www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Phel ... 5382193.jp He's asked Rads for some one on one coaching to help him cement the fullback position. I think he's got a shot at making it his own long term tbh. He's got the basics like pace and a catching ability under the high and low ball and one of his best assests in the position is his bravery. If Rads can just work on his positiong and timing when chiming into the attacking line i think he'll do very well long term. I'd give him a new deal because if nothing else the lad looks like he actually gives a s*it which is more then can be said of some others.

www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Phel ... 5382193.jp He's asked Rads for some one on one coaching to help him cement the fullback position. I think he's got a shot at making it his own long term tbh. He's got the basics like pace and a catching ability under the high and low ball and one of his best assests in the position is his bravery. If Rads can just work on his positiong and timing when chiming into the attacking line i think he'll do very well long term. I'd give him a new deal because if nothing else the lad looks like he actually gives a s*it which is more then can be said of some others.

Surely you have a fullback in the academy with the potential to be much better than this guy?

We have Phil Vievers son Josh but i'm not sure how good he actually is.

I like Phelps and ever since he's moved to fullback he's done a very good job and looks to have finally found a position.

I think the good thing is he has alot of improvment in him as he comes to grips with the position.

To be honest I think Rads should take Ainscough to one side and help him with his catching, and this is not an attack on Ainscough, but if you have the expertise of someone like Kris you must use him

Good lad Phelpsy! Can you imagine how much support the fans would be giving him if he was from Norley Hall?

Hopefully we'll see the advantage of having somebody on the coaching staff the lads 'respect' in their preformences on the field and in the way they iron out their weaknesses.

You'd expect the head coach would help them out but he prefares to point out the weakness without actually doing much about it.

Hang on a minute. In the season ticket thread you said this in response to Jack Kerley

So you were saying if we get rid of those three that's three less average Aussies, now you are on about giving one of those average Aussies a new deal!

You also went on to say next"We've got the chance to cut alot of deadwood from our squad next year but if Lenagan keeps replacing them with cheap, average jo's like Roberts and Riddell we're going nowhere. "
'"

IMO Vievers has what it takes to become our future, regular fullback.

He's a great attacking player and is fearless when it comes to taking that high ball or putting his body on the line.

He's not quite ready yet, but he will be eventually.

To be fair to Phelps his name just popped into my head as an average Aussie which at the moment he probably is but like i say at least he seems to give a toss and can improve by playing in a settled position.

He's also pretty cheap which would be another reason to keep him on if theres nobody of a better quality available or if they want to spend the cap space on other positions(which i presume they do).

As for Ainscough the retention of Phelps wouldn't have to be the end of his first team chances if only we have a coach that picks on form!

Ainscough or Roberts on 2009 form? Ainscough by streets under a coach that picks on form but we don't have a guy that does that.

I'm unsure on this. I like Phelps - his workrate, his effort, he chimes into the line and has decent handling skills. With a bit more work on his defensive qualities - yes he could be a pretty good fullback.

However logic would dictate that we should release him, move Roberts to fullback and bring Ainscough in fulltime next year.

Thats encouraging to hear.

Without knowing a great deal about it him it's hard to judge but at the moment i'd still fancy keeping Phelps on for another season.

I want to see that Roberts actually has a passion to play the game before we move him to fullback.

He doesn't work hard enough even from the wing at the minute so i'm not sure i'd trust him to play fullback where he'd have to cover massive amounts of ground.

Phelps seems to have a pretty good attitude, but, as Dave O says, that isn't really enough.

If we want to improve, we have to find - either by producing them ourselves or signing - better quality players. It's not the lad's fault that he's not the standard we require.

He also has the problem of being an Aussie, and, as the quota is going to start kicking in soon, that means the only Aussies we have must be really worth their place.

I can't see us keeping Phelps. But he certainly tries, which, yes, is more than you can say for a lot of the others.

You meed to trust your subconscious instincts.

I think he does give a toss and he clearly wants to do well here and that is commendable but he is still average and taking up cap space.

It's a ruthless world professional RL and sometimes nice guys have to leave to improve the team. For him he is just unlucky he happens to be out of contract now and we need he wage, whatever it is, to put towards other players.

I am of course assuming we are looking to recruit and he Phepls by being one of the few off contract players is in the firing line to miss out. If he was already a really good player he could be one of those five class overseas players IL reckons should be our overseas contingent but he doesn't really fit that bill IMO.



Well who is the coach next year has a lot to do with it obviously and if Noble is still here Ainscough may as well leave if we keep Phelps IMO.

Dave

If Josh is half as good as his dad then he will be twice the player Phelps is!