Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 1:43 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

What position has he played in the academy? (Havard).

Are there not concerns of him being a little too slim, lack of muscle for prop at super league level?

Just wondering if he will be able to sustain those performances.

He’s always been a prop to my knowledge. I’d call him athletic rather than slim but I get what you’re saying. I think he’s got a great frame to work with. Size wise he reminds me of a young Stuart Fielden and he’ll get heavier as he gets more pre seasons in to him. I wouldn’t over burden him this year by playing him in every single game but he’d certainly start the season and play in all the big games for me. Ideally I’d like to see Singleton, Bullock and Havard as our top three, Partington jumping between prop and loose forward and then a new signing supplementing those guys as a first choice prop in that rotation of 4 or 5 players. You then have Byrne, Clubb and Kilner as back up.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:10 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

He’s always been a prop to my knowledge. I’d call him athletic rather than slim but I get what you’re saying. I think he’s got a great frame to work with. Size wise he reminds me of a young Stuart Fielden and he’ll get heavier as he gets more pre seasons in to him. I wouldn’t over burden him this year by playing him in every single game but he’d certainly start the season and play in all the big games for me. Ideally I’d like to see Singleton, Bullock and Havard as our top three, Partington jumping between prop and loose forward and then a new signing supplementing those guys as a first choice prop in that rotation of 4 or 5 players. You then have Byrne, Clubb and Kilner as back up.

I think Partington and Havard will rotate around 13.

Totally agree regarding frontline traditional 4 props.

Bullock, Singleton, AN Other older experienced prop and one of the young lads is a really good balance with Clubb able to come in occasionally as injuries and availability dictate.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:05 pm  

Lots of discussion about the front-row as an area of weakness (understandable in a signings thread) - I'll also be interested to see how Lam handles the back-row which is a real area of strength. Bateman and Farrell are clear starters but I don't see how both Isa and Partington can be accommodated in the starting 13 and I'm not sure you want five backrowers in your 17 (taking into account Morgan Smithies).

Partington may be included in the prop rotation but very small for a front-rower. Smithies needs to start to develop an attacking edge this year.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:14 pm  

jonh wrote:

I think Partington and Havard will rotate around 13.

Totally agree regarding frontline traditional 4 props.

Bullock, Singleton, AN Other older experienced prop and one of the young lads is a really good balance with Clubb able to come in occasionally as injuries and availability dictate.

Without wishing to get into our previous debate - where do you see Isa fitting in? Presume we both agree Bateman and Farrell start at SR and that you wouldn't really want them off the pitch much. Isa is poor ball in hand but a good tone setter in defence, which is particularly useful in the early stages IMO. I'd have him at LF for that reason.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:29 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Lots of discussion about the front-row as an area of weakness (understandable in a signings thread) - I'll also be interested to see how Lam handles the back-row which is a real area of strength. Bateman and Farrell are clear starters but I don't see how both Isa and Partington can be accommodated in the starting 13 and I'm not sure you want five backrowers in your 17 (taking into account Morgan Smithies).

Partington may be included in the prop rotation but very small for a front-rower. Smithies needs to start to develop an attacking edge this year.

Probably depends on what Lam's plans are for 13.

I don't mind him using 13 as an extra prop (Partington or Havard) and I wouldn't mind if its an extra second rower (Smithies for defence, Isa for dependency) as long as it isn't Bateman or Farrell. They are most effective outwide and not involved in the middle of the pitch running at brick walls and thinking they can/should get involved with ball handling.

Mark my words - If Lam plays one of Bateman or Farrell at 13, we will not see anywhere close to their best performances that we see at second row.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:35 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Probably depends on what Lam's plans are for 13.

I don't mind him using 13 as an extra prop (Partington or Havard) and I wouldn't mind if its an extra second rower (Smithies for defence, Isa for dependency) as long as it isn't Bateman or Farrell. They are most effective outwide and not involved in the middle of the pitch running at brick walls and thinking they can/should get involved with ball handling.

Mark my words - If Lam plays one of Bateman or Farrell at 13, we will not see anywhere close to their best performances that we see at second row.

couldnt agree more

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:36 pm  

I think this season will be Isa's last. He turned 32 last month and this season is the final one on his deal.

As others have pointed out there's plenty of options and a real good mix of quality and future potential at 2nd row. Isa might get a 12 month extension, but he'll be 33 by then and I'm sure it will be under a caveat of reduced game time. Much like Tommy this year I guess.

Guys like Smithies and Partington will probably be asked to rotate for 12 more months and then will fight it out for a starting spot. Much like Smith & Field will have to.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:58 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I think this season will be Isa's last. He turned 32 last month and this season is the final one on his deal.

As others have pointed out there's plenty of options and a real good mix of quality and future potential at 2nd row. Isa might get a 12 month extension, but he'll be 33 by then and I'm sure it will be under a caveat of reduced game time. Much like Tommy this year I guess.

Guys like Smithies and Partington will probably be asked to rotate for 12 more months and then will fight it out for a starting spot. Much like Smith & Field will have to.

Likely leavers at the end of this year are:

Tommy (Retirement).
Hastings (NRL).
Clubb

Potentially - Isa, as you stated above.

One thing to be mindful of is for each season we don't win a trophy we lose 3-4 players that have final winning experience, which reduces year on year and thus making it more difficult against teams with that experience (Saints). We could do with winning at least one of the two major trophies this season to stop this drain.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:06 pm  

MattyB wrote:

Likely leavers at the end of this year are:

Tommy (Retirement).
Hastings (NRL).
Clubb

Potentially - Isa, as you stated above.

One thing to be mindful of is for each season we don't win a trophy we lose 3-4 players that have final winning experience, which reduces year on year and thus making it more difficult against teams with that experience (Saints). We could do with winning at least one of the two major trophies this season to stop this drain.

I think you could add French to the list of likely leavers sadly.

I think as identified above Smithies will be taking over from Isa in 2022 but unless Isa’s form drops dramatically this year I still think it would be worth another year to assist with the transition.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:08 pm  

MattyB wrote:

Likely leavers at the end of this year are:

Tommy (Retirement).
Hastings (NRL).
Clubb

Potentially - Isa, as you stated above.

One thing to be mindful of is for each season we don't win a trophy we lose 3-4 players that have final winning experience, which reduces year on year and thus making it more difficult against teams with that experience (Saints). We could do with winning at least one of the two major trophies this season to stop this drain.

Definitely. I'm listening to Cam Smith's autobiography at the min and he uses the phrase, to win a GF you have to lose on first. I'm hoping last year will be our turning point.

Interesting point about the experience drain too. It's not unfeasible to think we could also be adding Gildart and Manfredi to that list too. Adding these two to your previous list who would that leave us with?

Faz
Powell
Bateman
Singleton
Zak

We'll probably need to spend well to recoup some of that experience lost.