Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 10:18 am  

Think people are looking far too deeply here. Simple fact, he isn't the third pivot type player that Smith utilises. That is no slight, simply that he is a different type of player.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 10:20 am  

getdownmonkeyman wrote:

Think people are looking far too deeply here. Simple fact, he isn't the third pivot type player that Smith utilises. That is no slight, simply that he is a different type of player.

Only if people are saying he should be full-back. I was thinking wing, where he's done plenty of good work and, for me, offers far more than Williams.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:19 am  

MrF wrote:

Will folk on here ever admit that Riley is a highly competent SL player ? Every time he does something good, he gets a patronising discussion topic as if it is a massive surprise !!

Ive stuck up for Chris Riley many a time on here, you can see how proud he is to play for the Wire, he gives 100% and he has genuine pace and can beat a man.

Of course he's not the finished article at the min, when he's on the wing he tends to shoot out of the line in defence leaving space and he has a habit of over running his centre in attack but those things can be corrected quite easily with experience and coaching, keep up the good work Chris.

The irony of his great performance last night is i think it was the ground where he dropped the ball over the line whilst in the act of scoring, that would have given us a win over Catalan away a few years ago. It just shows how mentally tough he's become since then as it can't be easy going back to a place that would haunt you.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:49 am  

Was worried about him at fullback happy to admit I was wrong to.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:54 am  

I've not seen any coverage as I've not got Sky Sports at the moment, but I was very nervous about him at full back.

I do like him as a winger because he's a try scoring machine, but I was very apprehensive last night. Delighted to hear it sounds like I was wrong though.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:49 pm  

Neither have I did he actually play fullback? just that sky have Joel there.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:59 pm  

JWP wrote:

Amazing break, looked like he had a good game overall too.

Maybe this'll be the catalyst for him to show Smith he does have a future with us, the fact he can cover fullback with that level of performance will help his cause no end.

I was watching the win at Wigan from last year the other day, the ball he put Westwood in for the winning try when roaming across the field reminded me of why for me he's much better than the likes of Williams.

Where has it been said that he doesn't have a future with us?

We are blessed with having a very talented squad; Chris Riley AND Rhys Williams are both very good players who have bright futures ahead of them at Warrington. Their attitude is absolutely first class.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Sun Aug 21, 2011 9:34 pm  

WalterWizard wrote:

Where has it been said that he doesn't have a future with us?

We are blessed with having a very talented squad; Chris Riley AND Rhys Williams are both very good players who have bright futures ahead of them at Warrington. Their attitude is absolutely first class.

Where have I said that 'It's been said ..'

This season has certainly not been the season that Riley had planned, he started the season being given the number 2 shirt and has been anything but our number two this year, in fact he'e been about 'fifth pick' for his wing spot, which would suggest he's been heading for the exit door, allied with the fact that a young centre has played there instead of him at times, we've continually shifted around our backline when we've had injuries as oppose to just including him and he's been out on loan following a similar trend to what Kevin Penny did prior to his exit. The difference being here, when he's been given an opportunity last night, he's grabbed it with both hands.

I still think this will be his last year with us, I think with Ratchford coming as fullback cover for 2012 then to make that position his own, and Smith doesn't seem to fancy him on the wing, you can't carry him in the squad, as I presume he'll be on a decent wage in comparison to the other 'squad members' like Williams, Blythe etc.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:06 am  

The odd thing with Riley is that a couple of years back when he was still emerging, he was very popular amongst the supporters, he always had people defending him when he had a few of the howlers that all young wingers have, and people quite rightly pointed to his try scoring record which was consistent from the start. I was very impressed how he overtook the more fancied Penny in the pecking order and showed he was a superior winger, he was like Dean Gaskell for attitude but with more pace and he scores tries where Gaskell didn't.

But then after he had a couple of seasons with high try tallies and established as a first teamer in a strong side it was like suddenly everybody thought meh...Riley...he's OK but not good enough for the great mighty Warrington now with world class wingers of genuine pace that can go the length of the field.

I reckon Riley should be kept around but I suppose TS sees the guys at close quarters so he will make the right decision.

Re: Chris Riley................ : Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:21 am  

I'd keep him I think, certainly for another year.

I guess it'll also depend on how he feels about perhaps not being a first team regular and if he wants to go elsewhere and be a fixture in another side (which he would be), throw into it what his salary expectations will be, you would assume given that he's alot further into his career than an Evans or Williams that his salary expectations will be greater and maybe TS will feel that he doesn't represent value for money, you can't really carry 'expensive' back ups, I think that was half of Penny's problem - he got a new contract when he was flying, was it four years which will have bumped his money.

I'm not a Riley fan, but I like him (if that makes sense). I noticed when Briers took the intercept, Riley was leaping in the air at fullback, his commitment to the cause has always been first class.