Agreed.

Doesn't it remind you of a certain Mark Riddell. And isn't it very strange how his detractors beat a hasty retreat.

i was one of Amos' biggest critics in year one.
but how - after last year - anyone can suggest he's a 'liability', 'never been any good', 'another useless Aussie' (all claims i hear at Hudds/Wire games) is beyond me.

he was the BEST player in SL up until the knee injury. up until that, we all saw he was a confidence player.
now many, many fans are doing their best to prevent him gaining any confidence at all

Neither player set the world on fire when they arrived and deserved all the criticise they got. Riddle was very unfit and could not last the pace and Roberts first season was pretty dire for such an established player.

Both players improved markedly particularly when Madge arrived (what a coincidence!) and once they had done that they won a lot of people over and I see no problem in people being sceptical if established players like these two arrive with a big reputations and do not deleiver (which they did not at first). Because Roberts did improve so much he gets the benefit of the doubt (at least) from a lot of people but its also true to say if he never regains that form of early 2010 his time here will have been little better than DV's.

Its a crucial season for him IMO but as I said I thought he looked sharp at the Wire game and so I hope the obsession with Sam at 1 doesn't mean he is a bit part player when Pat returns.

While I take your point, Dave, I think that comparison's unfair - Amos has already had far more outstanding games than DV, just in those first dozen games of 2010.

Correct.

Amos Roberts is a proven match winner. Hes done it before for us and will do it again if people give him chance. Why do people have to criticise players at a match anyway? Even if they are crap/playing crap it wont do us or them any good so what is the point?

In my opinion we should be doing everything we can to help the team win and getting on the back of any player isnt going to help that. The players struggling are the ones that need more support not abuse ffs.

Back to Pat - Is anyone on here going to watch the U20's on Sunday?

I'd disagree with that. Because of his height and stride length he doesn't actually look like he's pacy plus given his other attributes mentioned he doesn't need to use his pace - why run round someone when you can go straight over them

Granted there are quicker wingers out there, Riley, Fox and Amos are three that come to mind, but Pat is a lot quicker than he is given credit for.

Had it been on Sunday I'd have definitely been there. But according to Bilko's site it's tomorrow at 12pm. Unfortunately that's the only time of the day that I'm busy, had it been 2pm I'd have been there in a flash.

Damn shame because I had every intention of going.

Will probably make the 2nd half tomorrow. The lad's got a football match first thing so won't make 12 o'clock.

Well after that first half against Leeds... the sooner he's back the f*cking better



Right hand side defense is a big issue... St George, Warrington and Leeds have all walked in because of the poor defense. Roberts is struggling.

In my opinion, when Pat is back in the first team, he should go to FB and let Sam go to 6.

For two reasons.

1. Sam seems to be becoming too predictable at FB with just a running game and less of a passing/kicking input.

2. Pat, while he might not be the greatest attacking fullback, he is the best in the league at dealing with kicks and is big enough and has the positional awareness to defend at fullback as well as returning the ball like a forward.

I feel the last two games have shown that we are lacking a bit in defence at the back and Pat can provide that. I personally feel that a fully confident Amos is a better fullback than Pat but at the moment he isnt showing that fully.

After a few games the two (Pat and Amos) should swap to a more suitable role for each. but only when both are back up to speed (and confidence). As much as I think Sam suited FB last season, he seems to be missing his unpredictable element this season because he almost seems easier to target by other teams while playing at fullback. After tonights game, Me and other fans watching agreed that Richards to fullback would be a good move in the short term.