Wilkin, not for the first time, was our top tackler. He missed 5 of 39 (13%), but there were plenty who attempted fewer tackles and had a higher miss rate: Dawson missed 33% of his, McDonnell 40%, Turner 42%, Walsh 25%, Walmsley 15%. So, while I agree that our defence looks ineffective and that one factor in that ineffectiveness is poor tackling, it's odd to pick out Wilkin as a particular offender.

Maybe I'm the odd one out but I enjoyed Fridays game.

I don't expect to see free flowing rugby on a wet windy evening in March.

It was a tight evenly fought game of rugby where the result was in doubt until the last minute and I think it's fair to say that if Roberts had stayed on the result may have been different, but that's rugby.

Yes players miss tackles but sometimes you have to credit the opposition.

I preferred the shape of the team in the second half with Turner at centre and Fages in the half backs, in this case the change was caused by Swifts injury but maybe Fages is best used as a second half sub to run at tired legs.


Maybe I'm a glass half-full type of guy

The stats haven't shown it, but he gave away a penalty on the 5th tackle for lying on around the half way line, myself and half a dozen others were cursing him for doing it as it just piggy backed Cas up the field. LMS is one of our worse offenders in the team for it.

Don't think the stats are right for Amor either, he missed 4 tackles, 2 of them when he rushed out of the defensive line grabbed and missed and he also failed on both occasions for Castlefords 1st and 3rd try.

Cas's first try was caused because Vea slipped when coming off the line, Amor tried to cover from marker but got stood up as a result. the third try came about because Amor came off the line and Vea didnt.

LMS is frustrating with his penalties, and is seemingly offering ever decreasing returns.

Wilkin, regardless of percentages, is 4th for missed tackles across the whole of the SL.

Our entire back row needs a shake up imo.

Amor got through mountain of work in first 20 mins. He was taking it in 2 times in each set at times

Does anyone know the extent of Swift's injury? The lad has been fantastic for us in my opinion. He's probably the only one in the team I would back to go full length of the pitch from broken play, has great footwork, defence and an excellent attitude IMO and I love how he never gives up a lost cause, cutting across field to make sure an opposition player can only score in the corner at the very worst.

I've said all last year and this year that our backrow can't tackle. You can't knock Vea and Wilkin for effort in defence but they miss far to many tackles.

If the stats are right, Cas made 5 clean breaks in the match. Did the majority come either side of Wilkin? I'm asking a real question since I was not at the match.

But one cannot judge the significance of Wilkin's position in that table without knowing what the percentages are; though I accept the point that's been made many times on these boards that the stats do not show the nature of the misses, either in terms of field position or in terms of the ebb and flow of the match.

I think Amor and Vea tend to miss the most tackles as they're out there for long periods of time.

We run Vea especially into the ground playing 80 mins week in, week out, taking 15-20 carries per game (sometimes more). I think missing tackles are a consequence of this. I'd like to see Vea, LMS and Greenwood interchanging with none of them doing more than 60 mins at a time. Let Wilkin direct us round the pitch at 13. Tasi/Thompson, Walmsley, Savelio and Amor as props. I'm happy with Wilkin playing 80 mins as he's more of a pivot than a metre maker.

m.sthelensreporter.co.uk/sport/s ... -1-7768962 He's just the biggest excuse man now. Not playing attractive rugby because of the salary cap? I've heard it all now

m.sthelensreporter.co.uk/sport/s ... -1-7768962 He's just the biggest excuse man now. Not playing attractive rugby because of the salary cap? I've heard it all now

If he is up against the salary cap, then from what I've seen so far, he is overpaying a lot of players.