Sam williams : Sun Nov 22, 2020 9:28 pm  

Wont be coming after all hes backed out of a move now closing in on martin lino from Newcastle who i may be wrong but i believe is more of a running half back.
Where also looking down under for a forward

Re: Sam williams : Sun Nov 22, 2020 10:42 pm  

I have watched him playing for Newcastle where he played in the halves when he was selected. He appears to have a reasonable short kicking game and average speed. He is also a goal kicker even for the first team I didn’t see him organising the plays but that could be due to the more senior players around him. He certainly played more for the first team at Newcastle than Williams did at Canberra.

Re: Sam williams : Sun Nov 22, 2020 10:55 pm  

Mason Lino, liked him as a half, decent kick out of hand and from tee, but do not see him as the answer for us, has not really run a team at top level - always non dominant half IMO
But this may be our limit and given a chance could surprise

Re: Sam williams : Sun Nov 22, 2020 11:14 pm  

Scarlet Pimpernell wrote:

I have watched him playing for Newcastle where he played in the halves when he was selected. He appears to have a reasonable short kicking game and average speed. He is also a goal kicker even for the first team I didn’t see him organising the plays but that could be due to the more senior players around him. He certainly played more for the first team at Newcastle than Williams did at Canberra.

Lino was a bit unfortunate to be at the NZ Warriors at the same time as Shaun Johnson and at Newcastle at the same time as Mitchell Pearce so probably didn't get many opportunities to shine, If the rumour is true then perhaps we are the opportunity he's looking for. We don't have the cash or the 'pull' for a top name , so it would be a gamble, but then how much did we know about Tinirau Arona or Bill Tupou before they signed, and they've not worked out too bad. Different positions I know but, you never know,

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 8:53 am  

I was just pointing out that based on what we have seen he is currently not the type of player we declared we are looking for. I am not saying he won’t be but also I wouldn’t want fans to expect too much initially. If I remember correctly Tupou was much maligned when he first signed by some on here.

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 12:00 pm  

Have to agree Mason Lino would be a bit of a strange signing if true. He’s a decent enough player don’t get me wrong but from what i’ve seen he’s not really the general we have said we want. To be honest i’m not sure he’d offer anything different or better to what Hampshire already does but he’d probably cost a bit more and take up a quota spot as well.

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:36 pm  

Sacred Cow wrote:

Have to agree Mason Lino would be a bit of a strange signing if true. He’s a decent enough player don’t get me wrong but from what i’ve seen he’s not really the general we have said we want. To be honest i’m not sure he’d offer anything different or better to what Hampshire already does but he’d probably cost a bit more and take up a quota spot as well.

Same here but it's press talk. Maybe Walker will be groomed for that and this lad will add some variety. Who knows.

I do think this 'general' thing is a red herring, I don't think there are many of those about these days, imo it will need to come from them all.

[PopTart]

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:36 pm  

Every team needs a leader and we lack one.
We have motivators but not someone to captain the ship and point the directions.
That's the general we need. Doesn't matter what position but its likely to be the 7.

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:54 pm  

PopTart wrote:

Every team needs a leader and we lack one.
We have motivators but not someone to captain the ship and point the directions.
That's the general we need. Doesn't matter what position but its likely to be the 7.

Again I don't agree, doesn't work like that IMO. Yes there are assertive players but you don't get the players who run the game like you did 30years ago, it seems more collective now.

Whose the 'General' at Saints'? It's not Roby because he isn't permanently on the pitch. Ditto Wigan and Warrington, they all have a number of players who take charge at various points. Only Gale at Leeds could be called a 'General' IMO.

It's also a risky strategy, Hudds employed Sezer allegedly for that role but once he got injured they were stuffed.

If we have a 'General' it's Fifita but he's not on for 80mins and he currently isn't fit enough to do the things he wants or needs to do.

Opinions will differ but I think its an old fashioned mentality - it's like the role of Captain, I feel that's just an honourary thing these days.

What you need is playmakers who can do the job and more importantly can be understood by the team as a whole and that's in a number of positions.

Re: Sam williams : Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:05 pm  

Fishermanscap wrote:

Again I don't agree, doesn't work like that IMO. Yes there are assertive players but you don't get the players who run the game like you did 30years ago, it seems more collective now.

Whose the 'General' at Saints'? It's not Roby because he isn't permanently on the pitch. Ditto Wigan and Warrington, they all have a number of players who take charge at various points. Only Gale at Leeds could be called a 'General' IMO.

It's also a risky strategy, Hudds employed Sezer allegedly for that role but once he got injured they were stuffed.

If we have a 'General' it's Fifita but he's not on for 80mins and he currently isn't fit enough to do the things he wants or needs to do.

Opinions will differ but I think its an old fashioned mentality - it's like the role of Captain, I feel that's just an honourary thing these days.

What you need is playmakers who can do the job and more importantly can be understood by the team as a whole and that's in a number of positions.

That`s really good point on Saints and Wigan FMC, I have never really thought about it like that but I guess they have almost got a leadership group in the likes of Coote, Lomax, Roby and perhaps a couple members of there pack as well, not just as you say a "General" to lead them around the field in terms of an individual.