Re: Tom Lineham : Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:46 am  

Mr Snoodle wrote:

[/b]

NatWood, the man, the legend.....absolutely used to love watching him play, never sure what he was going to do but always entertained me and really seemed to buy in to being a Wire.

I was always pretty sure what he was going to do: dummy left and then drop the shoulder.

Re: Tom Lineham : Sat Apr 17, 2021 10:53 am  

Well old glue hands was certainly not going to pass it.

Re: Tom Lineham : Sat Apr 17, 2021 12:14 pm  

Nat Wood didn't pass much and didn't have much of a kicking game, he was a running halfback who didn't have express pace, but.....he did make an impact on games and he could change the momentum back in our favour. He did make breaks and beat people, because he was physically strong and had good footwork. You never saw him hiding in a game.

If we're honest, what halfbacks have we had since Nat Wood, other than Briers who was already there playing with him, who were better? Sandow for about 2 months. Austin for about 2 months. Myler was faster and scored more tries, running off the holes set up to him from a good team, but I doubt Myler would have done as much in the teams Nat Wood played in.

I would have rather had Nat Wood.

Re: Tom Lineham : Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:29 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Nat Wood didn't pass much and didn't have much of a kicking game, he was a running halfback who didn't have express pace, but.....he did make an impact on games and he could change the momentum back in our favour. He did make breaks and beat people, because he was physically strong and had good footwork. You never saw him hiding in a game.

If we're honest, what halfbacks have we had since Nat Wood, other than Briers who was already there playing with him, who were better? Sandow for about 2 months. Austin for about 2 months. Myler was faster and scored more tries, running off the holes set up to him from a good team, but I doubt Myler would have done as much in the teams Nat Wood played in.

I would have rather had Nat Wood.

I’d argue Myler was better. Significantly so.

His assist stats were actually quite posit for a guy who got a lot of criticism for that part of his game. And it’s not like he had superstars outside of him, it was mainly Atkins and Riley. Plus he scored a decent amount. And all told, he was a good defender and put a lot of kick pressure in (to our detriment in 2011 prelim, he was penalised for the charge down on the drip kick if I remember correctly).

Never been favoured, but was an important part of the Catalan team and has forced his way back into the Leeds team despite big money going at Lui and Gale.

Wood was courageous. He was all effort. And that is commendable, but you need a little more than that to be a top half. He was great for us, in that time, but as the club grew I think we put grew him. If we had picked up the right halfback after him he wouldn’t be held is such high regard in my opinion, it’s just that we messed around with Bridge, Sullivan and Monaghan before finding a decent replacement.

Re: Tom Lineham : Sun Apr 18, 2021 10:25 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

Wood was courageous. He was all effort. And that is commendable, but you need a little more than that to be a top half. He was great for us, in that time, but as the club grew I think we put grew him. If we had picked up the right halfback after him he wouldn’t be held is such high regard in my opinion, it’s just that we messed around with Bridge, Sullivan and Monaghan before finding a decent replacement.

I think this pretty much sums it up - you have to look at it in the context of when he played for us. Wood was great for Warrington and a hero because he stood out as the one player who gave his all when we were consistently disappointing as a team. He didn't come here as a star with a big reputation or expectations etc but he gave us exactly what fans wanted at that time. Underdog player for underdog club.

Put him in the 2011 team and he'd still be a fans favourite, just maybe not able to offer quite as much as Myler did for that period and squad.

===

Anyway, back to Lineham. A very good all-round winger, who is starting to depreciate on the value-for-money stakes due to repeated brain farts. I've always been a big fan of his (see 2018 play-off semi) but I'm now wondering if we'd be better off with someone a bit steadier on the left wing. If Powell can get Ashton or Thewlis producing the goods there on a lower salary I'd be quite happy. And I get the feeling Ashton and Thewlis will find it easier to follow Powell's guidance and stay on the right side of him.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tom Lineham : Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:02 am  

Lineham's major problem now is he's losing his biggest supporter at the end of the season

Re: Tom Lineham : Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:31 am  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

Lineham's major problem now is he's losing his biggest supporter at the end of the season

But I think most would say Lineham is a decent winger even though he seems to be going dafter with age.

Re: Tom Lineham : Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:32 am  

Price or Briers?

Re: Tom Lineham : Sun Apr 18, 2021 12:08 pm  

What I can't work out is why we have seen so many players grabbing other players knackers. It was unheard of.

Re: Tom Lineham : Wed Jun 23, 2021 5:31 pm  

According to MEN Lineham won't be offered a new deal with us and other SL clubs have been advised of his availability for next year. Good player but as we know, plenty of baggage.