the backs are fine, leave them alone.
wtf would you move a 30 try a season winger into the 2nd row

Moving arguably the best winger in the world, and certainly the best in SL into the second row is one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard. It's the half backs who need to create the space for Watkins. OF course a dominant pack would help with this but playing in the second row is much more about the hard grind than being able to set up your centre. Otherwise they'd be playing centre!

It's not helped that BJB isn't exactly a fortress either, certainly our right side is where most of our opponents' tries seem to come from.

I thought Peacock & Leuluai were immense yesterday,and have been for a good few weeks now, but they are old, and we're trying to squeeze more out of them when they've less to give. With Amor coming back, and either McShane or Lunt in permanently next year, as well as Achurch, we do have some young blood.

However, the choice of Keinhorst over Moore or Clarkson, when we were facing a forward battle, was absolutely stupid. He looked like a deer in the headlights and, one step aside, was anonymous.

His handling is way better than Walker's ever was. He is also a more elusive runner I think. He probably isn't quite as strong in the tackle but the biggest problem he has is picking the right man when defending. He seems to get confused & flat footed all the time. I actually thought he looked better earlier in the year when we defended with a half back (McGuire I think) & Sinfield outside him at times so he was 4th in. It involved less decision making. Kev is struggling defensively - I thought he should have got underneath Waterhouse. Our right side defence has been a problem for about 3/4 years now - another which hasn't been rectified.

+1!

A more thorough description of what I was thinking/meaning!

Could all be resolved if Watkins played on the left , potential to be one of the best centres in the world if Leeds played him on the left. Saying that he was badly let down by his inside men today , Leeds back row is a major problem area in defence.

The forwards in general are the problem, but particulary the back 3. And hooker. And the props. Peacock and kylie played well for me yesterday but when they go off, nothing is really offered

Why would he defend any better on the left? He'd probably have less traffic coming at him at most teams go left more than right, but it wouldn't make him a better player. I still thought he outplayed Atkins yesterday who was lucky he had better players around him.

When I see statements like this it makes my blood boil! You can teach almost any player to defend well, you will never in a million years teach a plodder to do what that lad can do. If he was at fault yesterday, the guy to be questioning is the feck wit who is supposed to be teaching him how to play the game within the structure set out for the team.

Steve Renouf couldn't tackle an eighty year old granny when he arrived at Brisbane and yet, a good coach taught him to be the best centre in the world bar none. However, he had the natural talent to start with and Watkins has that too. he just needs someone to work on the basics. if Watkins was a Warrington player, I'd like to bet that he would be lauded as a potential all time great right now.

Is that because being at Warrington has made Atkins a brilliant defender?

Watkins is a cracking player with natural tallent. My issue is not him (I don't think) rather the lack of improvement in defence, which I would put down to the defensive coaching. (unless he has and isn't taking it on board)

But judging by the whole teams defence which seems a bit flimsy will go with the coaching issue

Yep, Chev was a second rower playing centre in my opinion. Watkins is a centre, and is a young centre. There is often a short term cost to playing young players in that they have to learn while playing first team, this is part of that learning curve for Watkins. If we are lucky enough to keep him from serious injuries he'll come good in years to come.
One of the major positives for me in what has been a relatively disappointing season so far has been watching the likes of Hardaker, Watkins & Jones-Bishop. Yes they'll make mistakes, but I'd far rather watch any of those 3 than a defensively sound but dull plodder in attack type player.

Way too harsh on Watkins and Bjb how many times did Wire "over-load" and use cut out passes and dummy runners on their left??
KW and Bjb were often left isolated with 3 on 2 and 4 on 2 with our other defenders mpletely static and not quick enough to read the play or slide across to keep the numbers even and even saying that how many times in the 2nd half did out defensive line move forward to meet the runners rather than stood still trying to 2nd guess their moves??

My comment on Watkins is more about his game in general than specifically about yesterday. He isn't a great defender, no worse than Riley for example though. Our right side defence might be improved by sticking Burrow on that side who does read the game better than most and seems to pick the correct runners