Quote: leyther_geezer "How on earth can you have a valid opinion about a game you never saw & there wasn't radio coverage either? We was poor in defence all over the park and let a few soft try's in & was clueless in attack especiallly when attacking their line. Duffy needs reverting back to 9 & rotated where he's been used very effectively over the past few years with Nico & move Beswick to 13. We need to be more focused when defending & read the play & Hoppy & Spencer should of been more alert when defending our own try line that try from Kain was soft. Our MOM was Littler & is as consistant as ever. Walt my opinion of Shaw is based on the matches he's collectively played in for us he's good in attack but poor in defence (watch the Batley game) He didn't cost us the game it was a collective effort on that one but I've not seen anything that makes me think he can tackle at all & we have better players that are deserving of their place & McNally deserves his place too after his performances.'"
None of which I disagree with - although I can have a 'valid opinion' on your vitriol surrounding Shaw's performances to date! The result, by all accounts (yours included), was a collective shambles....so to single out one player seems harsh. Maybe Shaw is not going to be a Leigh legend.....but to compare his tackling to that of a 7 year old, and to say he is not fit to wear the shirt........is he really, hand on heart, THAT bad?? Surely one of his coaches at some point during the years - and before the Batley game - would have spotted how bad he was, and advised him on another career choice by now??
We, all of us, have opinions on who are our best 17, and the best places to play them - but we have a paper-thin squad, and uncertainty seems to surround the contractual arrangements for DC's (whether or not we HAVE to play them when fit and available) - so maybe (and I throw this in as a thought to mull over) PR is trying out all his options, and combinations early season, to try and hit on his 'ideal' team, based on what 'constrains' his selection each week.....and as the season unfolds, the best players for each position will eventually fall into place, and he's looking at 'the long game' - being in a position to still be competitive come the business end of the season.....and maybe that 17 could contain a role for Shaw where his defence does not appear as suspect 'cos we've given him time, and worked on his tackling technique (maybe Jimmy T giving him a masterclass?), and he no longer plays on a 'defensively weak' side of the team (the problem we always seemed to have on Nanyn's 'flank'!!) - and maybe, just maybe, we get to see in him what Tony Smith can see??
Just cut the lad some slack is all I'm suggesting!
