...and Joel.

I have also been a little disappointed with Asotasi so far although he has put some hits in that seem to hurt the opposition. What surprised me was when I looked at the stats on the SL website yesterday and saw he was our third highest tackler and only two behind Ben Westwood overall.

So he's our Michael McIllorum, he comes on and changes the game by tackling them into submission, just a pity he acts like the worlds worst third pivot.

His body language is all wrong. When Westwood, Wood or Hill take it up you can see the determination, leg drive and sheer desire to break through the tackle. In Asotasi I see none of those things, neither intent, desire nor expectation.

He played in the engine room of the toughest comp in physical sport for a long time, so he clearly has (or had) the qualities we need and expect, so I hope it's a case of him still settling in. However I fear, again based on the way he carries himself, he has subconsciously dropped his performance levels as he now feels he is playing in an inferior competition.

Incidentally, TS has been waxing lyrical about him in the press this week so it seems we have another case of MylerAtkins-syndrome on our hands.

Or just a case of a professional who doesn't need to run around like a headless chicken to make a difference?

Not only do we insist our players put a shift in, but they should do it with a beaming grin on their face?

Not seen him put a shift in to be honest. Does the minimum but definitely not putting a shift in like Hill.

He looked much better than in early rounds. Although he wasn't busting bags of corn, he played quite sensible and put in one sweet pass that resulted in a easy try.
He tackled much and was solid in it.
He warrants to keep his shirt after Huddersfield on that performance and because we have nobody else.

Perhaps were used to the props busting it up like Morley and Carvell all the time. Perhaps he has qualities were not accustomed too as yet.

I'm gonna back off him for a bit and see if he carries on with progression.

Perhaps were expecting more and asking more because we have nothing on the bench.
If he was spelled more with a prop of quality off the bench, then perhaps Asotasi may be more explosive?

I still say we knew start of the seasons we were a quality prop short and how bloody obvious just by loosing one quality prop (Wood) through injury and one (England) who isn't and looks to be the crock I said he'd be.

Is it Asotasi fault were asking too much of him?
It looks to me like a short fall in vision from Tony Smith.

He looks solid enough - especially considering he's only played half a dozen games. The stats seem to back up that he's pulling his weight in defense at least and he makes decent yards (albeit takes less carries than westwood/hill).

Speaking of England, what is the SP on him regarding his disappearance?
Not heard ewt.

It isn't that long ago that some posters were wetting themselves at the prospect of Asotasi being just what the club needed.

Let us not forget a well judged pass can be just as effective as trying to run through a brick wall . Not all props play the same & not all have the same abilities.

Did he not play for Swinton at the weekend?

I dunno.
Is that like a penny move or his he gonna feature at KR?

Maybe we should switch him to scrum half then.

I guess us punters would like to see him busting big holes in the defence or slipping a quality pass just before hitting the line and/or bone crunching defence. One third of each would do me rather than all of one. At minute i havent seen much of any of it, just a couple of good runs here and there and a quality pass leading to a try. If I were him I wouldn't want to be in the shadow of the English forwards. How long did it take the Burgess brothers to make a mark down under?