Well, it didn't appear to take its toll on Makinson. In fact, he just got better and better and not only that but made that extra effort and displayed that extra skill for his try, which broke our duck in the GF. Not all players are the same. His kick returns got stronger as the season progressed. His confidence grew and his skill grew. He just grew. He shouldn't be held back IMO.


I have to say that is total rubbish. Meli gives big game experience? You're having a larf, surely! We went to pieces when he was on the wing in the GF, as we always do, because Meli is utter rubbish in big games. I wouldn't want any of our young players learning anything from him. In fact, he should have been watching Makinson. Makinson showed him up as a winger, and Makinson hadn't played on the wing prior to playing for the first team.

good post

I think you'll find Howler will be used at hooker at Saints. That appeared to be his best position when he was playing for New Zealand Warriors.
He will probably start from the bench with Roby moving to loose forward, or he could start at half back and move him to hooker as Wigan do with Tommy L.

that would allow us to play Gaskell, and give the forwards more rest time

But surely Gaskell is a young lad and shouldn't be playing first team rugby a lot?

exactly, so we can rotate him with wheeler so neither plays too much!

He made 16 appearances last year, to [iexpect[/i him to back that up this year to play every week would be foolish. The rest of this paragraph has little to do with what I said.



So Meli hasn't played in big games? Hasn't played in World Cups? Give it a rest.

I wouldn't have Wheeler anywhere near half back until he's proved his fitness.

Don't be silly. Like I said, he was improving with each game. That wouldn't happen if it was all getting too much for him! If he is good enough, he is old enough. He is definitely good enough. Gaskell does still need breaks IMO; Makinson does not. It would be foolish to do anything other than have him play in every game. Just as we did with Foster.


Playing in them is one thing, being good enough to pass on anything of any value to younger players is another altogether and it is the latter point which you made (big game experience) which I ridiculed. Meli is not a big game player. He is probably one of our most unreliable players in big games. Personally, I don't want to see him anywhere near another big game.

a bit harsh, he had wigan wrapped up on good friday until his injury

Gaskell got better with each game he played, why is it different for him? He is good enough for first team rugby, however a back line containing Foster, Wheeler, Lomax, Gaskell and Makinson is too inexperienced for my liking. I see no problem with taking one or more of them out of the firing line for the next year or two.



He had no problem at centre in the GF, look at Wigan in 2006ish when they thought they could bin all their experience off and replace them with highly rated youngsters, they set back the careers of the likes of Brown and Robinson. It's a trap we don't want to fall into, and luckily the club doesn't appear to want to.