Agree, he did a pretty good job under the circumstances. His pass variation looked better than Roby,s, he certainly performed better than the pre match judgement opinions of him.

Just.

Unfair to pass judgement on him in the circumstances. However, I did think any of his short hit up passes were forward (I know everybody passes flat) but that may have been ue to lack of familiarity with his team.

I thought he did alright considering the circumstances.

He isn't a world beater, but he will do a job, and he did just that. His distribution was accurate, and he worked hard up the middle. As he progresses, the more confident he will become, and hopefully we will see him kick on now.

Watching it back his distribution is excellent and his tackling is good. He is never going to be a blockbuster style hooker like Roby but he does the basics thing very well.

Delivered more than expected for me today.

Did we sign Cameron Smith? I'm pretty sure we signed Stuart Howarth myself.

He did ok, problem is we've been spoiled for years now. Dwyer, Cunningham, Higham and Roby all top class players who we've seen at 9 for the past 20 years sadly Howarth isnt in that class

Higham? He's terrible.

He did a good job for us back in the day.

That was then

Pointless signing,he adds nothing.
Very slow distribution to a makeshift scrumhalf onto a makeshift standoff gets you nowhere.
We needed a half so we get rid of one for a very average utility player.
Im not slaging him,he Is what he Is,third choice player at the then bottom placed club.

His distribution was not slow.

He did show promise considering his time with the team, and he coped well. Wigan had the first half, but Saints showed real guts and spirit in the second. Hope next time both teams can put out more representative sides. Did think LMS got away with murder in part two, but what the hell, Saints put up a real good show in the second. Well done!

He's a decent fix until Roby's fit, or as good as we'd ever get mid-season. I'd like to see Speakman get some minutes under his belt against Cas though too.

It was.

Considering he only signed for us on thursday and therefore will be unfamiliar with Saints moves and play, i thought he distributed the ball very well.

Weakness is that he isnt really a dynamic runner around the ruck.

However i have noticed this year that Nathan Brown has been trying to move us away from being a team that is reliant on getting trys through breaks on the back of dummy half scoots, in favour of a more balanced attack.

I say this as having watched Roby this year its noticeable that instead or running relentlessly from dummy half, he has been merely stepping out, making a yard or two forward then passing.

This change of style should give us more options and make us harder to shut down.
It wont be merely a case of stop Roby running and you stop Saints.

I also think that by utilising the halves and fullback more in the attack that will move our game away from the midfield area to the more traditional Saints wide play that we as fans like to see.

His distribution was fine, long passes out wide putting pressure on a sliding defence. He was different from Roby maybe people are judging him on Roby,s style of play.
It was noticable as Chairmaker mentioned, Howarth was moving the ball away from the midfield area giving a little bit more space out wide resulting in a faster offensive play.

It was slow, Its as if has to double pump every time he trys to pass. As I said I aint slagging him he Is what he Is.
Dissapointed he hasnt put Speakman In on Monday,now he has got a crisp pass.

Agreed.

He did well and passing was accurate with width.

It was noticeable on kick plays service was slow and Wilkin had two or three players in his face as soon as he got the ball.

Mind you it is upto Wilkin and others to do some thing different. Drop deeper , vary the kickers position etc.

In some senses he looked a little out of place passing into the bread basket rather than
the typical behind the runner , round the ankles / head of many of his team mates.

Howarth isn't injured though. You won't get Saints actively phasing in a young player. They will only play when there are injuries.

I honestly don't know where you have got this idea from!

Of course it was. His longer passes were accurate and crisp but his general speed off the floor was too slow

I think people are just confusing each other here.

He took a while to get the ball of the floor but when put the pass out it was very accurate and had some real pace on it.

Exactly, his speed af pass was excellent, the long distance and accuracy of pass was something we have not seen consistently this year. If he does the same tomorrow our outside backs will have more time and space on a lesser effecient sliding defence.

I don't see why? It's not a difficult concept.

If you want to see a slow distribution you should just watch Hohaia from dummy half.