Agree with both of those assessments.

And if he comes in off his wing looking for work, and some bugger on the other side gets hold of the ball and wings it out wide and past him then folk would be on his back for leaving a gap out wide? Seems to me he is damned whatever he does? Without knowing what Potter's gameplan is, its hard to form an objective view.

I've never bagged Platt, or Sykes, because every crap game I saw them play they gave everything. Both have become internationals on the back of it, with a fraction of the natural ability of Pryce. He should be one of the first names on McBanana's England sheet. Instead he is still stealing a wage based on what he could do, albeit not as blatantly as times in the past.

On Crookes, it would be good to see him stay to see if he can continue his development, otherwise he might come back to haunt us like atkins. However, if he'd gone in the offseason I don't think anyone would have complained. He has had more than his share of injuries and its only the start of this season he started to really show what he's capable of.

If Hull get him its a decent aquisition by them, but he's still a work in progress. If any of our players want to leave you can hardly blame them at the moment, or other clubs for enquiring for that matter. I just hope we can demonstrate to them as a club sooner rather than later that its worth staying with us as we do have the potential for a group of home grown players to develop all at the same time and crookes could be a part of that.

On Pryce, I think he has been a decent player this season, no huge mistakes, takes his chances, I think he is and always has suffered by comparision to the player we all think he should be given his physical attributes and his brother. But thats unfair IMHO, yes he might be able to make more of his skills and phyisicality, but he's doing ok for me this season for the player he actually is at the moment, not the player we all want him to be (some people seem to expect him to be some cross between Newlove and Leon which is unrealisitc).

Why, he has the abilities?

Spot on with that assessment, imo.

For sure Karl isn't ripping it up but he's solid, reliable and makes few mistakes. He's been pretty good under the high ball both in attack and defence. He's doing OK, so why the complaints?

Seems to me whatever Pryce does he wont get credit. He has done his job for me this season.

Regarding Crookes I would keep him however up to this season he has not been SL quality.

You could substitute Crookes for Pryce in the first sentence & Pryce for Crookes in the second.

I thought I made that quite clear Statto.

He has some of the obvious physical and skill abilities, which he uses occationally, but he seems to lack the mental ability/determination/whatever, to join it all together consistantly, which is an ability in its own right IMO. So he is not the complete like Newlove was or as consistantly dangerous or creative in attack as Leon was, but he is still a good super league squad player who has not done much wrong this season despite not being the player he could potentialy be.

Newlove was the complete centre physically but still lacked the mental strength to be an international great IMO.

Pryce has done a decent job so far this season.

I think he gets a lot of bad press because at times his body language isn't the best. He doesn't seem to have the urgency that he needs at certain times.

He has had a lot to live up to because he stood out so much when he was junior and hasn't progressed in the way people would have liked. He's done ok and I would be looking to keep him if the terms were right.

IMO a comparison of Price to Crookes is not the issue, rather the overall squad
A team needs 4 wingers with at least 2 to be highly competent in another position.
ATM we have
Price
Ainscough
Crookes
Kear.
The first three are OOC this year.

If we have no junior player coming through, and we do not sign another, then I would not be surprised if we try to keep them all

in the squad, if Crookes is not in the squad who would you replace him with make the numbers back up to 4 wingers? or which two replacements, as Ainsco has been fourth choice and may decide to go elsewhere next year? Then of course Kearney could be off Kear could becomes FB, three replacements? I would like Crookes and Pryce to get extensions as they all have different attributes, (Pryce knocking several Hudds forwards back on their @rses was one of the highlights of that game for me), so that just leaves Ainsco as a question mark.

If Crookes is not going to be getting guaranteed first team rugby and may have to settle for a squad place then I doubt he would want to re-sign anyway TBH.

I agree ME, that is another possibility, but it doesn't answer my question, who would you replace Crookes with? I dont think theres anyone in the junior squads knocking Potters door down, so it would have to be from outside. Any thoughts?