Re: Clark : Mon Feb 17, 2020 5:32 pm
Jukesays wrote:
So first of all - My criticism strangely enough over the past 3 weeks is not with Clubb per se - It's the fact that in Rounds 1&2 he played Clubb with a clearly not ready Burgess & 3 Youngsters - We got away with it week 1
Week 2 was a disaster - After losing Burgess (And Powell) to then include Clarke/Bullock & Greenwood in the 21 and not select any in the 17 was Mind Boggling!
And when you then are relying on a Senior Prop that does on average 20mins - for 6 carries - 10 Tackles with 3 of them being misses it just leaves too much for the 3-4 young lads to pick up IMO
I've criticised Clubb's effort/contribution over the past 2 seasons and after the Nou Camp debacle to find out we'd given him 2 more years was, well, Mind Boggling again!
But if we did have 3-4 other Senior props banging out Big minutes i.e. Flower/Burgess/Bullock/Clarke I could accept 10min Tony to a point
When were missing 2 of them through injury and we don't select the other 2!!!!
But to the point in Bold
That's a great observation and believe it or believe it not something I was discussing Saturday night whilst sinking a few.
I mentioned that watching an individual is different to watching a team - And on the night I'd picked up on his positioning and how he didn't seem to be around the action, watching it back and it's clear.
Defensively he's nearly always defending at the side of the referee behind the ruck, He gets to the Tackle just as it's being completed and is 3rd man in or he is close to the tackle then retreats behind the ruck again.
And in attack he just doesn't seem to be an option, very rarely putting himself either side of the ruck and even when he does look like an option he gives the impression he isn't as his hands on dummy runs aren't ready to receive the ball.
So glad you mentioned Lockers - And don't even get me started on some of them on the other site especially the latest one about him being glad he's injured and hoping it may end his career! - It is like watching a master class.
3 years ago when Leigh were in SL (I think you can work out how this came about) I saw the Leigh video the night after, of the game at our place with 2 of the Leigh coaching staff, before we started I praised Williams & Farrell and the reply from them was Lockers - And sitting with them as they were watching the game and pointing out what was causing them problems over & over again they were commenting on how they were being picked apart by Lockers and in their words how "Every tiny, little facet of the game that goes unnoticed he excels in". As you say how he straightens the attack up leaving room to play next PTB, taking the ball into the line and attracting 2 x defenders and still being able as a pivot to find his outside option who then has space to play etc.
Listen, were not too far away from him calling it a day, and I heard someone going on about another "Myth" from those that want him to retire (As they've been wishing for the last 5 years). This thing that he's giving 3/4 penalties a game away - He isn't, he's averaging around 1 per game & with the number of times he's involved then it's a fair enough ratio.
Averaging 30 tackles and 15/16 carries a game and then added to that his distribution work and his contribution is still fantastic.
Week 2 was a disaster - After losing Burgess (And Powell) to then include Clarke/Bullock & Greenwood in the 21 and not select any in the 17 was Mind Boggling!
And when you then are relying on a Senior Prop that does on average 20mins - for 6 carries - 10 Tackles with 3 of them being misses it just leaves too much for the 3-4 young lads to pick up IMO
I've criticised Clubb's effort/contribution over the past 2 seasons and after the Nou Camp debacle to find out we'd given him 2 more years was, well, Mind Boggling again!
But if we did have 3-4 other Senior props banging out Big minutes i.e. Flower/Burgess/Bullock/Clarke I could accept 10min Tony to a point
When were missing 2 of them through injury and we don't select the other 2!!!!
But to the point in Bold
That's a great observation and believe it or believe it not something I was discussing Saturday night whilst sinking a few.
I mentioned that watching an individual is different to watching a team - And on the night I'd picked up on his positioning and how he didn't seem to be around the action, watching it back and it's clear.
Defensively he's nearly always defending at the side of the referee behind the ruck, He gets to the Tackle just as it's being completed and is 3rd man in or he is close to the tackle then retreats behind the ruck again.
And in attack he just doesn't seem to be an option, very rarely putting himself either side of the ruck and even when he does look like an option he gives the impression he isn't as his hands on dummy runs aren't ready to receive the ball.
So glad you mentioned Lockers - And don't even get me started on some of them on the other site especially the latest one about him being glad he's injured and hoping it may end his career! - It is like watching a master class.
3 years ago when Leigh were in SL (I think you can work out how this came about) I saw the Leigh video the night after, of the game at our place with 2 of the Leigh coaching staff, before we started I praised Williams & Farrell and the reply from them was Lockers - And sitting with them as they were watching the game and pointing out what was causing them problems over & over again they were commenting on how they were being picked apart by Lockers and in their words how "Every tiny, little facet of the game that goes unnoticed he excels in". As you say how he straightens the attack up leaving room to play next PTB, taking the ball into the line and attracting 2 x defenders and still being able as a pivot to find his outside option who then has space to play etc.
Listen, were not too far away from him calling it a day, and I heard someone going on about another "Myth" from those that want him to retire (As they've been wishing for the last 5 years). This thing that he's giving 3/4 penalties a game away - He isn't, he's averaging around 1 per game & with the number of times he's involved then it's a fair enough ratio.
Averaging 30 tackles and 15/16 carries a game and then added to that his distribution work and his contribution is still fantastic.
Lockers got bagged after the Cas game about the penalties he gave away and when all came to all, he’d conceded one penalty all night. He’s been such a special player and a bad eye aside, he looks ready for a big year. I really hope the side can give him the send off he deserves if he calls it quits (he is talking more in ‘ifs’ again).
There’s no words left to say on Clubb that hasn’t been said. I’ve defended him in the past but his three appearances this season have been embarrassing really. When I say embarrassing as well, I don’t even mean just he should be embarrassed (although he should be). Adrian Lam and any other coaching staff or senior players pushing for him to be in the side on the basis of what’s being produced should be embarrassed. If he’s carrying an injury and is being picked then Lams head has gone. To be producing so little in games means surely something is not right. Tony Clubb has been a good servant for Wigan but you can’t let sentiment and popularity get in the way of the team winning.