Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:54 am  

I’m really looking forward to next season now. The playing front looks better and exciting, the fan zone on Robin Park arena if it gets going properly that could make it even better. I just want more Sunday afternoon games through the warmer months now, that would be the icing on the cake.

On a side note I think if not for the whole Edwards debacle, poor start and idiot players getting up to mischief I don’t see us signing Burgess, I see this as a bit of an apology on behalf of the club to the fans especially from Lenagan.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:04 am  

Kernel wrote:

I'd agree with that.

The pack as a whole looks promising, but the starting prop opposite Burgess and the hooker position hold us back from being 'dominant' i'd say:

8. Burgess
9. Leuluai / Powell
10. Clark / Flower
11. Greenwood
12. Farrell
13. O'Loughlin / Smithies

I'm very happy with the backrow providing Greenwood is punted to the right-edge, but 9 and 10 are 'average' for us now (i'm to be convinced about Clark still).

No bones about it though, this is a top, top signing and along with Hastings is a step in the right direction.

Flower is underrated IMO. He's not really played alongside a top prop since Taylor. I can see him looking miles better in a pack with Burgess.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:13 am  

Wigg'n wrote:

I think they are keeping Clubb around as a leader off the pitch more than anything, especially as Lockers hasn’t made his mind up yet.

I would imagine, given Rads comments about our recruitment being finalised, that Lockers will be playing again next season.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:13 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Flower is underrated IMO. He's not really played alongside a top prop since Taylor. I can see him looking miles better in a pack with Burgess.

Totally agree mate. He’s been the only decent prop we’ve had for a while and it’s almost as if he’s carrying too much responsibility. I think we’ll see a real difference in him next season.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:36 am  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

I would imagine, given Rads comments about our recruitment being finalised, that Lockers will be playing again next season.

Yeah fair enough. Although I wouldn't count out Clubb at 13 rotating with Smithies.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 11:51 am  

Kernel wrote:

I'd agree with that.

The pack as a whole looks promising, but the starting prop opposite Burgess and the hooker position hold us back from being 'dominant' i'd say:

8. Burgess
9. Leuluai / Powell
10. Clark / Flower
11. Greenwood
12. Farrell
13. O'Loughlin / Smithies

I'm very happy with the backrow providing Greenwood is punted to the right-edge, but 9 and 10 are 'average' for us now (i'm to be convinced about Clark still).

No bones about it though, this is a top, top signing and along with Hastings is a step in the right direction.

The back row is comfortably the best in SL. Flower is far from average and has been our best prop for several years now in a team continually light in the front row and has been instrumental in taking us to finals and titles. How do you think he'll go with a couple genuinely destructive front rowers alongside him?

My worry with Clarke was how many minutes he plays. There's no doubting his quality in short bursts but can he keep it up for longer stints. However, he's young for a prop and will be less exposed with the props we now have around him.

Bullock can be anything he wants. He has all the attributes to be among the best in the league. His impact, again in a decimated pack, this year has been outstanding given it has been his first at this level. I remember Big Alex Walmsley coming through and he wasn't as impressive in his first couple of seasons out of the championship but always had the tools to go on and become the player he has. I think you'll see Bullock take the same route. You only need see what opposition fans think of him already.

Partington, Byrne, Clubb, Navarette & Havard are as good a 5/6 prop as anyone in the league. I'd say better than most by a distance.

Powell 2.0 has been excellent now the team has some momentum. Easily his best form in all the time he's been at the club. This is in a team with practically a full pack missing and often struggling for go forward. It's not hard to imagine that there's much more to come from him under Lam on the back of a dominant pack.

I think any pessimism is misplaced. That, for sure, will be a dominant pack next year. The only caveat, as always, is "injuries allowing" but in all fairness that goes for everyone else too. Saints are only two or three injuries from being a very poor pack indeed. That doesn't mean their starting pack isn't one of the best.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:21 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

And probably goes without saying but great signing in George Burgess. I think the side for next year is looking really strong. As I said in an earlier thread, it's not just George himself but what he does to the balance of the side. Burgess, Flower, Bullock & Clarke looks a completely different proposition to what we ran with this year. If you think of it in terms of we've replaced Tautai and Hamlin with George Burgess and Mitch Clarke it's hard even to see a comparison. That's a major upgrade in the front row!

What's more we also have Clubb, Navarette, Partington, Byrne and Harvard who have all played their part this year as backup. That's not only quality in the starting 4 but good depth too.

Is this Mitch Clarke any good? Can't get in the Cas team and bad been punted off to championship clubs for the last couple of seasons.

Everyone I ask says he was good against a poor Wigan pack, but have never seen him otherwise.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:38 pm  

Great news!

I'm just wondering how long it'll be before we hear the drone of "Wigan must be cheating the salary cap again" diatribe from over 'thill and elsewhere.
Any bets?

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:41 pm  

What an exciting prospect for next season tied in with the Hastings signing. Presumably this will ignite season ticket sales. On paper I can't see any team being dominant but the top should be ultra competitive, I certainly hope so.
This will be the first season in a long while where we will see a number of top class NRL players in SL.

I do think the "second row is comfortably the best in the league" comment rather blinkered, but time will tell.

Re: Burgess signed: Official : Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:45 pm  

Suzy Banyon wrote:

Is this Mitch Clarke any good? Can't get in the Cas team and bad been punted off to championship clubs for the last couple of seasons.

Everyone I ask says he was good against a poor Wigan pack, but have never seen him otherwise.

Well, people were mocking Radlinski's "most destructive prop in Superleague" comment and, whilst it may well have been hyperbole, he is very destructive but only in short bursts. It's not really true to say he couldn't get in the Cas team as it was more a case of other options giving Powell what he was looking for in terms of minutes and, more latterly, because there'd been a fallout with the coach and club. Few question his impact or the quality of his work when he was on though. Check out the Cas board for evidence of this. The general consensus early in the season was he was a first 4 prop as long as he was teamed with others who could play long minutes.

And therein lies the conundrum. It all depends on how we intend to use him. We have props capable of playing good stints in Flower and Partington and I think Bullock was moving in the right direction too prior to his injury but George Burgess is most definitely an impact prop. However Clarke is still young for a prop and maybe the coaching team see some improvements to be made in his engine. We'll see, I guess but, alongside Burgess, he definitely has the tools to give us the go forward we've been missing these last few years.