Atkins had to move on, and I don't think it's anything to do with coaching. I just think he had reached his limit at Wakefield and needed a fresh challenge. We all stagnate sometimes, and people need fresh challenges. He has risen to his, and I'm pleased for him. As for Millard, he has shown flashes, and I suspect a new start for the players next year will see a different player.

Atkins had to go, for the money we got.
his development has suprised many, me included, and good luck to him, but it does sort of help playing with 2 skilled half backs,an in form pack, and matt king.

Atkins had to go because the tax man came knocking on Wakefield's door asking for some monies.

Atkins is a very athletic person but with no rugby brain. 1st touch of the ball on Saturday he ran it straight into touch on the 1st tackle. Can't remember him getting a pass out to his winger all game.
He gets a lot more opportunities to use his pace and strength in a team like Warrington. Don't think he's made any progress personally since he left us, he's just getting a lot more opportunities in a dominant side.

Watched Millard play in the nines, give him good ball and space and he can play a bit, we need to give him a chance before we pull him to pieces.

We haven't seen much Magic this season, but in fairness to him, I think he's badly used; we don't give him the right kind of ball and he doesn't often get the space to use the skills he has got - when he did (Hull FC) he showed what he can do. Atkins could always fall back on driving the ball in and running over people - Millard doesn't have the strength to do that, so when we're playing JK's patented five drives and a kick, can often look like a passenger.

Thats right, he's not Atkins and we can't use him like Atkins, like you say he's badly used.

IMO he's a decent player but needs "ball and space"

Milard is a hard ground player, and given space will rip it up, however it seems big Aussies are most successful here

British Centres like Atkins do not come around very of often (Senior was last of his size) in our game, interesting that Leeds wanted him as well as wire...it seems as though he has developed his game a lot a Wire and lots complained about him when he was at Belle Vue due to his lack of passing... or lack of...by his own admittance he was still learning at Belle Vue, which is due to him being a Kick and Clap forward (Flanker) in his younger days...

All I can see with Atkins is good business by the club

Atkins was good business for the club and ig great for the game. I honestly cannot see that he would of developed into such a great player at wakefield... in time when we build as a club and enter New market we will be able to offer players alot more and develop players the players we have to a truely competetive level

Surely if he was 3rd choice then that makes him 2nd rate, ie next choice behind the starting 2 centres.


And anyway as others have said Ryan, Matt Gidley, Matt King would all look poor in our side.

Makes it even more frustrating that we only give him the chance to do this about 1 in every 3 games.

I think Millard was unlucky at the Bulldogs as he was behind Josh Morris (the NRLs top try scorer that season I think) and Jamal Idris who took the comp by storm as a rookie.

I think you're right about Gidley and King et al. The way we play, the centres never get the ball early enough or in any kind of space to show what they can do. A lot of the time we used Atkins as a battering ram 10 yards from the line.

At the recent Warrington game someone in the crowd complained that we "only score from kicks" if thats the case, lets do it every chance we get!

I agree.

Our attack has not been organised or potent enought to create many chances through 'normal' attack like running angles/inside balls/creating overlaps etc so we need either a bit of broken play or a kick. We seem to have a centre who specialises in the high ball(and on this seasons evidence very little else) and we give him next to no chances to do his thing.

You don't see Wigan not kicking to Pat Rirchards......

Get to there 30 and boot it to Millard. I'd do it every play.