Current young players

[JM2010]

Maybe I'm being too positive here, as there's a lot for us to moan about recently, but I think the current crop of young players in SL at the moment are the best I've seen for a while as a whole. We seem to have quite a few outside backs coming through as well as forwards plus a few classy half backs.

Hopefully they'll progress to bring England some success in the not too distant future

[Scubby]

5 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Maybe I'm being too positive here, as there's a lot for us to moan about recently, but I think the current crop of young players in SL at the moment are the best I've seen for a while as a whole. We seem to have quite a few outside backs coming through as well as forwards plus a few classy half backs.

Hopefully they'll progress to bring England some success in the not too distant future

It has been said elsewhere, the only upside to the RLWC postponement is another year for a few young players who weren't quite ready.

[JM2010]

3 minutes ago, Scubby said:

It has been said elsewhere, the only upside to the RLWC postponement is another year for a few young players who weren't quite ready.

Yeah the team that plays next year might be slightly different to the team that would have played this year 

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, JM2010 said:

Yeah the team that plays next year might be slightly different to the team that would have played this year 

I've got hopes for a few outside backs - particularly Newman, Farnworth and Welsby - being much improved 12 months on. 

[Davo5]

9 minutes ago, Scubby said:

It has been said elsewhere, the only upside to the RLWC postponement is another year for a few young players who weren't quite ready.

We’d have a handy U21/U23 side if only we played international RL

[JM2010]

2 minutes ago, Scubby said:

I've got hopes for a few outside backs - particularly Newman, Farnworth and Welsby - being much improved 12 months on. 

I'd add Wardle and Young to that list 

[Lowdesert]

1 minute ago, Scubby said:

I've got hopes for a few outside backs - particularly Newman, Farnworth and Welsby - being much improved 12 months on. 

Welsby will be the England fullback for some time imo.  Pryce has it in him (early days) to be the same at stand off, something we haven’t had for many years.

We have a lot of promise but need to convert that to delivering the goods at 1st team level.  This step up is the main stumbling block.

[JM2010]

1 minute ago, Lowdesert said:

Welsby will be the England fullback for some time imo.  Pryce has it in him (early days) to be the same at stand off, something we haven’t had for many years.

We have a lot of promise but need to convert that to delivering the goods at 1st team level.  This step up is the main stumbling block.

Welsby is a great young player. I think he'll have competition from Farnworth, Walker, Hanley and Thewlis. Having competition for places is something we've lacked in the past

[Lowdesert]

3 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Welsby is a great young player. I think he'll have competition from Farnworth, Walker, Hanley and Thewlis. Having competition for places is something we've lacked in the past

Controversially, I don’t think Walker will be up there with the others you mention.  Hanley?  Too early to rank him.

 

[Dunbar]

I would put Dominic Young into the mix for the outside backs. He has filled in at wing for the Knights a few times and done OK and showed plenty of pace but he is a quality right centre really with good footwork and handling skills.

[Scubby]

8 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

Controversially, I don’t think Walker will be up there with the others you mention.  Hanley?  Too early to rank him.

 

Young Jack Walker? He's got a few more years at youth level before he matures

[JM2010]

9 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

Controversially, I don’t think Walker will be up there with the others you mention.  Hanley?  Too early to rank him.

 

Maybe not for Walker but he's not playing at the moment so it depends what he's like when he returns. 

As for Hanley, I agree it's too early at the moment but he was a standout at academy so hopefully he'll develop. There's also Hodgson at Newcastle Knights who also has potential

[hindle xiii]

26 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Welsby is a great young player. I think he'll have competition from Farnworth, Walker, Hanley and Thewlis. Having competition for places is something we've lacked in the past

It may be due to the few games I've seen have involved St Helens but there is something fresh about Welsby, he seems to be a genuinely good player with fantastic utility value. I can't put my finger on a similar player I've seen in the Super League era, maybe Lee Gilmour but he moved into the back row later on in his career. Anyway, he seems like a good all rounder.

Correction: spelling of his name, one 'l' of a player...

Also, point of note, I'm not watching him at the moment.

[DavidM]

Herbie might be back in the good books by next autumn . 

[Tommygilf]

23 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

Controversially, I don’t think Walker will be up there with the others you mention.  Hanley?  Too early to rank him.

 

Yeah I must admit between never being totally convinced by Walker and Leeds' seeming total inability to regularly turn academy players into genuine stars in the past 5/10 years (Oledski aside) in the same way Wigan and Saints have, I have to agree with you. 

I have very high hopes for Newman though, real quality centre. Hopefully they don't bulk Hanley up so he can keep his pace.

[JM2010]

To increase the competition for places I'll add the Senior twins, Jack Broadbent at Leeds and Connor Watson at Hull

[tjhrads93]

Not sure whether he will be the stand out choice when everyone matures but in the games I have seen Thewlis play he has looked fantastic.

Agree with all the names mentioned and in my 8-10 years watching league I have to agree that this is the most exciting crop of youngsters.

[Davo5]

2 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Too increase the competition for places I'll add the Senior twins, Jack Broadbent at Leeds and Connor Watson at Hull

Matty Ashton is still only 23 & has the tools to be a really outstanding RL player,

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Scubby said:

I've got hopes for a few outside backs - particularly Newman, Farnworth and Welsby - being much improved 12 months on. 

Young too at the Knights.

Is Welsby all that? I am never convinced. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Dunbar said:

I would put Dominic Young into the mix for the outside backs. He has filled in at wing for the Knights a few times and done OK and showed plenty of pace but he is a quality right centre really with good footwork and handling skills.

Handy, as centre is usually our weakest position. 

[Scubby]

7 hours ago, Leonard said:

Young too at the Knights.

Is Welsby all that? I am never convinced. 

Yes I think he is. Like Wellens as a kid he came into a successful Saitns side and was pinged around the backline a bit until he found his spot. He looks the goods at full back IMO.

[Barry Badrinath]

8 hours ago, Leonard said:

Young too at the Knights.

Is Welsby all that? I am never convinced. 

Likewise, sky hyping a kid that plays for saints that finishes off trys. I mean it's not like he's the 2nd coming of Andrew John's.

[Saint Toppy]

12 hours ago, Dunbar said:

I would put Dominic Young into the mix for the outside backs. He has filled in at wing for the Knights a few times and done OK and showed plenty of pace but he is a quality right centre really with good footwork and handling skills.

Not convinced by Young at all, he's had some shockers, all be it as part of poor overall team performances for the Knights. He looks ponderous at times and out of his depth.

Watched a game a few weeks ago (can't remember who they were playing) but he had an absolute shocker of a game. His first 3 touches in the opening 5 mins he dropped it either in the tackle or in the PTB in his own half, putting the team under massive pressure.

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

Not convinced by Young at all, he's had some shockers, all be it as part of poor overall team performances for the Knights. He looks ponderous at times and out of his depth.

Watched a game a few weeks ago (can't remember who they were playing) but he had an absolute shocker of a game. His first 3 touches in the opening 5 mins he dropped it either in the tackle or in the PTB in his own half, putting the team under massive pressure.

It was againt the Roosters.  And it was two errors, not three. But yes, he made some errors... as all players do.

You don't mention the game againt the Cowboys where he set up Ponga for two and scored two himself or the game againt Melbourne where he was the only Knights try scorer and top metere maker against the best team in the competition. 

He is a 20 year old playing in the best Rugby League competition on the planet and well done to him.

You seem to have a bit of downer on him though.  I remember in the Brits in the NRL thread you mentioned he was at fault for several of Saints tries when he made his debut for the Giants.  I looked at the video of all the tries and none of them went anywhere near him.

[Davo5]

3 hours ago, Saint Toppy said:

Not convinced by Young at all, he's had some shockers, all be it as part of poor overall team performances for the Knights. He looks ponderous at times and out of his depth.

Watched a game a few weeks ago (can't remember who they were playing) but he had an absolute shocker of a game. His first 3 touches in the opening 5 mins he dropped it either in the tackle or in the PTB in his own half, putting the team under massive pressure.

Didn’t you say the same about Farnworth.

It’s pretty ridiculous to write off young players after 1 or 2 poor games,especially when they are playing in the toughest league in the sport,the clue here is their age & inexperience and the expectancy of inconsistency in young players games.