Warrington sign...

[Just Browny]

Jack Hughes should walk in to the Warrington team for next season taking his performances this season for the Giants into consideration.

 

You're right, total oversight. I think he'll be in the second row if fit.

[Dave T]

I know I am a broken record, but looking at the spine, who has the rugby sense to move the team around and read what's in front of them in that squad? Is that what Gidley does? They could do worse than sign Smith because for all his faults he can organise. Russell, Sandow, Ratchford and Clark all seem to me to be broken field runners and off the cuff players. In their truly great recent teams they had Briers, Monaghan and Hodgson all of whom can run a game...

If you compare that with the role that Aiton, McGuire and Sinfield (plus Cuthbertson arguably) at Leeds, and Bowen, Williams, O'Louglin and Smith at Wigan then that's the answer for my money.

The pity is that there is so much talent in the rest of the team that could again be under utilised.

That's all fair enough, although I think Clarke is being sold short slightly, and he is getting better. Roby used to be classed simply as a broken play hooker and I think Clarke can go a similar route to Roby as he matures. Whether that is next year remains to be seen.

 

Sandow is actually more of an organiser than I expected, he actually plays more like a traditional 7, at first receiver - although he hasn't exactly gone well so far, but I am more than willing to give him a chance! I think he is trying too hard at the moment as he is in a team low on confidence, but he is happy to be first receiver and has a kicking game on him.

 

I don't know enough about Gidley tbh, so we'll see how he goes, and whether he is being lined up for that role.

[Dave T]

Interesting that you've included Simon Grix. He's been out for over a year and I have a horrible feeling that he won't play again. He is still in re-hab.

Yep, I fear the same thing, and like JB I also missed off Hughes, so a direct replacement there.

[CiderWire]

Some sound opinions put forward there. What, I believe, the fans wants to see is continuity and an understanding in the spine of the team, a good mixture of old sweats and young bloods and a level of self belief and determination that has been lacking, in some players all season.

We now have a stronger looking pack and two decent half backs, I am still concerned about strength in the centres tho.

Here's my 17:

1. Russell

2. Lineham

3. Ratchford

4. Atkins

5. Penny

6. Gidley

7. Sandow

8. Hill

9. Clarke

10. Sims

11. Hughes

12. Westwood

13. Currie

14. Dodds

15. Harrison

16. Dwyer

17. Grix

[raceman]

I think we have a few who are not contributing to the level we need. I'd have offloaded Ratchford before Myler, but we are where we are on that.

 

Potential 17 for next year:

 

1 - Russell

2 - Lineham

3 - Currie

4 - Atkins

5 - Monaghan

6 - Ratchford

7 - Sandow

8 - Hil

9 - Clarke

10- Sims

11- Westwood

12- Harrison

13- Gidley

 

14- Dwyer

15- Grix

16- Evans / England

17- Dodds

 

When you consider that this leaves out Laithewaite, Evans, Penny, Ormsby and then the young lads, it's not a bad start. 

 

The problem is when we start seeing an injury to the backs, and we end up with Ratch being moved, Gidley at 6, Grix in and out etc.

 

We need a settled spine, I'd prefer better than Ratchford, but if we are having him as our 6, then we need to focus on Sandow, Ratchford, Clarke, Russel as our nucleus.

Can we have Jack Hughes back if you're not going to play him?

[Dave T]

Can we have Jack Hughes back if you're not going to play him?

thankfully i wont be picking the team!

[CiderWire]

We can all scratch Grixy off our lists - He's retired from the playing staff and will be joining Clarke in the performance team.

[Dave T]

We can all scratch Grixy off our lists - He's retired from the playing staff and will be joining Clarke in the performance team.

teal shame for tge lad, retiring with such an injury so young. Good Luck Grixy!

[CiderWire]

I think it is fair to say he is one player who gave it his all every time he stepped on the pitch. Good luck to him and here's hoping he is now in a position to motivate others.

[DoubleD]

It's a great shame about Grix, a really classy back rower who gave his all. Not just a worker though, he had the skills to go with it.

 

I found it odd how Warrington said he would be staying on in a non-playing capacity but he said he was looking to carry on playing elsewhere. I would have thought they were mutually exclusive unless he was to go part time playing, which would be a waste of his talent if that's the case

[back to the future]

It's a great shame about Grix, a really classy back rower who gave his all. Not just a worker though, he had the skills to go with it.

 

I found it odd how Warrington said he would be staying on in a non-playing capacity but he said he was looking to carry on playing elsewhere. I would have thought they were mutually exclusive unless he was to go part time playing, which would be a waste of his talent if that's the case

Yeah he's looking to carry on playing

[DeadShotKeen]

How many awful players do they have running round in the nrl each week? Strange.

 

Very few indeed.

 

Do you watch NRL?

[longboard]

teal shame for tge lad, retiring with such an injury so young. Good Luck Grixy!

 

 

I don't know about 'teal shame' Dave. Simon Grix was never one to duck a challenge. 

[Dave T]

Very few indeed.

Do you watch NRL?

therefore could you explain how every overseas player we sign (plenty of them) is dismissed as awful? Something doesnt add up...

[DeadShotKeen]

therefore could you explain how every overseas player we sign (plenty of them) is dismissed as awful? Something doesnt add up...

 

SL is signing the lesser NRL players who play minor roles as opposed to their studs or even semi-elite lads. It's not rocket science.

 

I was interested in whether or not you watch NRL, because it is absolutely streets ahead of SL. Alas we have voted to fall further behind rather than try to catch up. But there is an unhealthy denial in SL circles, of which your comment seemed to me to be a representation.

[chuffer]

 studs 

 

crikey, the love for NRL players has no bounds.... 

[Aussie Bronco]

therefore could you explain how every overseas player we sign (plenty of them) is dismissed as awful? Something doesnt add up...

Because most of the players that SL teams seem to sign these days are fringe first graders, Garbutt, Dodds, Quinlan and heaps more. Kelly, Carney, Taylor, Horo are the only ones I can think of that were regulars and not past it (too old)

[RSN]

SL is signing the lesser NRL players who play minor roles as opposed to their studs or even semi-elite lads. It's not rocket science.

I was interested in whether or not you watch NRL, because it is absolutely streets ahead of SL. Alas we have voted to fall further behind rather than try to catch up. But there is an unhealthy denial in SL circles, of which your comment seemed to me to be a representation.

This comes from a person who constantly states he never watches super league.

Realistically there is quite a lot of average players in NRL much like there is a lot average players in SL.

The real difference is that the NRL has much more strength in dept across all the teams whilst super league is spread across 6 or 7.

The difference in style also is a factor which explains why average SL players such as Mike Cooper will be classed as quality NRL players and international players such as Josh Perry sometimes struggle making the switch and vice versa.

At the top there isn't much difference. If the NRLs top side played one of our top 4 teams there wouldn't be anything in it after 80 minutes. Which turns out to be true if you base it on the start of this season.

[Davo5]

This comes from a person who constantly states he never watches super league.

Realistically there is quite a lot of average players in NRL much like there is a lot average players in SL.

The real difference is that the NRL has much more strength in dept across all the teams whilst super league is spread across 6 or 7.

The difference in style also is a factor which explains why average SL players such as Mike Cooper will be classed as quality NRL players and international players such as Josh Perry sometimes struggle making the switch and vice versa.

At the top there isn't much difference. If the NRLs top side played one of our top 4 teams there wouldn't be anything in it after 80 minutes. Which turns out to be true if you base it on the start of this season.

There was 39 pts in the game against the so called top teams in each league,don't kid yourself,the top 4 teams in superleague would struggle to make the NRL playoffs.

[Guest]

There was 39 pts in the game against the so called top teams in each league,don't kid yourself,the top 4 teams in superleague would struggle to make the NRL playoffs.

 

Of the 3 matches played only the Saints match had a blow out score. Warrington, who have been poor this year, only lost by 6 points to St. George and Wigan only lost by 2 points (a dodgy penalty) against 2nd in the NRL Brisbane.

 

I think Leeds, Saints, Wigan or Huddersfield could easily have been in the top 8 of the NRL based on performances this year.

[Davo5]

Thanks to the different salary caps,the gap in standards between the NRL and Superleague is widening every season and will continue to grow,as for the world club challenge matches the NRL clubs turned up with no competitive matches behind them and still beat the superleague teams,who had a couple of league fixtures behind them on their home grounds in freezing conditions.

[DeadShotKeen]

At the top there isn't much difference. If the NRLs top side played one of our top 4 teams there wouldn't be anything in it after 80 minutes. Which turns out to be true if you base it on the start of this season.

 

Yet the Rabbitohs beat St Helens 48-0 away from home in their pre-season. And then finished 7th this season and went out in the first round of the play-offs. "You do the math" as the Yanks say.

 

I give the WCC a couple more seasons at best. If the NRL cap hits Aus $10m by 2018 as it's widely suggested it will then the concept would be even more mismatched than it is now. And surely by then there won't be a quality English player left in SL and the game over here will become semi-pro as a result. But then we built our elite structure around a few small traditional heartland sides who huffed and puffed about being left behind and we get the sport that we deserve as a result.

[Dave T]

SL is signing the lesser NRL players who play minor roles as opposed to their studs or even semi-elite lads. It's not rocket science.

I was interested in whether or not you watch NRL, because it is absolutely streets ahead of SL. Alas we have voted to fall further behind rather than try to catch up. But there is an unhealthy denial in SL circles, of which your comment seemed to me to be a representation.

yes, I watch both comps, unlike you, so am better equipped to comment.

Wire have signed three NRL players, who between them have played 487 NRL games, thats a lot of awful RL between them.

Many 'awful' players signed by SL clubs end up back at NRL clubs without question.

[Dave T]

Back onto Warrington, they have now announced Joel Monaghan and Gareth O'Brien are leaving the club, as well as Asotasi and previously announced players.

[Exiled Wiganer]

There are lots or average players, a fair few above, and about the same below.