That's a good point. Wello isn't getting the criticism from other people he was a couple of years ago when he dropping every bomb that went his way, simply because he's now not even reaching them. It's the same with tries, in the good old days at KR, he have made try saving tackles almost every game and certainly every big game. Now a Wellens tackle is a rare occurance, again because he doesn't get there anymore.

I would LOVE someone to do an analysis of the tries we've conceded this season and where Wello was when it happened. He almost always arrives at the scene as the try scorer is getting up, and takes it out on the referee. The mindless Saints fans then don't see him miss a tackle, so don't put a black mark in his book.

For people who reckon Wellens is NOT an attacking full back:

Wellens this season:
Is the clubs highest try scorer
Is the clubs highest for tackle busts.
Is in second place to Meli for clean breaks.

And for consistency he has scored 210 career tries as well.

Have you compared those stats to other fullbacks in superleague?

He is bound to be our highest try scorer. He never passes out within the 20 until he scores one himself. On one occasion I counted three of his failed attempts to cross the line in one match when had he passed the ball instead of trying for the line himself we would likely have scored. He scored eventually but meanwhile potentially deprived the team of three tries. He does this in each match, although not necessarily to the same degree. It drives me nuts sometimes when I'm watching because he is putting the result at risk.

Yes, by comparison on attributes he is the 4th best full back in super league behind Tomkins - Hardaker - Eden, very close to 3rd place Eden.

Failed attempts you could say that for quite a few players, but as rightly pointed out by other posters he has taken on extra responsibility due to our half backs deficiency. I think people are clutching at straws to try and justify his de selection when in reality at the moment he is still the best option at full back, sooner or later if it be Makinson or Swift for No 1, it will be done at risk which we can ill afford until the cavalry arrives.

There was a 2nd part to that post of mine.

That would be Eden who is in his debut year? Hardaker too (at fullback anyway).




Really? I seem to remember Makinson did fine at fullback in the Grand Final. In fact, we were winning while he was playing there. I rather think you underestimate Makinson.

I think we are being left behind.

I watch when we do our shift play (you know, the only one we have), and most times, Wello has no option but to keep hold. Lomas and Hohoia don't take the ball to the line (Leuluia, Finch and Tomkins have this down to a fine art), so we are easy to read. The edge defence can move up, knowing who they marking - meaning should Wello pass, the centre would get clobbered, or even worse intercepted. When he has time and space, he does pass, and create tries.

I'm not saying he makes the right decision all of the time, but a lot of the time, keeping hold is his ONLY option. For me, Lomax is far, far worse at decision making - he does his little kick step and takes the line on when a pass out wide would be a better option.

That's what it comes down to for me. I love Wellens the player. I rate his commitment to our cause to be the most I've seen since I've been watching the game. He is capable of playing at this level. However we are competing at a level which highlights his attacking weaknesses in a time when the full back position needs faster, more agile input from its occupant. Is it a coincidence that the three teams who have consistently caused us problems over the past three years (the time period during which this issue has become more prominent) all have had full backs faster than ours i.e. Pies, Wire, Leeds.

The role of the full back has changed and Wellens has certainly developed his game over the years. He can play the role well but he is not improving each year and he certainly isn't getting quicker or more mobile. Most people would say that, at best, he's stayed the same on those two attributes for about these past three years.

That's a key point for those of arguing for a faster option. Look at Wellens' return and then imagine how many more we could have with a speedier/more agile option. Despite playing very well on Friday there were more than a couple of occasions that Wellens was getting the ball too far away from the defensive line for his level of speed. It means that when he hits the defensive line they've had that extra half second or so to move across thereby negating any advantage our dummy runners/misdirection moves make closer to the middle. Tomkins, Hodgson and even Webb don't afford the same opportunity for defenders.

Nobody is saying Wellens can't produce. What we are saying is that a faster player would be more beneficial to the overall pattern of our attacking play.



This used to be the best aspect of Wellens' play for me. Certainly he was the best returning full back in the league for a few years because he would often break the first tackle. He does this a lot less now and although I agree with your view that he gives us time to regroup, I also think his slower speed i.e. retrieving the ball, turning, returning, means that we lose out either via a lesser return or poorer position i.e. any kick that goes past him is horrible for us.

Being a stats-man, I thought'd I'd have a look at this. To give it a bit of context, you need to have a look at the number of carries Wellens makes, he has carried the ball 383 times, for 2312 metres (6m per carry), the following have a better m/carry; Meli 9.2, Solioa 6.9, Makinson 7.6, Laffranchi 7.4, Jones 7.1, Flannery 6.1, Shenton 6.6, Swift 8.7, Dixo, 7.4, Wheeler 7.3, Puletua 8.2, Flanagan 6.2, Clough 8, Perry 7. When you think Wello generally has 10m or so without any defender in front of him. His tries per carry is pretty comparable to the rest of the squad also.

If you just look at the metres per carry for the rest of the league, Hardaker 7.7, Eden 8, Tomkins 7.4, Mathers 5.8, Ratchford 8.3, Hodgson 6.5, S Briscoe 5.8, T Briscoe 8.6

McLennan - You make some interesting observations - most of which I have no issues with at all - my issue at this time is the way that some people want to rip the side apart just to replace Wellens at fullback.

Is his star on the wane - absolutely. Do we have anyone who is accomplished enough to replace him for the end of this season - the answer to that is no, we have some prospects but right now playing them at fullback would reduce the effectiveness of the team as a whole.

I think it was time about 12 months ago to find a replacement for Wellens - but the method to do that wasnt to remove him from the team, but more about getting his replacement up to speed so any transition is smooth. So Wellens works with him on the parts that only he can teach, but working with the coaches and the half backs to enable the team to also change their style.

Since we have changed coaches in that time and Rush has had to stabalise rather than change things I dont know if that transition was ever on the table.
What I do know is that he is still good enough to play fullback and better than most, if we are going to replace him IMO it will be done one of two ways. We identify his successor and work on the transition over the next 12 months or Wellens gets injured and we happen across a player who can fill that role and then work on the finer points.
Somebody mentioned the quality of the ball to him - usually from the halfbacks - do you think that your point about the defenders having more time to deal with his threat is down to the fact that certainly one halfback doesnt seem to take on the line? Speed would certainly help to negate this but so would a better halfback.

Something that has heaped frustration on this topic is that Wellens is very rarely injured and when he was at the beginning of the season (2 games, I think), we were not a team that was functioning very well at all. So, these arguments that we have, that player X,Y or Z would be more constructive are practically 100% conjecture.

If Wello had needed a 2-3 week break this season since Rush took over, then perhaps we'd have a bit more clarity on the subject.

I do vaugley remember that when Eastmond stepped into #1 last year we were, at least going forward, a much more dangerous proposition.