Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 12:49 pm  

Talking about13. There's no One to touch O'Loughlin on his day. He's awesome at 1st and 2nd pivot. The only negative with Sean O'Loughlin seems to be his inability to steer injuries away. He's always carrying some sort of knock, if he's not available, Sams the man.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:26 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

Leeds on the whole have been woeful. These things happen, he is player with little confidence right now, playing for a team playing poorly. He will come good.
There is a knock on effect of playing a back line with Reed, and Currie or Sarginson. Reed is a fantastic defensive centre, he isnt in the same mould as Watkins. Currie similarly is a 2nd rower filling in. He isnt as creative or have that same physical mix of speed and power as Watkins.

Playing two centres like that, inside say Hall and Mcgilvery would see a very ponderous outside line. The defense can compress in safe in the knowledge that should we get on the outside we can be caught. Watkins sheer presence asks questions, he is one of the few who can physically stand up to the Aussies, and has the skill to get the ball away. Regardless of his form he has to be covered which creates space for others. The only other centre we have of a similar ilk is Cudjoe who is nowhere near as good and hardly in great form himself.

I like Going with Hall outside Reed as both are big and strong and can push their way over, i like a Burgess type winger outside Watkins as they are a bit faster and a bit more skillful and can attack from deep.

At the moment, Cudjoe blows Watkins out of the water in terms of everything, apart from winners medals, but we don't or shouldn't pick a national team based on what a player has won at club level.
Last night, Cudjoe caused problems for Leeds, (the only problem Watkins caused the Giants was laughing at how poor he was) the week before he was superb against Wigan, and battered Warrington's defensive line 3 weeks ago, there is a reason why McGillvary is scoring a lot of tries.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:30 pm  

From what I've seen so far this year I think Percival, Manfredi and Johnston stand a decent chance of selection. For full back a lot will depend on hoe Bennett wants to play. If he is looking for a playmaker then it's likely to be Tomkins, if he wants a runner and support player then Shaul and Russell may be considered. I can't see past Tomkins or Hardaker if they are fit.

FB. Tomkins/Hardaker
W. Manfredi/McGillvary/Hall/Briscoe/Johnston & Burgess if he gets into the Roosters side
C. Watkins/Cudjoe/Percival/Reed

Wingers are very strong, I'd be happy with any two of those.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:31 pm  

BuckleyStreetWire wrote:

Manfredi and Johnstone look like automatic starters no matter who else is fit or in form to me. They both look like the real deal already and they've both only played about 30-40 games. You can't be this good after that amount of time without being the real deal. In both cases. They both look fantastic to me.

Matty Russell plays for Scotland so no point discussing him. Although he's been absolutely brilliant.

There's been many players who have been bigged up over the years after 30 games only to fall by the wayside, your own Kevin Penny a perfect example, within a year he was been touted as the next offiah etc, 2 months later wire fans were glad to see the back of him.
To me, a player with less than 2 years experience at the top level should be left to develop further, if they are still that good after 3 or 4 years then they should be selected.
Jermaine McGillvary has been doing what he's always done for years, and he's had to wait a good 7/8 years for his chance, he was always good enough it's just he's always been down the pecking order.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:32 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

Kevin penny MK1 looked the real deal after 30/40 games, Shaun Ainscough scored 16tries in his first 10 games, last year Tom Lineham was the real deal, a couple of years ago Josh Charnley was going to be the best in the world.

Many young wingers look like the real deal, few are.

Hadn't read this before i posted my reply, but more or less is what i was trying to say.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:34 pm  

moto748 wrote:

I imagine Burgess's chances of selection depend on him getting a decent amount of game-time at the Roosters, which may be problematic. If he was still at Wigan and running them in, I'd have no problems with him and Manfredi having the spots. I've nothing against Hall, who has stood up to the Aussies before, but on his and his club's current form, he hardly demands an automatic spot, to say the least. Either of Manfredi or McGillvary would do a decent job on the right.

As for full-back, it will be interesting to see whether serious consideration is given to playing Sam T in the halves, rather than at full-back, both for club and country. For me, that's his best position. I do think Hardaker is a better defender than Tomkins, but Tomkins offers more in attack and as an organiser. Difficult choice.

I don't why Widdop merits an automatic place, as many seem to assume.

Prop is interesting, too. The Burgess twins (and their whole team) haven't been pulling up too many trees this season.

But Sam Tomkins does??? on what grounds?

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sun May 01, 2016 8:31 am  

He's a Wigan player Meast, obviously

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sun May 01, 2016 12:20 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

Victim-mentality nonsense.

Johnstone is a good young winger, he has plenty of potential. We have plenty of good young wingers with plenty of potential. He isnt a once in a decade talent. Thats as crazy a statement as the last Wakefield player you told me was going to set the world alight and definitely 100% be a world class international talent. How is Dale Ferguson doing these days?

We also have a fair few good wingers who are fulfilling that potential. No need to ruin him by throwing him in early.

You won't ruin him, hell do just fine.

Dale plays for Bradford I believe, it would be relevent had I ever thouught Ferguson was World Class - good player on his day all the same.

I actually feel a bit sorry for you so I won't tell you just how good Max Jowitt looks at the moment as you may explode.

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sun May 01, 2016 1:10 pm  

As a Wakey fan it's great to even have a player (Johnstone) be talked about for a potential spot, especially as he's one we've brought through ourselves through very troubled times for the club. Johnstone has improved massively and looks like he could go a very long way in the game, there's quite a number with much more experience playing well though so if he needed to wait another year then so be it...would be nice to see him called in to train with the squad though as recognition for how well he's played, providing he holds his form until the end of the season.

I strongly feel though (for the future and a few years down the line) that we have a much better potential international player in Max Jowitt. What he's done this season for an 18 year old is nothing short of sensational...we don't get to see many out of the real top draw come through the ranks at Wakey but have still produced three of Super Leagues all time great players in Ellis, Westwood and Brough...I watched all those three plenty of times at academy level right through and at this stage of his career Max is very much on a par with all three of those if not a fair bit in front...full back can be such an unforgiving role but he is the complete full back already...not a halfback turned ful back like many these days, just an out and out 100% full back with all the natural talent in the world....If he carries on progressing like he has been, he's a certainty for future honours for me...

Re: English Fringe Players. : Sun May 01, 2016 1:53 pm  

Well done Wakefield on producing 3 decent players (plus possible 2 more) in 20-odd years.