Exactly. I've pointed this out time and again to the guys I go to home games with (and no doubt will have to again on Saturday). You don't see Cunningham running 20 yards with the ball very often but you see him distribute fast accurate ball and help build a platform for and jug ears.

As Rogues said earlier, Piggy was limping after 5 minutes at Hull and went off. I was surprised to see him come back. Give the lad time and his class will show through.

We won't go there...

Haven't seen that for a while.... Dave, Lee, over to you gents

Mark Riddell hasn't lived upto expectations so far but a few things need to be taken into consideration-

1-he's settling into a new country

2-he's settling into a new team

3- The teams struggling for confidence

4-He's rumoured to be playing with an injury picked up on pre season

with all those things taken into consideration I can't believe that some people are so quick to stick the knife in. I learned my lesson on writing players off too soon with Pat Richards and will never fall into that trap again.

He'll come good because he has too many skills not to IMO.

The problem with that is two fold. Firstly Eddie knows nothing about RL and second he is so biased to his "favourites" Higham, McGuire, Cullen etc is spoils his commentary.

I think Craig Smith would a better example of a player taking time to settle, came with a deserved big rep but didn't live up to it at first ,think he picked an ankle injury early on is wigan career as well . But unlike Richards he didn't have to play in a new position and both turned out great players for wigan , which is my hope for Riddell he can be class i remember him playing for st george and was impressed by him then .

Cracking example.

Smith was very quiet for his first full season bar the odd big game because he was carrying an injury.

Once he shuck that off he was awesome.

Thanks someone with some brains. Most people struggle at first when they go abroad into any job, it must be even harder in sport with new people and teamates around you. Seriously how many players walk into a team from overseas and make a difference straight away?

5) His kench is bigger than mine.

It is worth repeating that only number 4 should be taken into account.

It is quite simple, injury is the only excuse Riddell should be permitted for his poor start.

We have brought over in Riddell as an experienced NRL player so given his experience and position at hooker then if he is fit he should be right up to speed by now and be part of the solution to a team struggling for confidence, not part of the problem.

All this he is in a new country stuff is not good enough. People travel to work all the time and no one forced him to come here. He isn't some wet behind the ears kid but someone in his late twenties.

The way some people go on you would think leaving the boundaries of Wigan borough was a traumatic experience!

Dave

Its not. But entering them is

It is if you get stuck in the one way system

Didn't Ridell also have an op at the end of the NRL season and so miss a lot of pre-season work? I am sure that will have some impact as well.