Re: Squad Numbers : Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:55 pm  

I don’t think you can read an awful lot into it to be honest. Starting numbers don’t really mean too much these days as they once did. Clubb gets 8 probably because of Flowers injuries in 2019 and that Clubb, for a few months anyway, played out of his skin.

The intriguing aspect comes in the halves. We know Hastings is going to be starting HB but his partner is in the air and it also means a positional change for someone else (Zak/Tommy).

I said it in another thread but the versatility we have means our play and style can be unpredictable. It’s something we should be exploiting with different HBs/FBs/Wingers/Centres. I’m actually quite excited at the thought we can properly switch up during a game

Re: Squad Numbers : Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:05 am  

The following players who were not given squad numbers, but registered at the club have also left since the start of last season:-

J Barron
J Brown - Newcastle Thunder
S Grant - Swinton Lions
C Hall - Leeds Rhinos
R Hamblett - Warrington Wolves

The last two being members of the Under 19's Academy Squad

Re: Squad Numbers : Sun Nov 24, 2019 10:22 am  

100% Warrior wrote:

Clubb gets 8 probably because of Flowers injuries in 2019 and that Clubb, for a few months anyway, played out of his skin.

In the Gildart thread you said previous season performance has nothing to do with the new season. Make your mind up.

Re: Squad Numbers : Sun Nov 24, 2019 12:45 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote:

In the Gildart thread you said previous season performance has nothing to do with the new season. Make your mind up.

In the context of starting/dropping players.

Re: Squad Numbers : Mon Nov 25, 2019 4:51 pm  

Well this is obvious confirmation that French is seen as a future 6. It will be interesting because when he was forced to fill in there this year, he looked totally alien to the position. Can you learn to play stand off in one off season?

Re: Squad Numbers : Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:02 am  

You cannot judge a new player in the Stand Off position on the strength of being new to a team's moves and only playing in that position for a small amount of time.

Since that game, French has had more training sessions with the team!

Re: Squad Numbers : Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:35 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

You cannot judge a new player in the Stand Off position on the strength of being new to a team's moves and only playing in that position for a small amount of time.

Since that game, French has had more training sessions with the team!

Come on mate, he’s had 53 minutes spread over 4 games playing stand off in a Wigan jersey and that’s more than enough time to write him off as a Wigan halfback. He got 43 minutes longer then some get as well.

It’ll be interesting to see if he does play halfback, if Lam is going to attempt to play a more attacking brand of rugby. After all the talk about playing with flair, we didn’t see much of that and players we probably think of as being attacking players such as Greenwood and Escare dropped down the pecking order, with Lammy preferring steady options like Willie Isa, Hankinson, Sarginson etc.

Re: Squad Numbers : Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:37 am  

The_Enforcer wrote:

Well this is obvious confirmation that French is seen as a future 6. It will be interesting because when he was forced to fill in there this year, he looked totally alien to the position. Can you learn to play stand off in one off season?

Being a forward I have little idea on how to play 6 but if you asked me to play loose as opposed to prop I could make the change (if I were still going). Now I’m not saying it’s a simple transition from wing/FB to 6 but I’d imagine he has some sort of an idea how to play there.

Time will tell, I wasn’t convinced at all last season but in fairness it looked like he was thrown into the role, knowing little of our style of play or attacking formation. A full pre season could change that but Lam needs to have a contingency plan if it doesn’t work out.

Re: Squad Numbers : Tue Nov 26, 2019 9:42 pm  

100% Warrior wrote:

Being a forward I have little idea on how to play 6 but if you asked me to play loose as opposed to prop I could make the change (if I were still going). Now I’m not saying it’s a simple transition from wing/FB to 6 but I’d imagine he has some sort of an idea how to play there.

Time will tell, I wasn’t convinced at all last season but in fairness it looked like he was thrown into the role, knowing little of our style of play or attacking formation. A full pre season could change that but Lam needs to have a contingency plan if it doesn’t work out.

I suppose the good news is that Botica was a winger at first before going to 6. I just felt that French didnt seem to be able to even find a clean pass when he filled in there. At least hes got a former half back as coach so that should work in his favour.

Re: Squad Numbers : Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:40 am  

I think the key to French playing stand off is how well he can play with Hastings,in my opinion they need to play together in at least 2 pre season games with Tommy starting on the bench