: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:16 pm  

Dux wrote:

I have. He's not the biggest of lads, and he has been outjumped in the last couple of games.

Maybe he just needs more practice at jumping and also at timing? Besides, although he didn't get the high ball in the Leeds game, he caused enough problems so that Leeds didn't get it either. That's a good tactic in itself! In fact, Wheeler seems to have quite a head full of good tactics, on top of working bloody hard.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:47 pm  

Why do people think Wellens would make a good loose forward?

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:50 pm  

Could Armstrong be turned into a full back, up to know he 's been pretty good at taking a high ball, could he coached to defend like Wellens.
The reason I started the thread is because the key positions of 1-6-7-9-13 need rapidly sorting out by the 2010 season.
Wellens to 13, Eastmond to 7, Wheeler to 6, Roby/Moore to 9, ***** to 1

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:51 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Maybe he just needs more practice at jumping and also at timing? Besides, although he didn't get the high ball in the Leeds game, he caused enough problems so that Leeds didn't get it either. That's a good tactic in itself! In fact, Wheeler seems to have quite a head full of good tactics, on top of working bloody hard.

I'm not saying Wheeler wouldn't have a good go at it. It just seems daft to me to be talking about re-training someone who looks to be a natural stand off/half back into a full back and re-training someone who is a natural full-back into a loose forward (especially as we already have an abundance of back rowers).

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:53 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Could Armstrong be turned into a full back, up to know he 's been pretty good at taking a high ball, could he coached to defend like Wellens.
The reason I started the thread is because the key positions of 1-6-7-9-13 need rapidly sorting out by the 2010 season.
Wellens to 13, Eastmond to 7, Wheeler to 6, Roby/Moore to 9, ***** to 1

Why though?

What's he doing wrong at full back?

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:58 pm  

Dux wrote:

I'm not saying Wheeler wouldn't have a good go at it. It just seems daft to me to be talking about re-training someone who looks to be a natural stand off/half back into a full back and re-training someone who is a natural full-back into a loose forward (especially as we already have an abundance of back rowers).

I don't remember seeing him play at stand off but on Friday night he looked like a pretty good winger to me. The only blip he seemed to have was in jumping for the high ball, but that may be about practice or mistiming or lack of experience, as I suggested earlier. I know he was playing at stand off in the Academy but does he have to remain there? Is he a better stand off than winger? I know Wellens didn't start off at fullback and he may have gotten typecast had it not been for the opportunity to cover fullback during injury (and what might we have missed out on had he not won that spot?), so surely it is a bit early in the playing careers of these youngsters to be typecasting them? Shouldn't they be given opportunities to play in a number of spots before settling into one?

As for Wellens, he's too good a fullback still to move him IMO. He was incredible on Friday night.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:01 pm  

Dux wrote:

Why though?

What's he doing wrong at full back?

Because we need a smooth transition of new players for the next generation of success.
Wellens is still good and really hasn,t lost a lot of speed but could he be more influential at No 13, also although Flannery had a good game we still havn't replaced the quality of Sculthorpe.

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:06 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

I don't remember seeing him play at stand off but on Friday night he looked like a pretty good winger to me. The only blip he seemed to have was in jumping for the high ball, but that may be about practice or mistiming or lack of experience, as I suggested earlier. I know he was playing at stand off in the Academy but does he have to remain there? Is he a better stand off than winger? I know Wellens didn't start off at fullback and he may have gotten typecast had it not been for the opportunity to cover fullback during injury (and what might we have missed out on had he not won that spot?), so surely it is a bit early in the playing careers of these youngsters to be typecasting them? Shouldn't they be given opportunities to play in a number of spots before settling into one?

As for Wellens, he's too good a fullback still to move him IMO. He was incredible on Friday night.

As I've said, I think Wheeler is doing a good job on the wing. He's very talented and playing on the wing would be well within his capabilities long term.

But would you want to waste a player who clearly has a full bag of tricks by sticking him out on the wing?

He is there at the moment simply because we need cover and he needs 1st team experience. I'll be amazed and disappointed if he ends up a winger for Saints in the long term.


(I take your point about Wellens, but the difference is he never looked like being a good scrum half, and from his first match at full back it was obvious he was tailor made for the position).

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:08 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Because we need a smooth transition of new players for the next generation of success.
Wellens is still good and really hasn,t lost a lot of speed but could he be more influential at No 13, also although Flannery had a good game we still havn't replaced the quality of Sculthorpe.

I don't think moving a very gifted full back to loose forward for the last couple of years of his career is going to replace one of the greatest 13s ever to have played for Saints.

Why not invest in a genuine loose forward instead?

: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:49 pm  

Dux wrote:

Why though?

What's he doing wrong at full back?

It's a good excuse to get some pace into the side. We are a side with a strong defense that could cope without Wello at fullback. We lack any sort of pace anywhere on the pitch, even our wingers aren't quick. Someone like Eastmond or Wheeler at fullback would be someone to finish off the numerous breaks we make but haven't finished since the likes of Sullivan and Albert departed.