It's a shame that Chris as been made into a battering ram, Like someone as said he could have been a great Hooker in the mold of Kerion Cunningham but a lot faster what could have been er. Still remember Eden scoring for Cas the other week who was it you chased him all the way back and wasn't far off him But Chris still showing passion for the team.



Up The Trin

Anakins defense was superb against Cas

You can't just make him a hooker

Well no not overnight but with right coach and the right attitude then there's no reason you couldn't make a hooker out of Annakin... but I think the more effective point is how hard Annakin would be to stop from close range picking and going with his power and lower centre of gravity...he doesn't have to play hooker to do that the team have to plan for it though.

You can't just make him a hooker but he's been at the club for nearly a decade so we don't really have that excuse. Unless he's just not savvy enough to be a hooker (I've no idea either way) then I see no reason why he couldn't unless he himself isn't interested.

But that's the point. We have people who are savvy and have played hooker a lot and still aren't good enough for Super League.
Just having a powerful physique is not enough.

You'd be better starting with a savvy brain and taking it to the gym than the other way around.

I also think it's a pity he isn't a hooker but he isn't.
And if he is so powerful near the line like Cunningham, why doesn't he just take the initiative. I don't think I've ever seen him try.

I thought Morton was going to go well. I remember his defence looked really good in those first few games, even though he wasn't the biggest. Then he cost us the cup game against Cas and that was the last we ever really saw of him.

I like Anakin and I know some think he's a prop - I don't because his physique is not as big as his heart . I don't see him as a hooker because I don't really think he would be quick enough around the ruck.
I see him as a 2nd row or loose forward. I think his real potential would be playing out wide where power plays could break through opposing threequarters .

That ship has failed some time since I'm afraid, Annakin had all the right attributes to be a very good hooker unfortunately the coaching staff either lacked the foresight or just did not have a support system to make it happen, had he been at a club with far more coaching facilities he would have had one on one coaching and a greater opportunity to be successful.

That team we are discussing proved beyond any argument they were better than all others, unfortunately after that season unlike clubs like Wigan, Leeds, and Wire most of those individuals had no support and nowhere to go, and because the club lacked the finances to take them to a higher level they just disappeared into the lower leagues where people just perceived that they had found their level.

Including every other SL coach out there? Surely if the clubs you mention had such advanced coaching methodologies, they'd have picked up these young superstars and contuinued their development - and they'd be putting in stellar performances every week, and we'd be rightly annoyed at the missed opportunities? As it is - most have indeed found their level.

Just because a player is not playing in SL does not mean that they have not succeeded, many of that team have had several years as paid RL players in League 1 , Championship etc and that achievement has my respect.

It has mine too - but that's different to seeing each of them as a missed opportunity who would have been the next Sam Tomkins, if not for the shortsightedness of, err, everyone else in RL.

Well surely those clubs I mentioned must have these advanced coaching methodologies you speak of otherwise how come they are turning out these quality young players that they are.

Just to make my point clear once again, I never said that they would turn out as good I just tried to make the point which seems to be lost on you that they were denied the opportunity that were offered to those at the other clubs' mentioned.

Even the top dollar Aussie imports don't put in stellar performances week in week out, so why on earth would you expect expect those what came through our academy to do so, and as for finding their levels, I'm sure you'll agree with me it all comes down to opportunity, the bigger the club the better chance you have, there are only so many SL clubs, most with a full quota of overseas' players, plus those with other qualifications to play SL leaving a less and less chance of establishing yourself, and other than retiring have little choice other than dropping down a division.

The problem for the club is that the fans who pay the money demand youth development as well as immediate on field success.
For a team with our resources that is difficult.

I don't really like Sean Wane's coaching but he stuck with Williams when he started out even though he made rookie mistakes. He came out and said it and told the fans to live with it and it would turn out for the better. Looks like he was right.
Admittedly Williams had a good team around him who could carry him when needed.
Makes me wonder if that's why Johnston and the others coming through are handling life better. Chester in part but they have Finn and Grix as mentors and a better quality team to work with.
Makes a difference I'm sure.

I don't entirely disagree with you - the handling of some young players in SL is not great; they're either hoovered up by a wealthy club then get in line behind established players or Aussie imports and don't get game time - or they stay at a club like ours and get thrown in, and vilified by impatient fans. The lack of a reserve grade is another issue - because farming them out to a champ club is no substitute for regular game time at their home club, and probably damages the development of the champ club's own players.

All that said - the crop of young players we keep referring to on here were good at what they did, but very few of them kicked on in the Mr's game; I don't think that's entirely down to coaching failures, and is more to do with them not being good enough. Anakin is an aberration - but even he's not terrific - just a solid squad player, at best.