Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:57 am  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

I think our starting pack next year will be interesting.

Bullock and Singleton start at props with powell starting at 9.

Faz and Bateman will start in 2nd row with Partington at 13.

The bench is the dilema Any 4 from the combinations below:

Clubb / Havard / Byrne / Burgess / Clarke / Kilner

ISA / Smithies / Shorrocks / Pierce-Paul

Smith / Field

I’d expect at the moment Havard to start with Singleton as Havard can do big minutes.

Powell at 9.

Faz, Isa at secondrow and Bateman at 13.

Smithies, Partington, Bullock and 1 other prop on the bench.

This is assuming Burgess is not going to be playing much if at all again but I’d still on the books as a player.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:56 am  

jonh wrote:

I’d expect at the moment Havard to start with Singleton as Havard can do big minutes.

Powell at 9.

Faz, Isa at secondrow and Bateman at 13.

Smithies, Partington, Bullock and 1 other prop on the bench.

This is assuming Burgess is not going to be playing much if at all again but I’d still on the books as a player.

With a backrow who all do 80 minutes Smithies I think will be used sparingly as a sub but may get the odd game covering for the odd injury and a player is rested

The other prop will be Clubb

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 1:25 pm  

I'd have one of the halves on the bench before Smithies, honestly can't see what he brings to the team, granted he can tackle but IMO he offers very little in attack and even after his suspension which I hoped would calm him down a bit he still looks like he's on the verge of doing something stupid all the time.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 1:41 pm  

apollosghost wrote:

I'd have one of the halves on the bench before Smithies, honestly can't see what he brings to the team, granted he can tackle but IMO he offers very little in attack and even after his suspension which I hoped would calm him down a bit he still looks like he's on the verge of doing something stupid all the time.

People are going over the top about Smithies aggression. It was one incident in one game. He needs aggression going against older, bigger forwards. Yes we don't want him getting regular bans but that isn't where we are at this point. In general I don't think he's any worse than Partington or Isa in terms of aggression, and less aggressive than McIlorum was, who people loved for it. Maybe I'm longing for an era that has gone, but it's a sad day when we don't want our forwards to throw their weight around.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:17 pm  

Big Willie plays prop for me. Ticks all the boxes.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:58 pm  

JonnyBroad wrote:

Big Willie plays prop for me. Ticks all the boxes.

Apart from size

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:05 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

People are going over the top about Smithies aggression. It was one incident in one game. He needs aggression going against older, bigger forwards. Yes we don't want him getting regular bans but that isn't where we are at this point. In general I don't think he's any worse than Partington or Isa in terms of aggression, and less aggressive than McIlorum was, who people loved for it. Maybe I'm longing for an era that has gone, but it's a sad day when we don't want our forwards to throw their weight around.

Agreed.

He needs to put himself about that is part of his game.

For me he is a Money Ball type player at the moment.

He may not go the length of the field to win you the game but he will rack up some fantastic statistics with carries and tackles.

I appreciate the other 3 are 80 minute players but Isa isn’t getting younger and a spell on the sidelines for 20 mins may help maintain his performances at the level they are.

I think also it’s easy to forget his young Smithies is.

He is still developing and whilst he doesn’t yet have the strike element to his running I am sure we will see that improve.

His ability to play 13 and second row probably creates more options in the 17 during matches also.

I am sure though the bench and selection will vary depending on the opposition and tactics with sometimes 4 forwards on the bench and other times 3 forwards and a half.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:08 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

Apart from size

What size do props have to be?

If he makes yards with his carries, makes multiple tackles and can take the ball in time and time again then is he not perfect for the role?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:30 pm  

Isa at prop probably would’ve been a no no for me prior to the new rules but he could well be perfect for the position now. He’s played in the middle for Widnes many times and it is what saved his career pretty much. As a utility back I think he’d have drifted away from the sport but a move to playing between prop and loose forward gave him a new lease of life.

Put it this way I’d rather play Isa at prop than Clark, Clubb or an injured Burgess.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:42 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Isa at prop probably would’ve been a no no for me prior to the new rules but he could well be perfect for the position now. He’s played in the middle for Widnes many times and it is what saved his career pretty much. As a utility back I think he’d have drifted away from the sport but a move to playing between prop and loose forward gave him a new lease of life.

Put it this way I’d rather play Isa at prop than Clark, Clubb or an injured Burgess.

Isa just isnt big enough for prop. You need size in the middle of the park with at least 2 players being big and agressive with good go forward. That will allow for an average size 13 to play middle.

As for smithies, that lad provides 45-50 tackles a game off the bench only playing 50-60 mins. That amount of defence is invaluable and the amount of work he does is of huge benefit to the team. It is the kind of work players appreciate but not all fans recognise.

When he played from the start he made 68 tackles in 1 game, a sl record.