Fri 23 Oct: SL: Wigan Warriors v Salford Red Devils KO 5.30pm (TV)

[Click]

2 hours ago, Clogiron said:

If you believe the likes of Liam Farrell, Sam Tompkins and Gildart are going to strike fear into the hearts of the Australian's I'm glad I don't live in your World.

Who said they would? 

Farrell isn't big enough to be as effective on the international stage, but he is a very good line ball runner, Tomkins* (it really isn't hard) is probably still one of our most exciting players and possesses many skills that a lot of others don't, and GIldart again, imo isn't big enough to be effective on the world stage - although he didn't look too out of place scoring against NZ a few years ago.

[Futtocks]

20 minutes ago, Click said:

Who said they would? 

Farrell isn't big enough to be as effective on the international stage, but he is a very good line ball runner, Tomkins* (it really isn't hard) is probably still one of our most exciting players and possesses many skills that a lot of others don't, and GIldart again, imo isn't big enough to be effective on the world stage - although he didn't look too out of place scoring against NZ a few years ago.

When John Bateman went to Canberra a couple of years ago, several on here predicted with great certainty that he was too small to be an effective NRL player.

Remind me, how did that work out?

[my missus]

when powell scored i said to the wife i hope the video ref dosen't give it because if we win by a hundred that's all we will get for a week.

[Clogiron]

12 hours ago, Futtocks said:

When John Bateman went to Canberra a couple of years ago, several on here predicted with great certainty that he was too small to be an effective NRL player.

Remind me, how did that work out?

There's been a shift change in the type of back row player that has been prominent in the NRL over the last couple of seasons, the likes of Radley, Murray, Whitehead, Bateman smaller player's with a high 80 minute workrate and good footwork have come forward in place of some of the bemoths of before and the recent rule changes have accelerated that.

[DoubleD]

19 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

Yes.  All true.  But I would be cautious.  Salford could not get up for it tonight. So the points are flattering, and it fell open for French.  No one can give him half an opening.

 

Off topic... SKY have 2 games now where both Cup Finalists are knackered or shattered or weakened.  Commentators do their best to talk it up, and the virus is a big problem... but our product is stretched to say the least.

And even as I type, Saints score already.

I agree, we were flogging the product pre covid with loop fixtures which led to fatigue amongst fans but it’s even worse now. There was pent up demand post restart as we’d been starved from product but now it’s almost like an endless cycle to fulfill matches with reduced intensity/quality. I’ve enjoyed watching some of the young talent get a chance but we are damaging the ‘elite product’ and I have my concerns going into the WC next year. We need to be wary of this when planning next season

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Clogiron said:

There's been a shift change in the type of back row player that has been prominent in the NRL over the last couple of seasons, the likes of Radley, Murray, Whitehead, Bateman smaller player's with a high 80 minute workrate and good footwork have come forward in place of some of the bemoths of before and the recent rule changes have accelerated that.

I'm very much looking forward to Radley regaining full fitness for 2021.

[Rupert Prince]

14 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

I agree, we were flogging the product pre covid with loop fixtures which led to fatigue amongst fans but it’s even worse now. There was pent up demand post restart as we’d been starved from product but now it’s almost like an endless cycle to fulfill matches with reduced intensity/quality. I’ve enjoyed watching some of the young talent get a chance but we are damaging the ‘elite product’ and I have my concerns going into the WC next year. We need to be wary of this when planning next season

"flogging the product" is the well put phrase.

I think a lot of people need to take a good long think!  Very long.  Very deep.

I have said something similar as an aside in another topic (about the possible future of French).  Well, actually I have said it several times.

[Red Willow]

19 hours ago, DG70 said:

Salford are far better than what they served up tonight, having said that, their excuses are totally credible, the team was ravaged and dead on its feet, clear for all to see.

And have to play again on Monday?/ So they play Friday, Tuesday, cup final Sat, Friday and then Monday and again at the weekend On a small squad it's too much. Wigan had how many games?

[Rupert Prince]

49 minutes ago, Red Willow said:

And have to play again on Monday?/ So they play Friday, Tuesday, cup final Sat, Friday and then Monday and again at the weekend On a small squad it's too much. Wigan had how many games?

On any squad its small for current situation. The desire to play 20 games is/was is making the the competition into a lottery.  Too many games are mismatched because one team plays half a team of reserves (or more) and its opponents working up to a full side. On top of which there is no benefit or point to a club putting a good team out in front of its own supporters.  For some clubs they cannot even get any benefit from their fans' cardboard cut outs.

[Davo5]

21 hours ago, Clogiron said:

If you believe the likes of Liam Farrell, Sam Tompkins and Gildart are going to strike fear into the hearts of the Australian's I'm glad I don't live in your World.

The benefits of being on a different planet eh.

[Click]

22 hours ago, Futtocks said:

When John Bateman went to Canberra a couple of years ago, several on here predicted with great certainty that he was too small to be an effective NRL player.

Remind me, how did that work out?

I mean, we weren't talking about Bateman, but Farrell, who is a very different player.

Bateman has performed very well in the NRL, mainly because of the type of game he plays - But he also doesn't do as much work as other second rowers in the NRL do, I imagine because of his size. 

Whenever I see him play he performs his best in the last 20 minutes, when his fitness levels are still high, and the opposition aren't so high. He doesn't tend to be very effective in the first 20 minutes IMO.

[Clogiron]

19 hours ago, Davo5 said:

The benefits of being on a different planet eh.

Sometimes, I think and are glad that I've lived my life on a totally different planet to many others

[Rupert Prince]

18 hours ago, Click said:

I mean, we weren't talking about Bateman, but Farrell, who is a very different player.

Bateman has performed very well in the NRL, mainly because of the type of game he plays - But he also doesn't do as much work as other second rowers in the NRL do, I imagine because of his size. 

Whenever I see him play he performs his best in the last 20 minutes, when his fitness levels are still high, and the opposition aren't so high. He doesn't tend to be very effective in the first 20 minutes IMO.

His tackle per game is not much behind the top players. And the top one is a hooker who you would generally find in the middle. My point is I think he does get through his work.

[Click]

3 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

His tackle per game is not much behind the top players. And the top one is a hooker who you would generally find in the middle. My point is I think he does get through his work.

He does get through his work, but he just isn't as effective when he has fresh big guys running at him - I thought he was quite quiet when the "big one" happened when he was playing Kikau, he can be an excellent player, and he can be very elusive, but he is slight, and doesn't make as much of an impact during certain parts of the game