......in championship 1 maybe!

Yes he made mistakes tonight, but all kids make mistakes, it's a vital part of learning. If you want to bag any of the players, then bag the SENIOR ones who didn't stand up.

Agree he made mistakes tonight but agree with the above coments regarding Senior. He is young and at times looks like men against boys but I think he will be good and does show some glimpses. Hopefully he will only learn and improve

he's made "mistakes" all year. saints (and every team we played) had a field day running at him. Don't get me wrong he's got a great pair of feet, and is dangerous in attack when not throwing stupid flick passes but his defence is dreadful; centre isn't a position you can get away with it either.

His defence is no worse than the bloke who wears number 4 for Leeds, and I don't see him making scrambling cover tackles most weeks.

Watkins is a kid, and he will continue to make mistakes all season, but the only way he will learn and improve is by getting game time. He also needs coaching, which it is questionable if he is getting at the moment.

Looks good ball in hand but his decision-making needs some more work. It will come with experience.

His defence is more concerning; he was at fault for at least 2 tries tonight.

Don't forget Watkins is a left centre playing out of position to accomodate and ageing player who is owed his contract until he 40 because he has played for a reduced salary to keep the team together (sic)

Senior if anyone should have swopped - play him in his natural position and then see how he goes

Don't really want to get on his back but his defence does sometimes leave a lot to be desired. As said above I hope he is getting good enough coaching, which is a concern.

I reckon he's being poorly coached. You can't try that offload so many times and fail and NOT be told to take the tackle.

He has little choice - he naturally cannot pass with speed and accuracy from left to right so he has to use the flick pass with his right hand. Leeds have little coming from the other side so he has to try and create all the time

Are you saying he should be playing in the other centre position and switch Senior?

That's exactly what he is saying. Watkins is a natural number 4, not number 3, but is being asked to do a job there to help the team.

For me its more symptomatic of the way we coach our youngsters that they are much more adept on one side of the field than the other.

should swap sides with senior for all the use senior is at the moment but as said above he needs coaching and game time yes he was poor tonight but i think he will be a future star for leeds if coached correctly

Failed to square up on Meli far to many times, he just waltzed around Watkins far to easily. Still a star for the future and has wonderful potential, not sure if playing centres is doing him any favours though.

What complete bollox.
He was far from the worse defender last night and whilst he'll make mistakes he's a kid still learning and playing out of position ffs.
Too many of the older heads are'nt doing enough and that's where the "re-build/dropping" should begin.

Absolutely...so you at last acknowledge the problem



Yes Watkins needs to be "coached" that it's sometimes better not to try the fancy pass and take the tackle.....but I'd rather him in the side than bluddy Senior who again was totally anonymous/lazy. At the very least Watkins should swap positions with the way-passed-his-we-told-you-so-best. I do then pity Hardaker WHO DOES DESERVE BETTER ....a real talent it would appear, at risk of having his confidence battered by a lazy past it centre who will leave him to do all the defending.

Watkins is our future left centre....so why hold him back in favour of sentiment ?

I always did acknowledge it where we differed was who/where the "re-build" took place and which youngsters played etc etc.

because senior can actually defend?

this he's playing on the wrong side is total crap!! heck lee smith is a fullback but he would of stopped both those tries.

Where was he when Wellens scored or when Shenton outjumped Hall??
The meli try was a mismatch that close to the line and which other trys were Watkins fault?
I did'nt see yer post praising him last week for his defensive efforts or quality play with the ball so does that indicate your on a witch hunt to blame a kid for a teams failings?.

his out the back flick is becoming predictable....it won't be long before it starts getting picked off

He’s young and impetuous, trying the things he got away with in the Academy which only occasionally come off at SL level.
He has bags of potential and once he’s learnt what his limitations are he’ll be worth all the mistakes he’s currently making.

There's more chance of him joining BJB in suffering another extensive injury lay-off than learning how to defend properly.

I hate the fact that he goes for the flashy flicks when a normal pass would suffice. His carry of the ball is loose and he also seems to feel the need to unload it when it's blatantly not on. If we can channel his potential there is a future International in there, but I fear without the correct guidance he'll turn into a show pony.

I think that Lee Smith, even on post RU form which has been uninspiring to say the least, is a better centre than either of the 2 on show last night.

how tall is he?....what would he look like 15-20kg heavier?



it's a really bugbare with me that our england 3/4's,while a similar height, are nowhere near the same weight as the aussies and kiwis... it annoys me that kids roughly the same height and weight as the likes of inglis & hodges get shunted into the 2nd row...my mates 17 year old son is at huddersfield (nathan mason), he's 6'5",lean,athletic and quick...he's every bit the 'down under style' we need...but he's stuckin the 2nd row...its wrong!

We have a 6'3" second rower stuck at left centre.