: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:40 pm  

Haggerty and Rourke both have the potential to be very skillfull forwards if allowed to show their skills (Haggy has been doing it for 2 years at Saints and prior to that in our 18's and Rourke was a revelation in the reserves at Widnes). Meekin is far ahead of Cooky in the 'pecking order' at the moment.

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:44 pm  

Mr Mad wrote:

you said meekin was top drawer for you last nite but yet does not make your team for the next game ?

Meekin = Morrison

Morrison not necessarily dropped but I would give Cookson a run (I need to see what he can offer) and "rest" Morrison. If the wind changes I may even play with 4 props and not bother with Marsh/Wingfield.

Tough being an armchair coach but I would sit down with Mike and explain in full my reasons and the fact that he was still fully in my thoughts. He would be 18th man ahead of Wingfield/Marsh.I would also be telling Maden,Hobson and Reay that their performances recently have been a little lacking and I want to see them show me I was wrong in the reserves.

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:38 pm  

leighonardo wrote:

Whilst we are on the subject of forwards we are badly lacking some real 'go forward' and I'l probably get slated for this with youth on his side, but for all Mike Morrison's endeavour, can anyone currently name me a weaker prop at this level ?

We need to inject some grunt to lay a platform. What's Sebastian Martins up to these days. Having said that can the real John Cookson please stand up !!

I think Its totally unfair,to single out Mike Morrison on last nights performance!I thought at the time,he made as many,If not more yards,than any of our forwards and Is allways on for a qptb,[Its not his fault our halves dont capitalise on it.]Defence has been his strong point,[when has he missed a tackle?]Hes only conceded two pens all season,[v doncaster,v feath.]Yes he has taken some stick [and head high shots,]but has allways carried on regardless.As for strength,have him in the gym with Hobbo and Cooky and youl be suprised who comes out on top!Like Jock he works tirelessly in midfield,but his efforts go unnoticed and unapreciated.Yes I can think of loads of weaker props at this level and lazier and gutless ones to!!!BUT THEY DONT GET SINGLED OUT BY THEIR OWN FANS!

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:47 pm  

ColD wrote:

Reckon that could be very good coaching TBH, he could be devastating out wide like Sid used to do in his younger days. Pace and power, not scared of offloading, I prepare to be shot down here but I've always seen him as a second rower

Agree with that he can drag 3 or 4 forwards in the middle so sticking him out wide running at a centre when in attack he could be devastaing especially close to the line, problem is if we put him at second row which prop would give the same go forward as he does?

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:25 pm  

I think the criticism of morrison is ridiculous! not a forward on the team helps us get a roll on with a quick PTB as he does! he takes it up hard, finds the floor, and plays it quick, and as we know, McConnell revels in this style of play! But, we also nead a tackle breaking front rower to compliment the lightweight morrison i feel, and Hobson is not it. Maybe chris hill in the front row? but i agree that he was also very effective out wide! On the whole, i feel that we are seriously lacking confidence, giving away soft tries is hard to watch as a fan, but can you imagine what it feels like as a player? working as hard as you can all week on such aspects of the game, then having a veteran prop hit, spin and dump the ball beside the sticks as did dickens? or having the opposition winger pick your pocket because you switched off for a minute as happened to rudd? and then you come home and read some of the stuff on here! our team is dominated by youth, which as anybody in the game worth listening to brings inconsistency, add to the fact your playing in a new stadium, with a new coach in his first FULL season in charge topped off by the fact that the majority of your team-mates are new to you this season! it takes time, and yes, at the moment we are poor, but i really think that this group of players, given time beyond the first 7 games of the championship season, will develop.

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:28 pm  

I'm sorry, but Cookson just does not look fit enough to play at the moment. Meekin looks an excellent prospect.

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:12 pm  

the scout wrote:

I think Its totally unfair,to single out Mike Morrison on last nights performance!I thought at the time,he made as many,If not more yards,than any of our forwards and Is allways on for a qptb,[Its not his fault our halves dont capitalise on it.]Defence has been his strong point,[when has he missed a tackle?]Hes only conceded two pens all season,[v doncaster,v feath.]Yes he has taken some stick [and head high shots,]but has allways carried on regardless.As for strength,have him in the gym with Hobbo and Cooky and youl be suprised who comes out on top!Like Jock he works tirelessly in midfield,but his efforts go unnoticed and unapreciated.Yes I can think of loads of weaker props at this level and lazier and gutless ones to!!!BUT THEY DONT GET SINGLED OUT BY THEIR OWN FANS!

As I have already admitted to on this thread I may not have given enough credit to Mike Morrison's quick PTB, perhaps being guilty of also overlooking the fact that Neil Kelly may have told Morrison to find the floor quickly and if so I will apologise for that comment. One thing I will never do is question the lad's endeavour and work ethic nor his commitment, which are all excellent. We have some outstanding young prospects in Meekin, Morrison and Jackson. However I made an observation on a fansforum that for me Leigh were currently lacking an injection of serious grunt, someone who can power us beyond the advantage line and for that someone to pack down alongside Jock and IMHO Chris Hill in the front row. Sorry if that upsets you, but that is my view.

As an aside Ellery Hanley had no place in his St.Helens team for Tommy Martyn who was very much surplus to requirement but Hanley won Saints a SL GF, Ian Milward then came along and installed Tommy Martyn as an integral cog of his St.Helens team and he to won a SL GF... Now who was right and who was wrong about Tommy Martyn? - It all boils down to OPINIONS.

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:12 pm  

Simple equation

9 times out of 10 the team that does the most offloads in a game wins

If you dont keep the ball alive you are easy to defend against

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:25 pm  

mr. chairman wrote:

very true , there is a time and place for offloads if you break the rule you get punished

Yep saints messed a few up on Friday and lost 50 yards and then the match

But that was their second defeat in 27 league matches

: Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:13 pm  

FredParky wrote:

Haggerty and Rourke both have the potential to be very skillfull forwards if allowed to show their skills (Haggy has been doing it for 2 years at Saints and prior to that in our 18's and Rourke was a revelation in the reserves at Widnes). Meekin is far ahead of Cooky in the 'pecking order' at the moment.

Forwards , skills , in the same sentance

Wash your mouth out Parkinson , Forwards are nothing more than mindless meat used to soften up the opposition for the real skilled players to play