That's just not true.

Penny was playing really well and he always made good yards, even in the tackle, even when forwards tackle him. He catches high balls well as his leap is fantastic and he's rapid.

He didn't have a bad game early in the season and then just disappeared from the team.

For me as well, Russell brings more to the table than Ratchford at full back. Ratchford's best position is centre. He is no full back. He's no organiser, his defence is weak, his metres from the line are poor, he carries the ball in one hand which drives me nuts and he only every now and again adds to be a third pivot. Play him inside Lineham on the right edge. He can do all that there. In fact, he looked at his best as a utility hooker/third halfback/loose forward whatever he was earlier in the season coming off the bench!

Also from the bench last night we had no go forward and didn't even use Wilde. Bailey and Cox were nowhere to be seen and when Hill and Sims were off the pitch we looked lightweight. Even if Cox isn't a fit man with no spleen or whatever it is that stops him getting fit, a good 10 minutes in each half from him is surely better than 0 minutes from Wilde? And if not where the hell was Baiely who has done really well off the bench?

Russell
Lineham Evans Atkins Penny
Sandow Gidley
Hughes Westerman Currie
Hill Clark Sims

Ratchford Dwyer Westwood Bailey

(Drop Sims to the bench for Dodds when Dodds in back)

Quote: CW8 "Westerman, Hill, currie our top 3 in that order. He looked a bit tired but anonymous is off the mark.'" Stats for the game www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... port/13027

Quote: CW8 "Westerman, Hill, currie our top 3 in that order. He looked a bit tired but anonymous is off the mark.'" Stats for the game www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... port/13027

If Dodds were fit he'd be our starting prop. He's better than Sims. I find him too weak (he's not small, look t the size of him when he squared up to Walmsley) but he doesn't make any metres in the tackle and doesn't make any breaks.

Last night was another example of square pegs in round holes........

Ratchford should be played at centre. He is far more effective and offers more threat. If he's being played at full back to come into the line as an extra pivot then he should get himself into that position more often like Hodgeson did in every game.

Evans is never a winger. He doesn't drop back enough and thus gets caught out of position. If he'd have done what wingers do, and jumped for the last try, it would have been awarded. Lineham or Penny would have scored.

Russell is a full back. He's wasted on the wing. His kick returns are far better than Ratchford's.

Toby King needs to be dropped for the sake of his own confidence. He looked ten-fathoms out of his depth last night. I was watching him though my hands in the 2nd half. Very awkward viewing.

If Gidley isn't fit, play Patton. Or at least have Patton on the bench instead of a 2nd row who doesn't get a minutes game time. I'm still scratching my head ?

With tongue in cheek...
Half the problem. Had he done some attacking he might not need do so much tackling.

And what has Ben Julien done to get the cold shoulder? The few times he has played he couldn't be faulted. I believe Bailey was injured. Every season seems to get stranger at the Wire.

I agree with all except Russell at fb, he may fit that criteria in a pigmy league but not SL.
However he does return a ball well and run well from acting half, which does have its head scratching problem of where to play him.
Wane just got shut because of this problem. If anything he is the main square peg for a round hole in the team. A big good un, always beats a small good un.

Last night was Rhys Evans worse game for us, since he made his first team debut. He was massively out of position for 2 of the Saints tries, & single handedly presented the try opportunities.

He has been very accomplished in the right centre position, & the move to winger is a very strange selection, when other PLAYERS are available to play in that position.

Matt Russell`s form does not justify his continual selection in the starting 13. His strike rate is poor, he is very uncomfortable under the high ball(Such that Kevin Penny was having to move off the wing to catch the high balls for him, in many matches this season), but he does make decent ground from the play the ball. I don`t consider a winger should be selected purely on the basis of the metres he makes from dummy half, this is only one facet of wing play.

Lineham is a complete enigma, & wasn`t even selected for the reserves recently. Has he been suspended by the club, without an announcement to the media?

Did Wilde get on the field last night? I don't recall seeing him. As for Russell, he is like a headless chicken, not a rugby brain in his body. Ratchford has far more ability and nous.

I was really disappointed in Toby King last night, a player I've always admired. Rhys Evans is a centre, would Jack Johnstone(sp) not have been a better option on the wing?

I already commented on the other thread about Wilde not playing and why waste a bench spot

What I don't understand is all the tinkering, especially when TS has moved proven players in their position to other
positions. And I would really like to know why Penny still isn't in the side when he clearly brings more to the table
than anything we have on the wings.

For me, we have been at our best in recent times when Russell is at Fb. Even if he's having some catching trouble,
put Penny back on the wing. He can then sort our wing dilemma out and assist Russell with the catching. The best centre partnership
for me is Atkins and Ratchford and if you pair Ratchford with (a head screwed on) Lineham as previously mentioned, then
Bob's your uncle.

I have to say as well though that in the past few seasons, TS is posing more questions than delivering answers and solutions. With
all the squad investment, I just feel that we should have improved more and capitalized on our early season form. Apart from the odd flashes,
I think we've gone backwards since that promising run in the first 2/3 months (injuries granted).

Last night's performance had fatigue written all over it. Slightly leggy with players not backing up, running lines and providing options for the ball carrier.
Fatigue impacts on concentration and that was evident with passes were off the mark, forward, on the floor etc and loose carries. Some decisions made in defence were hesitant. Giving penalties for crossing is a classic sign that concentration has gone and some of the other penalties we gave away were really soft.
It does sound like I am making excuses but I am prepared to have a go at TS here.
I can only assume that Sam wilde would only have been used if we were 20 points up with 20 mins to go. That smacks of arrogance against a decent saints team. How can a coach whinge about the short turn around and then not use a fresh pair of legs.
There is a massive contradiction here in that why whinge about the turnaround time but then stick a player on the bench that you would not play unless we are comfortably in the lead.
2 out of Philbin, Julien, Wilde, or Penny should have played a decent chunk of that game if TS was so concerned about the players backing up on a 5 day turnaround.

I can only guess that TS asked the players to step up one more time knowing that a 10 day break was coming. Against teams like saints you don't need huge amounts of skill sometimes but you do need a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

I agree 100% but he is damned if does or damned if he doesn't

Hindsight is a wonderful thing

ormsby?

wasn't cutting it, even before the dogs revelation