Absolutely spot on there old boy, Catalan Dragons are a classic example and Castleford to a lesser extent of making the top eight through home wins.

Can't believe people think Tansey and Hall are super league quality

Hall again showed at Fev and against the Yowies that he is our only creative outside back, we have some strong runners but zero creativity. So who ever we play in the centres can run hard etc but against SL they will not create an opening. Whether you like it or not Tansey is the second most creative outside back we have.

Can't believe people like you think Hall isn't - you clearly can't judge ability.

If you were to say he's lazy, erratic or lacking guts and determination I'd agree. However if you are talking quality then you're a million miles off. He's not just the most naturally gifted and intelligent footballers at our club he's one of the potentially best in SL. However he's a problem player, for whatever reason he just can't or won't perform consistently - nor will he rise to the occasion and take responsibility as a senior player should. Sport is full of such individuals and 20 years ago Hall might just have got away with it - the enigmatic genius - nowadays for better or worse those players are not tolerated.

If Brian Smith could unlock the potential even just for a season we'd have one of the best in SL on our books - however it's pretty much a waste of time IMHO as the die is cast in this case. Sad really really but HKR knew what they were doing when they dumped him.

Tansey is a shirt filler - may get a little burst out of him and he's fairly versatile - SL class? Bottom end perhaps so he's where he belongs.

I've just realised the Hall you are referring to is Craig. I didn't know HKR had dropped him. I agree with Vasty, an outstanding talent. Why he doesn't produce consistently is a mystery. He doesn't strike me as the arrogant, unfit wayward genius. Just laziness I guess.

I'm not sure it's laziness but he certainly isn't producing what he should.
Laziness isn't very solvable so I hope there is more to it. If he isn't inspired by his own potential by now he isn't going to be, no matter how good Smith is.

He reminds me of a guy I used to play with. He was a stand off and pretty much if the ball didn't hit him in the chest he would just let it go. He'd then watch as some other mug got a kick in the head trying to fall on the loose ball and then blame the passer. He was the most skilful SO we had, but I'd rather have the guy who would break his neck trying to get the ball for the sake of the whole team. I think it was an ego thing where he thought someone else should take the hit instead of him.
Nice guy off the field too and he wasn't lazy. Just his style.
When you put him with a scrum half who could manage him and gave him crisp passes he was outstanding.

I'm not saying for certain he is lazy I was suggesting had he put that I'd have found it hard to argue against on the evidence of last season - even taking injuries into account. What I was saying was that IMHO his ability level is beyond doubt - sadly by itself that doesn't make you a great player.

I agree with you.
The evidence on field has shown sometimes that he just isn't bothered and it really bugs me to the point where I would n't pick him. But when you see him do it right, he needs to play.
It's a dilemma.

I think "enigmatic genius" is probably pushing it a bit. Very talented, yes, but I wouldn't go as far as that. He's a similar type of player to Stefan Ratchford, but Ratchford puts in a bit of extra fight, and even Ratchford wouldn't make the international side. In a side like ours, he has the chance to shine, because he's not competing for attention against superstars. I'm disappointed that he hasn't taken the opportunity to do so, because in recent years it wouldn't have taken much.

Come on Slugger I hope for better from you, it seems to be take it literally day today

I meant that's the title he might have got 20 years ago not now! Every team had one - easier pickings for that kind of player in those days when they could often dominate a low key game. Doesn't happen now hence my opinion it's a waste of time.

Doesn't however devalue his talent just his effectiveness.

You need to keep up, he Was a Wakefield player all of last season, having signed in the previous close season.
Had a decent pre season and went ok for our first couple of games but certainly didn't seem to want the FB role that was given to him.

I remember James Webster joking that he'd never seen Hall make a tackle, words that came back to haunt him and after several games of "turnstile" defence, Hall was dropped and remained out of the team for pretty much the rest of the season.
Again, he's showed up in a couple of the pre season games and hopefully he can give Smith some options.

My bad. I'll have to make a point to watch more of the lower teams......

When Hall arrived i thought he would be a very good signing, unfortunately things didnt pan out too well for him last season although there were still flashes of his potential prior to his disappearance from the team.
Perhaps we expected too much from him?,having generally played on the wing or centre we chose to try him at full back and stand off and he just didnt cut it there. Maybe trying him back in a more familiar role may bring out the best in Craig Hall.

I hope he can find some form as he is a genuinely exiting player who represents a danger from anywhere on the field, and there are not a lot of people like that around, let alone at the club.

Don't recall him playing stand off, which is a shame because that's might be where he belongs.

I always thought SO or LF were his natural positions. More of a classic LF, granted, than the current vogue.