You're fighting a losing battle. People love to have a scapegoat and when they find one they focus totally on negatives aspects and fail to see good points.

I've had people call me names for pointing out the fact that he's invariably the one backing up when someone makes a break, or how he gives a short, inside pass for a scoring opportunity [something which no-one else in the squad seems to do], runs across the field ala Cunningham waiting for the correct charging forward to pass to [rarely one there].

True, in the second half of the season opponents did seem to bounce of him - as they did with other, unmentioned players. Yet when he played at FB he was totally solid and sound.

People weren't complaining about him in the first half of the season when his clever play was producing results.

And as Durham says, if you go into a match expecting your halves to be your defensive line then you've already lost.

Perhaps I've got rose-tinted glasses, but Grix is as good as [imost[/i other halves in SL.

Spot on Jools!!!!!

Spot on Jools!!!!!

i like Grixy, i think he's a great squad player BUT i've yet to see anything from him while playing SO that he is creative enough to be a key role player in a wannabe top 4 team. His defence is dodgy but his back up play is good and i prefer him at full-back as when playing SO he almost looks like a rabbit caught in headlights with the ball in hand and usually ends up panicking and throwing it to the nearest teammate which ends up with the attack being quashed.
if he had a little more of a creative tinge to him he would be ideal for this role alas i dont think he has and therefore will continue to struggle playing this position. If it is to be him i hope the coaches really get to work on him and he turns out a completely different prospect next year.

Im with Jools and Ivor.

And Daz, he is a good stand off, but no matter how creative a player is, they can do NOTHING without support players and ball runners.

Hell, Jonathan Thurston would be slated by our fans if he had played for us at the back of last season.

knew he wasnt coming a while ago now

thats why we have gone for seymour and now gaskell

go with grix for next season at stand off and we will fail again.

We didn't fail at the start of the season with him there. That was when our other players were doing their jobs.
Even without signing a new half back- I'm not convinced baloo will play grix there- I have a feeling he doesn't rate Eden as highly as NB and would prefer grix at FB. I just have a sneaky suspicion leroy could well have a new role next season...

at the beginning though i remember saying that even though the team were playing well the attacks seemed to break down near opponents 20m when Grix had it, i guess as the whole team were playing well it kind of covered this up a bit but was ruthlessy exposed at the end.

I've nowt against Grix and wouldn't wanna lose him from the squad i just dont think he will ever be a top class Stand off for us !

Ok Daz

Seriously

Name me ANY other team that has TWO top class halfbacks

Just one.

I'm not saying we should have 2 top class half backs i'm saying in my opinion i dont think grix is agood enough stand-off, he's not a specialist half-back he's a utility player who has been chucked into that position.

QED.

Totally agree with Daz on this, I've noticed too many attacks breakdown on the opps 20m with Grixy, when we should be scoring. Great squad player, better FB than SO IMO, if he does stay SO next season it won't be the end of the world, with a better pack as it looks like we'll have, he would perhaps be more successful. I certainly don't think hes was to blame for the seasons failings though, a scapegoat as some people suggest, I think its just people see his limitations, thats not making anyone a scapegoat. Albeit there is an unfavourable of the month award that seems to get handed out, but hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

But it has been said that who do we get, and thats very true who? I was having a chat with my old man the other day with regards half backs and we both agreed we haven't had a really good combination for a long long time, its SO or HB, but never both. I can't remember one in the last 30 years, just think we we had Costin with Brough, oof! doesn't bare thinking about.

In fact heres a question, who was the last quality half back we had come through the ranks?

Who was the last quality halfback to come through Wigan/warringtons ranks?

Think everyone might be surprised re half backs next year.

surprise us now then