he didn't do anything that the other forwards didn't, but he had a few injuries and it takes time for imports to adjust to the english game. Whenever I see an NRL signing that doesn't impress in their first season, I just remind myself of Pat Richards, we all wanted shot of him after his first season (I know he was out of position) and look how that turned out.

I'm willing to hold my judgement on Eddy and see what he can produce after a years SL experience and a good pre-season.

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:15 am  

When he played in the NRL I always preferred to see him play as a Secondrow when he was at Souths. He seemed to create much more trouble for the opposition running the wider chanel.

Something for me isn't quite right with him or maybe he is just not the player he once was after his time at Wests where he was very average at best . Perhaps the injuries have caught up with him, but for all the effort and enthusiasm he looks to have when taking a drive in he simply lacks impact on collision and rarely wins that contest.

The consequences of this are a slow play the ball and loss of momentum. Hopefully a good long rest and good offseason will see him gain some power back that he seems to have lost in the last few years.

As above tough to judge him due to injuries but needs needs to improve this year if he is to challenge for a place in our pack.

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:50 am  

I saw a player in the World Cup who was getting through lots of solid work, taking up plenty of carries and making plenty of tackles.

Then he came here and that style of play changed. I presume it may be down to being part of a four man rotation were he doesn't get as many minutes but he started to play like an impact forward trying to smash people and take his carries up at 100mph.

He needs to settle down back in to that World Cup mode. He'll be far more use to us being solid and dependable then he has been trying to cause havoc (usually it's caused us more problems then the opposition).

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:09 am  

Wests fans really didn't seem to rate him and I've not seen anything great in him either to be honest. He seems to be more interested in fan interaction than playing rugby. Having said that overseas signings do seem to fare better in the second year. I'd use him as a reserve second rower when Lockers is injured/rested or Farrell/Tomkins/Bateman is missing. See if he can be more effective running a bit wider at smaller players, despite his size he is far from a wrecking ball in the middle

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:37 am  

I think Pettybourne defending outwide would be a disaster tbh. He's nowhere near mobile enough. His first season was pretty badly disrupted by injuries and I'm willing to give him another chance to prove himself. He's going to have opportunities early on with Flower's suspension and Mossop unlikely to be fully fit, if he can get a full pre season under his belt then hit the ground running we may see the best of him. At the minute though, if Mossop, Flower, Patrick, Tautai, Crosby and Clubb are available, I can't see a place in the 17 for Eddy.

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:54 am  

has done nothing so far.....

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 11:39 am  

jonh wrote:

When he played in the NRL I always preferred to see him play as a Secondrow when he was at Souths. He seemed to create much more trouble for the opposition running the wider chanel.

Something for me isn't quite right with him or maybe he is just not the player he once was after his time at Wests where he was very average at best . Perhaps the injuries have caught up with him, but for all the effort and enthusiasm he looks to have when taking a drive in he simply lacks impact on collision and rarely wins that contest.

The consequences of this are a slow play the ball and loss of momentum. Hopefully a good long rest and good offseason will see him gain some power back that he seems to have lost in the last few years.

As above tough to judge him due to injuries but needs needs to improve this year if he is to challenge for a place in our pack.

You're right. He's played the most of his career as a strong aggressive running SR forward. The WC was the first I've seen of him the front row. I'd like to see Eddie running a little wider at smaller men, I think that's where he'll find more success.

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 1:28 pm  

Jerry Seu Seu mk2

Re: Pettybourne : Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:04 pm  

he carries himself too straight to act as an effective bowling-ball. That & a tendency to reverse into tackles (being charitable, I presume with a view to an offload - which I've yet to see work).
Agree with others here that he was up there with the best of a USA team in the WC, but I'm prepared to give him another 10 games for us then we need to get rid if he's not improved.