Vaughan is currently 4th highest meter maker in SL with an average gain of 8.87m and that is as a prop forward. What a signing he is. The man is a machine.

Hat's off to Dufty too.

SL #1 meter maker
SL #1 highest carries
SL #1 highest tackle busts

Mention in dispatches for King too #6 for meters, #3 for carries, #5 for tackle busts. He is a much better player than when he left.

Vaughans consistency is excellent and Dufty has started the year very well - Gleeson has clearly been working on making him the focus of our attack and it’s working well.

Currie made 103m and 38 tackles last night - really like him in that 13 position, his distribution at first receiver is excellent, very John Asiata esque taking it to the line and giving good, deep ball to the half’s plus as the stats tend to suggest, he’s putting a shift in too.

Currie is making the #13 shirt his own I think. Far better involvement from him and he is getting stuck in. His crisp handling is a delight.

I'd very much like to marry Paul Vaughan

I was one of the fans that criticised the contract extension for Currie, but I am very happy to admit I was wrong.

His move to the 13 role has transformed his game and makes the most of his talent with his handling skill and footwork.

He has a kicking game too that I recall from his Academy days, which he can develop if he is allowed to stay at loose forward and can be an asset to our attack.

There has been a lot of criticism of different players over the last few years, but maybe we're just seeing the best of them because the coach is more naturally gifted than the coaches we've previously had. Obviously, Burgess is still inexperienced and will make plenty of mistakes as he learns, but I think I'm starting to see why Wayne Bennett raves about him so much. The downside to having a young coach with potential is that he'll be back in the NRL in 18 months. Hopefully he'll leave us in a much better place with a good core of young players.

Sorry to derail from the thread title but where is Fitzgibbon in these stats? That man is running lines I've not see for a while. He turn on impact to look for a controlled offload is great to watch and he's got the tenacity in his runs too, not just there as a "dummy runner".

If ratticus is marrying Vaughan, I'll take Lachlan on a couple of dates at least

Happy to agree (again) Boss. There was no doubting Currie's skill as an RL Player.

Were we as fanbase quick to criticise based on that outstanding pre injury form? I get the impression that he's more comfortable with himself physically and the shift in position really suits him.

Yes I have been critical too, and I think he has deserved it to be honest. When all was going to last season he was anonymous.
But he has had a very strong 4 games this season. 3 years is still too long a contract (surely 2 + option) would have done the job.

Quote ="Philth"Sorry to derail from the thread title but where is Fitzgibbon in these stats? That man is running lines I've not see for a while. He turn on impact to look for a controlled offload is great to watch and he's got the tenacity in his runs too, not just there as a "dummy runner". '" https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/19 ... fitzgibbon

Quote ="Philth"Sorry to derail from the thread title but where is Fitzgibbon in these stats? That man is running lines I've not see for a while. He turn on impact to look for a controlled offload is great to watch and he's got the tenacity in his runs too, not just there as a "dummy runner". '" https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/19 ... fitzgibbon

I was going to let him sleep with the wife after I made them dinner.

Fitzgibbon put himself into a position that won us the game, with a pass that could only had come from playing NRL.
His presence sucked in the cover with a twist that left a stroll in for King.

That move wouldn’t feature Fitzgibbon on any stats, but there was nobody else on the pitch could have done what he did.

He reminds me of a Trent Waterhouse. His size being a presence that allowed him to do good things often without reward to himself or recognition.

I just wish Dufty could jump for a high ball like Steve Hampson, he's way too static and looks like he doesn't fancy it. Other than that, he's decent.

Re Currie.

To me, it's as plain as the nose on your face that he would make "an old fashioned LF", but the trend since the millennium, is to have an auxiliary prop forward packing the scrum.

He has good hands and pace. A modern day Mike Gregory.

It was about 7 seasons ago, plenty was chiming Ratchford to be our 13.
He filled in there a couple of times and looked good.
I spoke with Brian Carney after the game, he said Wire should make him the regular 13, I said ‘not for me,he had a good game, but he is about 14st wet through. Unless he gets around 15st, he’ll not make transition.’

Smugly I haven’t seen him since to get my Chufty badge.

Ratchford would be a superb 13, and Loads on here have said for years on here currie would make a great 13.
Just glad we finally get to see it

I think so far Currie has made a good 13. I always thought he may be too lightweight to be in the pack. So on that basis would do well at centre which he has covered well before.

Last one that had the potential to play that position in that way was Grix (but injuries…). If Currie can add the “dummy kick” to his repertoire that would be sensational.
In truth it is good to see him running direct but with so many more options than a prop would have. Don’t want to get too giddy but is it possible we will see the player we all* believed was in there somewhere?

*ok “some”

So does Nicholson go to 12? And when is he due back? We also have to start squeezing Whitehead in at some point, as he’s an outstanding 13 as well. Good to have these problems though. What better tutelage for a back row forward than that of Burgess?

Nicholson will have to earn his place, I know he’s been hampered by injuries but not sure he’s been pulling up trees in his Wire career so far.