Josh drinkwater : Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:24 pm  

Saw earlier he isn't being offered a new deal by Leigh, would you take him?

Re: Josh drinkwater : Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:50 pm  

I get the impression that we are looking at our up and coming halves, Ackroyd and Schofield as back up halves.

Which,when you look at Johnstone, Jowitt, Batchelor and Crowther, is quite exciting. I do feel though, too, that resting hopes on young players, which have yet to play a first class game for the club, is a huge risk.

I dont buy into the fact that if a player is involved in the qualifiers, or MPG, arent good enough. People forget that we were there ourselves only 2 years ago, and some of our best players of 2017 were in and around that squad in 2015. Luke Gale was also playing for a struggling side up untl only a couple of years ago.

I also believe that some players do improve when they are around a better side and players.

I wouldnt say no, but if I was to take any of the Leigh halves, would probably take Mortimer.

That said, I re read the match report the other day when we beat Leigh at home, and the Leigh coach said at the end of the report was that for him the game changer was when they lost Drinkwater during the second half.

If the price was right, and the right length of contract, then why not.

To me, ideally even the back up half back needs to be super league game ready by round one. Hes looked ok this year, and did so in his year atondon in 2013 or 2014

Re: Josh drinkwater : Tue Oct 10, 2017 10:01 pm  

from the few games I saw of him this year he looks to have a decent kicking game and linked up well with the forwards. Just thought he'd make a decent alternative to what we already have.

Re: Josh drinkwater : Tue Oct 10, 2017 10:46 pm  

If he was British maybe, but he's a Quota spot, so not for me. That place will be used by a Propr imo.

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:27 am  

We are looking at a prop to fill our last overseas spot so Drinkwater isn’t a goer. I believe we are looking over here for extra halfback cover though, or for a hooker with both Wood and Randall able to cover the halves.

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:45 am  

Didn't see him do much for Leigh but hen again who could with a starting front row of Hock, Higham, and Tickle.

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:55 am  

Lets hope that if we are looking at an overseas prop, they make more of an impact than our last one we had.

Good point Willzay, but sometimes, players do play better around a better calibre of players, and yes he would struggle beghind that pack. How many times over the years have we defended our halves because they played behind a beaten pack.

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:03 am  

Eastern Wildcat wrote:

Lets hope that if we are looking at an overseas prop, they make more of an impact than our last one we had.

Good point Willzay, but sometimes, players do play better around a better calibre of players, and yes he would struggle beghind that pack. How many times over the years have we defended our halves because they played behind a beaten pack.

Allgood played reasonably well for us he was just unfortunate with injuries

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:49 am  

He wasn't bad for us when he was on the pitch, it was getting him on the pitch that was the problem. Yes, he was unlucky, but it seemed that every injury problem he picked up always appeared to take longer than expected to shake off. Unfortunately for him, he had the same issues at Hull KR.

It became all too reminiscent of a certain other prop we had 2-3 seasons ago that came from Leeds

Re: Josh drinkwater : Wed Oct 11, 2017 11:46 am  

Eastern Wildcat wrote:

He wasn't bad for us when he was on the pitch, it was getting him on the pitch that was the problem. Yes, he was unlucky, but it seemed that every injury problem he picked up always appeared to take longer than expected to shake off. Unfortunately for him, he had the same issues at Hull KR.

It became all too reminiscent of a certain other prop we had 2-3 seasons ago that came from Leeds

You make a good point regarding props especially overseas props.

Overseas signing to ourselves and SL in general and even before SL have always been a mixed bag. However where props are concerned we've really been unlucky. It's especially annoying as Wakefield have always been willing to push out the boat where props are concerned and have signed some big names for little return.

For me the best ones have been Watene, Korky, Fifita, Fritz and Shelford - there may be a few more but you get the drift. By this I mean they offered VFM and lived up to or even exceeded expectations - that doesn't mean they were world beaters.

Those who were either disappointing, short lived, no better than British players or just plain garbage were as follows and there are some big names in there. They weren't necessarily bad but just didn't give real value or meet expectations.

Poore, Tronc, Graham, Todd, Allgood, Hood, Stoic, O'Brien, Keating, Masella, Lima, Leaeno, Paea, Anderson (opinions differ) and the abomination that was Hickey.

Doesn't make great reading does it. There are some big names in that list and some hefty wages. We seem to have done pretty well in most other positions where overseas players are concerned but to me Prop remains a but of a poison chalice.

So I'll reserve judgement on any Aussie FR we sign and pray for the best