From the little I have seen if him, he is rapid and has both a short passing game and an all around kicking game, none of which will tear up any trees but handy to have the option. Can't comment on him under a high ball or defensively, but let it be said that the standard of full back in the NRL is ridiculously high. Tomkins was scoring tries for fun here, but he looks middle of the bunch in Aus/NZ. Inglis, Dugan, Slater and Coote are a level above Super League, thus I wouldn't let him not being a starter put us off taking a punt on him. If we have cap room and he's up for a short term deal to get in the shop window, we would be mad not to go for it.

Bailey has been injured as super beetle stated. He's also correct that Bailey isn't ready and especially in whats two big games coming up.

Maybe we will have to play the kids on wing and move swifty to fullnack if it's true about Quinlan

If he's still coming, how come we're not announcing it?

Hang on a second. I really don't think the standard of NRL fullbacks is all that high.

Take Greg Inglis for example. Magnificent player going forward. Under a high ball: total liability.

I don't think Matty Smith is up to international standard at half back. But he had Inglis on toast under the high ball. Even Slater is nowhere near the standard that, say, Garry Jack was defensively two decades ago.

Watching the NRL I half wonder whether some unwritten agreement has been struck among coaches not to resort to bombing the fullback because the number of times I've seen supposedly great players completely miss the ball is unreal.

There's a fundamentally different philosophy to the fullback position in Australia. They seem quite willing to accept any old tripe on defence providing he can link into the line well.

Had Inglis and Slater played in SL I'm sure they'd be just as successful. But I don't think either would gain such at fullback. Inglis couldn't get away with some of the blunders he makes over there. No way.

This would be the NRL where Tomkins, who was generally known for being pretty solid under the high ball in Super League, has been much more challenged defensively?
The standard of fullback is higher than ever in the NRL, because it is now the most important position in the game. Dugan, Slater, Inglis, RTS, Brett Morris, Boyd, Moylan, Brett Stewart are all better fullbacks than Tomkins at the minute, a player who (perhaps next to Wellens) is the best fullback Super League has had.

This doesn't change the fact that NRL fullbacks routinely make a hash of high balls. Or the fact that Inglis looked absolutely terrible in the test series.

It wasn't two years ago when Ben Barba was tearing it up in the NRL. A worse full-back under the high ball I have yet to see!

I have seen it all now.

That inglis is awful. Would much prefer Mcdonnell

Have you been watching the same NRL as me Mugwump? Most fullbacks seem pretty safe under the high ball (except Tomkins!).
To suggest Slater wouldn't be a success as a fullback in the super league is unbelievable considering the guy pretty much defined the role of the modern day fullback. Whereas Inglis is an absolute beast of a player who would score hat tricks most games in Super League against weaker defences. I don't remember G.I. dropping too many when the Rabbitohs beat us in the World Club Challenge


Or maybe you are suggesting that Super League has better quality fullbacks than the names that Saint #1 mentioned or James Tedesco or Lachlan Coote? Are you are basing your opinion based on former NRL fullback Matty Bowen's recent performance against us?

Good heavens if there's one position whereas Australia completely overshadow us (there's more of course) it's full back. The two best full backs we've produced over the past 20 years - Wellens and Radlinski would not have been in their top 5 selections at any given point during their careers....and 5 is being generous.