Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:57 am  

I actually thought Hughes played better yesterday than we saw last season. Instead of dropping to his knees like a brick he made some metres. Tried a cheeky back pass to the wing as well, a try if it had come off.
Another thing i noticed yesterday was the warm up. Lets hope the play is different as well.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:00 am  

When Hughes came here, he was must better than Westerman. He was a very capable player...a player seldom just goes 'simply not good enough'!
The lad to his credit was ever present in 2017 and was shifted around over and over...
Perhaps this moving around unsettled him as it seemed to do with Ratchford even though he wouldn't say so.
TS coaching skills are now becoming a debate of question...
12 months ago, god forbid me opening my thoughts on him on here.
TS may have coached out that solid consistent game he had in is first 12 months here.

Give him a break while it's a new season.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:02 am  

Well said lefty totally agree
I would rather we blood youngsters or give livett plenty of game time cos he looks like he can develop in to a regular
If good enough old enough
The Pies put some good youngsters in
That have done well they not afraid to do that
Rather younger ones a chance than
Hughes and Westwood gettin too
Much game time

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:07 am  

Are you still blind drunk?

So the season starts in a fortnight and the strongest starting line up available hasn't been tested....!

You back up lefty ripping the team ,then say we should blood youngsters and Livett which we actually did yesterday.

You need to drink a resolve pal.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:49 am  

Hughes is not centre but sacrificed his own game last year for the good for the team so it would seem. I am prepared to give him a clean slate and see how he goes in his preferred / better position is what is hopefully a better team effort this season coming.

Regarding 'grunt' BMM showed some yesterday as well as some real class with a couple of off loads one of which led tot a try. A great buy.
Coops put in a good shift but I would like to see him eat a couple of Welsh Oggies and beef up a touch

One of the pleasing aspects of yesterdays game was the defence. Yes we were not necessarily playing against the most dynamic attack we will see in 2018 but to concede only one try and a fortuitous one at that was a good effort. In attack we were missing possibly our two most creative players in Roberts and Patton so improvements to come there

Lot more optimistic for the season that at the same stage last year after the dreadful Huddersfield performance.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:54 am  

lefty goldblatt wrote:

Season hasn't started yet, and the epithet scapegoat has been used.

Hughes is not, repeat NOT, a scapegoat.
Hughes is simply not good enough, for where we want to be. The same goes for that plant pot on the wing, Russell. I'm fully aware we can't have a team full of stars, but Hughes' career plateaued after a decent start in Wire colours, since that plateau, it's regressed. Last season, he was a walking accident. Not good enough. He's at Widnes' level, now.
I'd rather promote a younger lad.
Harsh, maybe. But true.

We've already got a "near as damn it passenger" in Westwood for the upcoming season. We can't afford another.

Westwood is now at the level where Yaya Toure is at City. A legend for what he's done, but it's time to stop embarrassing yourself, and tarnishing your reputation.

Add to this, Crosby's form/state of mind, and Cooper's horrific 2017 season, I've a few worries for our pack, this season. I really hope I'm proved wrong.

I agree with this but we were unable to change out all the squad due to contracts. The worst of it is Russell and Hughes are here until November 2019. Tony couldn't extend them quick enough. Unless Dom Crosby has a very good season he can leave at the end of 2018.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:00 am  

we are short of a decent prop....end of.
Nobody would argue that when we were at our best a few years back, we had an amazing front row WITH an amazing replacement front row on the bench waiting to come on.....4 top class props and two top class hookers. We are well short of that...therefore we should set expectations accordingly.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:05 am  

Bloody Hell its all doom and gloom.

We're all doomed I tell ya, doooooomed!

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:41 am  

Just need to lower expectations
5 or 6th place more likely this year
Which would be an improvement
It will take time for new players to gel
As for Hughes and Benny
Bench warmers at best sorry

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:49 am  

rubber duckie wrote:

When Hughes came here, he was must better than Westerman. He was a very capable player...a player seldom just goes 'simply not good enough'!
The lad to his credit was ever present in 2017 and was shifted around over and over...
Perhaps this moving around unsettled him as it seemed to do with Ratchford even though he wouldn't say so.
TS coaching skills are now becoming a debate of question...
12 months ago, god forbid me opening my thoughts on him on here.
TS may have coached out that solid consistent game he had in is first 12 months here.

Give him a break while it's a new season.

Hughes was switching between second row and centre in his early seasons under Shaun Wane at Wigan. I remember us playing Huddersfield when he was there and he played centre there.

He's not suddenly going to become "unsettled" because TS played him a few games there last year. Lots of second rowers who have decent pace cover the centres.