Exactly.
Been saying it forever. All Brown has ever wanted was to play behind a strong pack. It's no wonder he was always getting injuries. Trying to go forward by himself.

Where exactly should we be 'looking hard'? The fact is that there are very few high quailty half backs in SL and it's likely that even a straight-back-from-Union Eastmond would be as good as 90% of those playing in that position now. His potential for being much better is high.

With regards to Patton, he came into the team at the back end of 2016 and looked inexperienced but not massively out of place in A LLS winning team. In 17 we made NRL / NSW and ex kangaroo players look bad. We made Brown look bad when Bennet still had faith in him to take him to the world cup so all through last year and the early parts of this season is maybe not a fair reflection of Pattons ability at halfback. He has done ok in short spells at 9 but we still dont know what he can do at 6 or 7 playing in a team that is full of confidence and playing for each other (which they werent until April 1icon_cool.gif. Maybe the spells at hooker could be a longer term plan to toughen him up and for people around him to start to trust him, the forwards can get used to him calling the shots from 9 so that if he does have to drop in at halfback and he will be hearing all the calls from Brown and Roberts. I have not given up on him yet.

This Patton debate would have been super toxic if we had been struggling.

Aussie coach comes in, keeps home grown halfback out of the side in favour of big money Aussie import who is apparently undroppable despite indifferent form, and is now playing him out of position, meanwhile Wigan are apparently set to sign him.

That should have been debate of the year on here!

But a winning team, apparently happy camp has strengthened Price's position amongst the supporters.

Fair post Sally

A more relevant debate might be what is Patton's best position. I've always thought he lacks the pace off the mark to be a top half-back but he's looking like he could be a very decent hooker.

Patten is handy on the bench...much more value than Dwyer had been.
A bench of 3 forwards and Patton will win us the double.

Not sure if the door closes on young Smith now.

I'm finding it difficult to believe that Wigan see Dec Patton as a first choice half-back. Mind you I have been wrong before.

You could argue he's as good as Matty Smith and James L...they are both champion players for Wigan.

I agree, but they do have a habit of developing young talent further. One could also argue that they find it difficult to believe that Warrington see Kyle Eastmond as a first-choice halfback or centre. In both cases, time will tell!

It's strange that some are thinking that Eastmond might play centre in League. He will be being lined up as a Stand Off. He plays centre in Union but that's totally different.
re. Patton ... Wigan will have to be very clever if they can give him extra pace off the mark.

I agree.
I said it before. He needs the extended pre season to condition himself to lose fat. He'll be right come 2019 for hb.
Everyone seems to judge the book by its extra covering.

Why, it's where he ended up for Saints? He was good with the ball at 6 in terms of ability, but when he was with us he was literally terrified of taking the line on. At centre he was dangerous as early ball would give him plenty of room to use his pace. Those who have watched him recently are questioning whether that pace still exists and for me that's what will decide both where he plays and whether he'll be a success.

If he still has pace the logical place for him to play is fullback. It's where he'd be playing if he came through the league system now.

He'll get that pace back when he loses a stone.
....yes I'd play him fb and get Ratchford back at 6.

Ratchford at 6? Quelle suprise....he's fine where he is at the moment IMO, decent under a bomb and joining the attacking on both sides, where previously he, or may be we, went predominantly left.