Stu M wrote:

Hopoate too possibly which will allow Bennison to go on the wing. Makinson going off killed us tonight. They scored all bar one try down our right side with Bell and Davies centre/wing. Percival plays tonight and we win that game, Matautia showing he’s not a centre when he put Grace in for the disallowed try.

I also think Napa and Micky Mc will cop bans too which won’t help us tonight but will benefit Warrington next week.

Welsby deserved praise tonight, he was outstanding. 2 assists and the steal from Kasiano, he was everywhere. Yes he made a couple of bad decisions but he’s still only 21. He’s a brilliant player and to say Field is twice the player is laughable.

The disruption cost us tonight no doubt. It’s always worse when you lose players during the game but our backline had too many changes tonight and it cost us. In the grand scheme of things it’s not the end of the world and if we get Percival and Hurrell back next week we won’t be far off. I doubt Percival will play though and it looks like Makinson could be out for a few weeks.

I’ve said for a while goalkicking will cost us in a big game and it did tonight. 4 tries each but ultimately they kicked an extra goal.

If we get players fit and in their rightful positions it will still take an extremely good performance to beat us in a big game.

Really like watching Bennison. I look at him and don’t expect a lot for some reason but he has a great instinct for finding space and making ground. He’s been cleaned out by Powell and now McIlorum and just cracks on with it.

Welsby is quality, no two ways about it but there’s no doubt he’s overrated IMO. As I said earlier, I don’t think a player has been talked up as much since the days of a prime Sam Tomkins around 2010-2013 and in comparison, he’s a bit off that level. That ain’t his fault mind and doesn’t alter the fact he’s one of the better backs in the league.

apollosghost wrote:

Absolutely no doubt he can play but he always looks on the verge of really losing it with the ref if a decision goes against him, Woolf needs to have a word with him before it happens

Welsby is a very good player but he is nowhere near the level of Tomkins at his peak. In time he may be, we shall have to wait and see. His aggression comes from being a bully at school, until he got decked that is! What I do like about him is his desire to win at all costs.

The World Cup will tell us more about him.

Stu M wrote:

If we get players fit and in their rightful positions it will still take an extremely good performance to beat us in a big game.

Was it 5 mins we played for according to redvee in the semi?

Welsby is a good player, but I feel like he is one of those players that is aided by playing in a side that is trampling over 99% of its opponents.

Easy to look good in that side 9/10 I would say.

Not doubting his ability, but he could be seen to be better than he is based on things going his way all the time.

I think the praise is well deserved to be honest I think he is a fantastic player and one we as English fans should get excited about.

He is fantastic in defence freakishly strong and great pace, but above all that he is positionally excellent and has a habit of coming up with a big play when it’s needed, as well we know.

He isn’t the complete player but he has the potential to be regarded as World Class if he continues developing as he is and tests himself in the NRL, which I’m sure he will have the opportunity to do. If he has a good World Cup and he has the ambition he will be off sooner rather than later regardless of contract status.

The only thing I see potentially going against him is his versatility, whilst it’s often a useful trait to have players that have that utility value rarely become World class in 1 position.

Think he and Farnworth are 2 young British players we should rightly be excited about.

In regards the commentators I’m glad they talk the game and players up, it used to bother me, but over the last few years it’s become evident most stakeholders in the game especially the fans are only too eager to talk it down.

Great player and getting better all the time. Some really good try assists - he probably needs to be in the England spine somewhere.

jonh wrote:

I think the praise is well deserved to be honest I think he is a fantastic player and one we as English fans should get excited about.

He is fantastic in defence freakishly strong and great pace, but above all that he is positionally excellent and has a habit of coming up with a big play when it’s needed, as well we know.

He isn’t the complete player but he has the potential to be regarded as World Class if he continues developing as he is and tests himself in the NRL, which I’m sure he will have the opportunity to do. If he has a good World Cup and he has the ambition he will be off sooner rather than later regardless of contract status.

The only thing I see potentially going against him is his versatility, whilst it’s often a useful trait to have players that have that utility value rarely become World class in 1 position.

Think he and Farnworth are 2 young British players we should rightly be excited about.

In regards the commentators I’m glad they talk the game and players up, it used to bother me, but over the last few years it’s become evident most stakeholders in the game especially the fans are only too eager to talk it down.

I disagree, his defence isn’t great when he is defending in the line. Sam rinsed him tonight and Bibby did the same in the semi-final. He is better at fullback.

jonh wrote:

I think the praise is well deserved to be honest I think he is a fantastic player and one we as English fans should get excited about.

He is fantastic in defence freakishly strong and great pace, but above all that he is positionally excellent and has a habit of coming up with a big play when it’s needed, as well we know.

He isn’t the complete player but he has the potential to be regarded as World Class if he continues developing as he is and tests himself in the NRL, which I’m sure he will have the opportunity to do. If he has a good World Cup and he has the ambition he will be off sooner rather than later regardless of contract status.

The only thing I see potentially going against him is his versatility, whilst it’s often a useful trait to have players that have that utility value rarely become World class in 1 position.

Think he and Farnworth are 2 young British players we should rightly be excited about.

In regards the commentators I’m glad they talk the game and players up, it used to bother me, but over the last few years it’s become evident most stakeholders in the game especially the fans are only too eager to talk it down.

Some praise is very well deserved but ‘the praise’ he gets is OTT. I like him, I really do but he seems to be talked about as some sort of generational talent and he isn’t that. In my time watching the game, certain players make you sit back and go ‘wow’ and to me, he just doesn’t do that.

The way the Sky team talk about him is exactly how an Ellery Hanley or Sam Tomkins would be spoke about when they were in their prime and he is nowhere near that level at the moment. Will he get there? I doubt it personally. I said before Tomkins got 28 try’s and 33 assists in his 3rd full season in first team in 2012 and still had people questioning him. Welsby has an incredible knack for being in the right place, at the right time but there are too many weaknesses to hit that level.

But surely Sam will be full-back? i can't see Wane playing Welsby at full-back and Sam in the halves, can you?