Charnley comes across as someone who is very frustrated and then reverts to that deplorable “trapping” tactic

I was as impressed as anyone by Ashton's first game and it wasn't an easy game to make a debut in.

I am not sure shifting the entire team around to accommodate him is right though, Ratchford is (alongside Clark) our most consistent and potent attacking threat.

Very impresed with Matty Ashton, but let's not forget - it's one game (ok 2 if you include the testimonial).
I'll reserve judgment until end of round 3.

King is defensively excellent but is far too slow to play in the centre. Best game I saw him have for wire was when he got shifted to second row where his lack of pace isn't a problem. Ratchford in centre, king to second row in place of Currie would be my choice.

One thing I think we could learn from the NFL is the approach to bringing through (and judging) young players. It's about the media and fans not just coaches.

In the NFL, when a rookie comes on the scene they are generally seen as a project over time. Rookie year they are expected to be raw and make mistakes, they are given managed game time. They might be removed from some situations and its not seen as a big thing. Then their game time increases in year two and usually its around year three when the talented players have their 'break out' year and establish themselves. Fans/media tend to reserve judgement on whether a player is 'legit', a 'bust' or 'just a guy' till about year 3.

In the UK though the mentality seems to be different. If a rookie player is in and out of the side (to be expected when he's competing with established players), it is seen as a negative on the coaches: "his confidence is being ruined by this cycle of being picked/dropped/sent on loan". We always want rookies to do well but then once they are in the side we expect that to be it and them to be starters.

There's also a boom-bust cycle with rugby league fans where we are too quick to overhype young players when they first come on the scene, but then are quick to turn on them and write them off as busts. Kevin Penny being the classic example - after half a season he was being compared to Martin Offiah. Obviously when expectations are set that high there's going to be a backlash, and everyone was quick to pile on with 'lol, and they think this guy is the new Offiah...'. It creates an environment which is very hard for young players. Especially because there is often a 'second season dip', when opponents have tape on a player and weaknesses start to be targeted. A lot of young players start brightly then struggle to deal with their first dip.

With Ashton, I would take the NFL approach of seeing him as a 3 year project with a view of saying is he the man to be first choice starting fullback in 2023, and we can plan recruitment/retention decisions around that. I'd be comfortable with him making errors this year and so it should be about giving him some SL gametime, shielding him when necessary, but I don't see the need to have some big immediate controversy about 'Widdop/Ratchford have to prove they have the right to a jersey' - their record has proved that. If at some point Ashton spends long spells out of the team or is sent on loan I wouldn't see that as a negative, it's all part of his development.

What I fear will happen though is there will be a big clamour from the fanbase for Ashton to play every week - suspicion targeted at Price if he doesn't accommodate him in the line up somewhere eg shoving him out on the wing, and then if he goes through a rocky spell he will quickly get treated as the new Matty Russell.

I like the potential of having raw pace from fullback. I always liked Daryl Cardiss at Halifax and was excited when we signed him but injuries had already lessened him by the time he joined. So Ashton is an exciting asset to have, I just think we need to be careful about the timescale we expect from him and view this and next year as a development phase. If he ends up being so good that he is ahead of schedule and quickly establishes himself in SL then great.

He's definitely got it physically, the speed is there. He looks very raw and wasn't making the right runs or linking in properly, but he's got plenty of time to develop that if his long term future is at fullback. He was a centre/winger at Swinton wasn't he?

Very encouraging debut, looking forward to seeing more of Ashton in P&B.

Agree wholeheartedly about Daryl Cardiss. We never saw the best of him, sadly, but he was a great signing and a shame he couldn't deliver for the Wire.

Ashton has made a very impressive start but he's far from the finished article and he needs to be spelled. He'll get plenty of opportunities during the course of the coming year and we'll hopefully see his best over the coming seasons.

Strikes me as a man in a hurry to make up for lost time!

Well he is fast.. hmm where did I leave my coat

Might be a bit selfish here but can’t agree with those advocating caution about playing Matty Ashton. After watching half a season of dull and boring rugby, I want to see someone who can excite and get you out of your seat.
It’s not as if he is a teenager straight from the Academy and has yet to fill out. Of course he will make some mistakes but he will learn fast.
The kick from Austin and the ground he made up was an early indication of how he can used as well as feeding off Widdop and Austin in midfield.
Who dares wins.

people out here looking to wrap a 22 year old in cotton wool and spell him in and out the team.

Absolutely not.

Give him a shirt, give him the confidence and the backing to go out there and be the player he can be.

Get him playing.

The lad backing up half breaks was great to see! Once he gets his running behind our plays sorted we will have some player, ratch to the centres for me when widdop is fit.