Your avatar... Are you John Kear?

Not a rumour created on Cas Forum or "wishful thinking" on behalf of the Cas fans afer all then ?

No doubt someone will have mentioned this in the earlier pages of this thread BUT a half back is on a hiding to nothing if he's playing with a slower and lighter set of forwards vs a speedy and big, aggressive opposition. In this case, both halfbacks are shut down and are unable to make breaks in the 5metres they end up playing in. Isaac John skippered a very good Auckland Vulcans side in last year's Grand Final- that day the NZ Warriors had the 1st team, the seconds (Vulcans) and the U21s in the GFinal. Isaac did not become a poor player overnight, nor has he forgotten how to play. Rather, his forwards are quite unlike those at the Warriors who are big, fast and mobile from a standing start AT ALL LEVELS in the Warriors club. OK< Jason Dimetriou did point out that Isaac wasn't yet the finished artice, and he's right. That said, he is a very good player who is unable to show his worth. Fingers crossed for tomorrow vs Cas.

Completely agree. This is the problem in a nutshell.

So, this half back problem of ours........

ooooooh sorry can't agree with you on that one today...it has been bad at times I'll give you that but Smith's kicking game was good today and Sykes put a couple of useful ones in as I recall too. Wood has nice touches but throws far too many heart in the mouth speculator come and intercept me passes for my liking. He needs to calm down and get better judgement then I think he'll be a good un.

The first few kicks of the second half by Sykes were beauties, split the Cas side right down the middle and pinned them down, did that all game tbh constantly turned them and Smith also put a few lovely kicks through.

Sykes and Smith worked PERFECTLY well today imo. Sykes took some responsibility off Smith, allowing Smith to pass the ball when he wanted, attack the line when he wanted, etc. Fair play to Sykes, I was a little worried when I first saw it! But well done nevertheless.

Aye, that was an option that no one on here suggested, but it worked well; Smith seemed to be more composed and played with more confidence.

Be interesting to see what happens next week.

Agar called it, against all expectations, and it worked.

It was a rough-and-ready option, so should get better with practice. Now that he's called it, he should stick to it for the next few games, at least.

Tbh Sykes rather like Agar arrived with a tarnished reputation. Sykes gained his when picked for GB when he wasn't good enough and then played out of position. I wasn't keen I have to say.

What I had forgotten is that he has played a lot at S/O and was playing there when he left the Bulls and playing well according to them.

I had him down as a Centre who was mainly there to kick goals. As it happens he's a decent S/O. Along with Cockayne, Mathers and Raliegh he's proving to be one of the surprise signings.

Before people bag John as a waste of time, Sykes has years of experience over him - and the Sykes of aged 22 was no better - it takes time and Sykes may be the player who has given us that breathing space.