https://www.totalrl.com/mark-applegarth ... overs-win/

https://www.totalrl.com/mark-applegarth ... overs-win/

There were lots of good things but a lot to work on in my opinion.
Lineham is a good example.
Evans made him look like a prop on the wing for the first try but he did plenty in the rest of the game to deserve credit. He has an extra gear which seems to take a bit of time though the gears but he has it.

We improved in second half, but the biggest thing was Riley Dean coming off for them. He was running the game in the first half. We need to be better at controlling players like that.

Hall looked good in all areas, as did Lyne, though his passing wasn't perfect. Langi looked good at 13. I don't know if I'd play him there but he has to play somewhere. He's quality.

Renouf near the line is unstoppable. I'd like him running from deeper though.

Lino looked sharp when sharp and stood up ok in defense.

Battye was probably the best forward, certainly in go forward yardage. Took his try well.

Max was his usual quality. Perfect under high ball, probably our best in attack and some key tackles in defense.

Talk of Hood after the game wasn't good. Might be a problem.

As often said, the result isn't the question, it's the performance. When good it was good, but more energy needed when we play for real.
.......but it was nice to win. Especially now we play for the Don Fox trophy.

It's on Trinity TV now.

Really hard to read anything into these games but, after a poor first half (some credit to Fev here), the second forty was excellent.
It really was a game of 2 halves.
Proctor looks real quality and as long as we haven't picked up any injuries, job done.
Not quite sure how we fit him into the matchday squad but, I'd like to see Morgan Smith in our 17 somewhere.
Whether he can cover hooker ? but, he'd be a useful addition and gives us some different attacking options.

No no no no no, Morgan Smith has all the makings of a genuine HB! Why put him at 9. We have Hood, Kay and Bowes.

The only players Smith should be challenging is Lino and Gaskell.

Not having a go at you in particular but why do British RL fans continually want to convert every promising young British HB into a 9! Then we wonder why we don’t have any international HB’s.

For me Smith has been the stand out half so far, but I admit it’s early days.

Sorry but i have to agree in the pre season games he has looked better at 7 than 9 and should be kept there other than in times of need ie hood injury been bad and kay or bowes gets injured

I think that you've misunderstood what I was trying to say.

On the basis that no side can afford to have an out and out HB on the bench, it's whether he could cover at 9 to give us attacking options at certain points within the game.
Leeds used to have Burrow coming on in this position back in the day and it worked ok for them.

I'm certainly not advocating converting him into a hooker.

It could be that Hood has picked up an injury. It seems mash is decided on Gaskell/Lino starting the season at HB.

Smith was good at 9 on Boxing Day and has played 9 previous in his career. He is an option at 9 though I agree he is very much a HB for me and that’s where his future is.

I’d be tempted have Smith and Kay alternate at 9 if Hood doesn’t make round 1.

Don't think there is anything wrong with Smith playing hooker, but I wouldn't want to change his play or physique to do it.
He's good there but it's his brain and hands that make him good

Equally, hooker for me is one of tge most important positions on the field. It can make or break a team. So if Hood is injured we have to play the best option that can manage the team from 9.

But why? We have one HB and Gaskell and nobody not even Gaskell knows what his position is. There are many more 9's out there than 7's. In our Academy we have an excellent potential future 9 in Jake Camplin, I don't see the equivalent HB.

So my question stands, why would you convert Smith, make zero sense to me?

Lino ball service is still too slow. We have a very capable set of forwards, who unlike last year look fit as a fiddle. Battye is a new man. Proctor has some kind of engine in him.

I just hope Mash is not scared of playing Smith because Lino is the overseas player. Fev had a go forward scrum half in their side and he bossed us.

Lino tipped the balance from having a poor game to an OK game by creating the off the cuff break in the second half. We can't bank on that every week. I'd prefer a half who can give 60-70 minutes instead of 15.

I`m pretty sure it was Applegarth that suggested Smith is an option at hooker for us, so if it makes sense for him I`d be happy to go with it. Don`t forget, we also have Langi to cover the halves. It`s worth noting played every single SL game for Warrington at hooker so we are hardly converting him.

All of that said, I thought he looked brilliant in the halves but there there are only so many spots in the team and as MA says "he just wants a place in the team so whether he's picked at nine or half, I don't think it matters to him. He just wants to play,"