Briers signs up for another year

[League Express]

Warrington Wolves have announced that half-back Lee Briers has agreed a one-year contract extension with the club for 2014. Briers joined Warrington back in 1997 from neighbours St Helens making his debut in April of that year.

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[Old Frightful]

But, but, but...he's off to Hull KR.

[deluded pom?]

Has he signed on for the Welsh WC squad yet?

[crusadin_photoman]

Has he signed on for the Welsh WC squad yet?

We can but hope that Iestyn can convince him for a last hurrah!

[madwire]

As far as im aware he will be lestyns assistant at the world cup

[Swansea Jack]

We can but hope that Iestyn can convince him for a last hurrah!

That would be great news. Lee Briers is a player that I have a great admiration of.

[Wilderspoolmemories]

At least one more season from the master of craftiness! Great news!

[longboard]

It seems a sensible move by Wire. A talented player.

 

Does anybody know if Briers has done, or is doing, or intends to do his coaching badges?

[archibald]

Very pleased. Carried the team for years. It will be very odd when he's not on the pitch reffing.

[Just Browny]

He won't go away, will he. Great news. As someone said on the Wire RLFans board, he's never had any of the attributes associated with youth (great speed, perfect fitness) anyway, but the skills he has always had (his brain, his hands and his boot) are as sharp as ever. Would've been gutted to see him wear any other shirt as was rumoured.

[bobbruce]

It seems a sensible move by Wire. A talented player.

Does anybody know if Briers has done, or is doing, or intends to do his coaching badges?

I think he coaches junior teams but not sure what badges would be required for that level. Got a feeling he did them when he was out injured recently.

[Larry the Leit]

He won't go away, will he. Great news. As someone said on the Wire RLFans board, he's never had any of the attributes associated with youth (great speed, perfect fitness) anyway, but the skills he has always had (his brain, his hands and his boot) are as sharp as ever. Would've been gutted to see him wear any other shirt as was rumoured.

Yes a fair point. He'd have a even more years left in him if he'd kept in top shape.

[goldcoaster]

I've always been a big admirer of Lee. A great creative player.

I do think though, Gareth O'Brien will probably leave now though. He won't want to be constantly loaned out again. Could be a good pick-up for a rival SL outfit

[deluded pom?]

Would've been gutted to see him wear any other shirt as was rumoured.

I'm disappointed in you Browny. Don't you know it's would of not would've. Hang your head in shame.

[getdownmonkeyman]

It seems a sensible move by Wire. A talented player.

 

Does anybody know if Briers has done, or is doing, or intends to do his coaching badges?

 

He has recently become U19s assistant coach. He has made numerous references to moving into coaching after his playing career has ended.

 

PS

 

He is involved with one of Thatto Heath Crusaders (I think it is them) junior sides.

Edited July 26, 2013 by getdownmonkeyman

[longboard]

OK. It sounds like Briers has a plan. 

 

I think Brett Hodgson would make a good coach. Anybody know if he is coaching the youngsters, or an amateur team?

[Larry the Leit]

Felt a bit sorry for the Warrington fans today, and worried for them for next year too.  Westwood looked as rough and tough as ever but he's clearly lost some more pace, gone are the days when he finished liked the centre he once was.  I thought Morley and Briers looked pretty tired too.

[Dave T]

Felt a bit sorry for the Warrington fans today, and worried for them for next year too. Westwood looked as rough and tough as ever but he's clearly lost some more pace, gone are the days when he finished liked the centre he once was. I thought Morley and Briers looked pretty tired too.

those days went years ago. Westwood isnt in there for pace and hasnt been since his move to the pack. This didnt appear to be a problem for the first try.

We've been written off by some for the last couple of years for being too old and slow but we're still there or there abouts.

[JohnM]

Youth and pace have a place, as does age and experience

 

A young bull and an old bull spotted some cows in an adjacent field.  The young bull said, " let's run over there and screw a cow each"

 

The old bull replied, "Let walk over and screw them all"

 

Having said that, Briers was pretty effectively bottled up by Hull on Sunday

[Larry the Leit]

those days went years ago. Westwood isnt in there for pace and hasnt been since his move to the pack. This didnt appear to be a problem for the first try.

We've been written off by some for the last couple of years for being too old and slow but we're still there or there abouts.

Ok. Stick your head in the sand then.

Oh and Chris Riley, he's almost as bad as Peter Fox.

[Dave T]

Ok. Stick your head in the sand then.

Oh and Chris Riley, he's almost as bad as Peter Fox.

Not really, there's no need to go into panic mode because we lost to Hull in a semi final - age didn't show when we won a couple of close games against Leeds and Wigan, or when we wiped the floor with Hudds last round. 

 

Hull did very well, but let's not ignore what actually happened, it was 3 tries apiece, with a Wire one disallowed by the VR and 7 breaks to 3 for Wire. The telling stat was the 19 errors by Wire - this isn't an issue with age.

Westwood has never been known for pace, even when he was a centre, and it was a strange one to highlight when he wasn't outpaced at any stage of the game, and in fact broke through the Hudds defence on 2/3 occasions.

 

Riley's a good finisher but his defence is woeful, if you read my posts on here I have given him a fair bit of stick for that.

 

Anyway, well done to Hull, but I'm ok with where we are, 1 point off the top of the table and played our part in a great semi final, no shame in that. 

[Larry the Leit]

Westwood has never been known for pace, even when he was a centre, and it was a strange one to highlight when he wasn't outpaced at any stage of the game, and in fact broke through the Hudds defence on 2/3 occasions.

Yes he broke the line, and then sought to offload ASAP and without even hinting that he may run the ball. I've followed Ben's career since he was a junior and I think he's struggling at the moment, I just hope he's carrying a knock as he's been a firm favourite of mine for years.

For all the age and experience in the side Warrington had no leader that stood up and made it stick when Hull were vulnerable.

I'm no writing Warrington off because they lost to Hull in a match they should have won, in fact in not writing them off at all. I am saying that if I were a Wire fan I'd be worried that their recent successes will fizzle out unless the shelves are restocked fairly soon.

[Dave T]

Yes he broke the line, and then sought to offload ASAP and without even hinting that he may run the ball. I've followed Ben's career since he was a junior and I think he's struggling at the moment, I just hope he's carrying a knock as he's been a firm favourite of mine for years.

For all the age and experience in the side Warrington had no leader that stood up and made it stick when Hull were vulnerable.

I'm no writing Warrington off because they lost to Hull in a match they should have won, in fact in not writing them off at all. I am saying that if I were a Wire fan I'd be worried that their recent successes will fizzle out unless the shelves are restocked fairly soon.

I suggest you watch the first try again, he got the ball just inside his own 20m line and ran to the halfway line, drew the fullback and passed. Pretty textbook stuff tbh.

 

The simple fact with Warrington is that we have performances like that in us. When things stick we look like we did against Huddersfield, when they don't quite work off then we look like we did against Leeds and Hull - this is not to take anything away from Hull who's defence particularly in the middle was aggressive and they forced plenty of errors.

I'm loathe to be too critical of us when it doesn't work, as I'd rather see us play like this than grinding wins each week.

 

Whilst it may look like we had no leader in Briers or Monaghan, the fact is that without the ball Briers can do nothing - with the little ball he did have his kicking was very good and pass selection good too. I still maintain we look poorer without Myler at 7, but you have to deal with that even in the one-off big games.

 

You can have the best halves in the game, and the best tactics, but if you make 19 errors then you really are on a hiding to nothing! I don't think that's much to do with age if I'm honest.

 

On the long term, your points are very valid, but then we do have a decent core of players who can be with us for a few years yet. We do need to have a transition plan, and that is obviously looking like starting at the end of this year, as two old props move on in Morley and Carvell - it's a shame we are losing Cooper too, but again, we'll have to deal with that. 

 

The likes of Ratchford, Riley, Bridge, Atkins, Monaghan, Myler, Harrison, Grix, Hill, Currie all have a few years left yet, and with the emergence of more locally developed players plus a few signings, this can be managed.