Quote DaveO="DaveO"Massive flaws in his game? Nothing like having to do one of our own junior players down to back up your argument is there!
I am also certainly not getting anything mixed up. I just happen to think you need both skill and experience to inherit a first team half-back slot off Finch or Tommy given we are losing both.
If Powell is considered the junior half back with most ability then unless he gets some experience in 2012 Wane's options are play a completely inexperienced half back and keep Sam at 1 or move Sam to 6 and have a player who has played SL at 1. I think the latter option is better if all we sign as a half back is Smith. At least until the likes of Powell can be given some 1st team game time [iat Wigan [/iplaying to our system. Wane seemingly doesn't think this way which is fine as its obviously his job but that doesn't mean we have to think he has got this one right.'"
Ahh so I'm not allowed to say anything negative about a Wigan player? No opinions allowed whatsoever unless it's positive? You think I'm deliberately criticising Russell purely to prove a point to you? How arrogant is that?
Just watch Russell play! His ability under the high ball is very poor right now and has been for a while, his positioning still isn't good enough for the highest level although one positive is that he does seem fairly strong when making a one on one tackle considering his size.
In attack he's brilliant with ball in hand and has some of the best footwork I've seen from a young player, but when he needs to pass the ball he struggles. It doesn't look like it comes naturally to him which is perhaps understandable for someone who pretty much just danced through defences at academy level.
When joining the attacking line his timing is still off as is his positional sense with when and where to join in.
If you're a fullback who gets nowhere near the ball when the opposition kick high I'd say that's a pretty massive flaw wouldn't you? Certainly if someone is expecting him to be first choice fullback for a team expected to be among the best in the league yet again next season.
Russell is only 19, he's got plenty of time to work on his game and continue to improve but from what I've seen of him so far he's definitely not at the level yet where he can fit into a top side and do well week in week out.
If he starts to show some improvement in his game I may well change my mind. If he starts looking much more confident and composed at Super League level I almost certainly will change my mind but right now I haven't seen anything to convince me that he's got enough about him to be thrown right in at fullback, effectively replacing Tomkins, and make a success of it.
He's got the potential to be a top class player, but not every potential top class player is going to be good enough at the age of 19. Some players take longer to mature as players and even out the weaknesses in their game. I think Russell is still at least a year off being a first team player at least.
As for the last bit, I agree that if Wane is going to rely on Powell next year then he will have to get some first team games this year otherwise it's a big risk and one that's probably asking too much of a young player. Of course Wane might want Mellor to stay at Wigan in which case he'd probably be the most likely player to be used at 6 if we don't sign another halfback.
