Ooh - some replies from SaintsFan that I can't see thankfully. Let me guess at their contents: "Makinson is perfect and wonderful and is the deserved MoM every game. Meli is the evil spawn of Satan and is the cause of every defeat we ever suffer and utterly useless in every way. Overseas internationals are all abominations against God and Saints would have more success playing random kids or amateurs from Blackbrook and Thatto Heath who would at least show some pride in the shirt instead. etc. etc."

Am I warm?

Enemies? I don't have any enemies on here.

If I've taken your post the wrong way then you could explain it to me in a different way and maybe I will understand better the point you were trying to make. All I can see is a somewhat unfair criticism of a young player who was outstanding tonight.

Then why criticise him for his kick returns? They are such a tiny aspect of the game. They are so unimportant within a match. So long as he gains some yards, surely that is all that matters? And he does that. He was quite effective in doing that tonight, for instance.

Kick returns are not important and only a small part of a wingers game?

Are you having a laugh? Kick returns are vital as they put teams on the front foot giving the team momentum.

If your kick returns are poor, it makes clearing your line so much harder and IS massive part of a wingers game.

I don't see the kick returns of wingers as vital. They help, obviously. Every metre made helps. But as our results testify, they aren't vital (given that neither Meli nor Makinson is strong on kick returns). To me it is the job of the forwards to put the team on the front foot and not the wingers.

But we'll agree to differ on that one.

Kick returns are maybe 50% of a modern winger's game, most definitely so if you're playing in a tight game against tough opposition, and a massive, massive part of a fullback's game too. It is laughable to even attempt to dismiss their importance to a winger's effectiveness. Makinson will never make a top #1, #2 or #5 until he learns to add this vital facet of the game to his nal.

I wondered WTF he was doing when he feined to throw the ball to the 20m line when it hadn't gone dead, but tbh I think that was actually a good bit of play to try and throw doubt into the Wire defenders minds and have them stop the split second he needed to make it out the in-goal.

He's always good for a try or two from mistakes though.

What is your problem with Meli? That he drops a few balls? He is big, powerful, has a bit of pace and within 10 meters of the line is one of the best finishers in the game.

This is the perfect description.


I think last night Meli had alot to thank Jones jones for, he cleared up his big clanger that was a dead cert try for Warrington.

It's one of those things that Jones will have to be aware of in knockout rugby. Every player has their weaknesses and Melis strike is one of those things that makes him a marmite player even with the same person.

I love his go forward, but I also wish I did not have to hold my hands over my eyes on every kick for the last 10 years or so.

I can see the arguement both ways, we replace him then we may gain on kicks, but lose on go forward.

For those who think he is not quality all these people disagree.

Millward, Anderson, Potter, Royce, Rush, Keiron, Bluey.

It says something when everyone of those people given a choice will pick Meli everytime. They know his weakness, but still see the need to keep him in the team for weekly rounds and finals.

Meli had a very good game last night he put a great deal of work in both in defence and attack. Two mistakes? Look around the team and tell me who didnt make any.

Agree alot of the team made mistakes, but how on earth did he have a very good game? i dont think he had a awful game but a very good game is OTT. All i can remeber from him is a few catches off high bombs, in which the ones he caught he was hardly under pressure, and as a winger he should be taking them all the time, also managing to get to stop a drop out in the 1st half.

i dont think Meli is a bad player but i always seem to naturally wince when the ball is either kicked to him or when the opposition attack to his side. Last night you would of thought Josh Jones would of been in super league years with international caps and Meli was inexperienced in the playoff's and in his first full year.

The nature of his mistakes tends to be on the high balls. When Wire played at LP, they killed him with the high balls and they lead directly to tries.

Other players do make errors no doubt, ie Perry.

However the nature of Perry's errors leads to penalties but the team get a chance to cover the error. With errors on the high kicks, the team gets little chance to stop the resulting try. It was just good fortune Jones did what he did to stop the try yesterday.

Like I say he is marmite. I can see the good, but also the tries that result from the bad.

Sorry to interject but I dare say mine and SaintsFan reasoning will be the same here. (*shudders* 4.3681640625:5