Cardiss was unfortunate because his game was built around pace and injuries ebbed that away from him while he was still young. He was quite small for a fullback - that was always the question mark over him when he was talked of as a GB fullback early in his career (remember when Halifax were briefly a force under John Pendlebury). He was an electric kick returner and he could chase down breaking players across the field. We signed him when he was about 26, and he had already lost the edge of his pace, and he was not as effective. He ended up being a bit of a journeyman player.

If Ashton is like a young Cardiss, and avoids injuries, I'd be very happy.

Wouldn’t want to be the one making the call. You’d think Ratchford, Widdop, Austin would get the nod but he could make it a tough decision if he carries on vs saints.

Maybe Price would look to utilise him off the bench like he did with Mamo last year?

Cardiss was poor, Ashton isn't.

Looks like a total star. Cant believe how composed he was considering his inexperience. Looks a cracking signing already.

He does seem like a gem of a player.

There’s great hope for the future with diamonds like this in the amateur games....

Cardiss was one of the most dangerous fullbacks in SL for about 4 seasons.
Ashton has played one game.

We were all saying Rhys Evans was going to be a star after his first few games too....it pays to reserve judgement and wait to see a decent sample size.

I agree about getting over excited about Ashton too soon.

He had a great game, looks the part, admittedly in one match (but it was a big one) but talk of him ousting Ratchford for him to oust King and King to take Currie's spot in SR or him taking Charnley's wing is a little premature IMO this season.

I've no idea how long Widdop is out for, but his return to action will all things being equal give us an idea of Price's first choice back line Ashton will give us options and more than adequate cover anything beyond that is a massive bonus for now. Thewlis also looked decent on limited viewings so it bodes well in squad terms and pushing for starting places perhaps for next year

Spot on. There’s such hype about players after a few games and it does them no favours at all.

I don't think you can justify replacing a world class fullback in Ratchford with a kid who has played a couple of decent games?

If you've seen the latest Video of MA then he's got a big future ahead of him. not scared to tackle anything it seems!

Where is that video?

I'm wondering what type of 'video' moving on is referring to...

He is in a different league to where Rhys Evans was plus the reigning Championship player of the year. I don't think this is false hype. His pace will terrify defences. But he is only a young lad and needs to be managed carefully.

Well one important difference is, Ashton has come up through the Championship rather than been a star in the Academy. Which means he's produced against experienced pros not just his own age group, and may suggest he's more hardened to deal with being tested in SL.

For a fullback and winger the big test will be when other teams start targeting him - how many bright young pacey outside backs have looked the part until that happened. Remember Marcus St Hilaire in Graham Murray's Leeds team - people thought he would be Jason Robinson-esque, till he started getting tested and looked shaky. Kevin Penny also struggled when he became a target.

One thing Ashton has probably had in the Championship that he wouldn't have had in the Academy, is having wisened old pros wanting to test his mettle under pressure, especially once he started building a reputation last year, I bet some Championship players thought, we'll sort this kid out. He will have played away at grounds with people shouting abuse at him from close range. So hopefully he will be better equipped when the tests come his way.

But if he does have some ropey games I would just take it in our stride in terms of expectations. I remember a young Darren Lockyer and young Matt Rogers having some howler mistakes in big games when they first started out.