Drinkwater had his best games for us when Williams was injured and he was fully in charge of moving us around the field, playing out of position on the right of the field really doesn't suit him. Dufty i'm 50/50 with, his form dipped the same time as the rest of the team so can't really single him out as being bad. But i agree that Thewlis looks the better all round fullback from all the games i've seen. I'll wait to see what Burgess can do with them all before i throw them on the scrap heap......Well except Dudson, he can go ASAP. He had 1 really good year at Salford and that was it. He never found that form again at Catalans and has been much much worse for us.
I think it’s fair to say Dufty has some decent attributes but probably isn’t showing them regularly enough. When there’s a talent like Thewlis who’s come through the academy, and looks the real deal, whose preferred position is full back it’s easy to see why there’s a clamour to get him in there, so signing a proven quality winger (oh I don’t know, like Charnley maybe?) would make sense.
I don’t have a problem with pairing Williams with a half back who can just do the simple things really well, move the ball quickly and accurately with a kicking game that gets us in the right places on the pitch, a foil for a halfback partner with more flair and creativity. On paper that’s what Drinkwater should provide, in reality, like Dufty I don’t think we’re seeing his talent translate into performances on the pitch. Again with Dean and Hayes you’d really like to see them given an opportunity to see if they’ve got the talent to make it.
With Dudson, I’m not as apposed to him as many seem on here, but, I don’t think he makes the 18 when we’re at full strength, and that being the case, when we do need cover I think we’d all rather it be a prospect getting experience as apposed to a diminishing journeyman. I thought Thomas went well early on in the season when he had a bit of game time, ran hard and didn’t take a backward step…
I’d have no issue if Mautautia brought forward his retirement a few months, no issues at all…
I think Thewlis is the future @ fullback but I'd still prefer Dufty there until the end if his contract for a few reasons, in attack those three I think are the best we have when on song. Thewlis still has some development he is fearless but he needs to temper that not since Hodgson have I seen a player take so many high shots, he's like a high tackle magnet, and I worry he'll end up like Coote at the back end of his career. A balance between him and Dufty in terms if that would be great so another year for him in the team for him to get his body more conditioned to super league for me. Drinkwater I agree he had his best games when Williams wasn't about but his best games for wire hasn't been good enough, we were looking for a plan B when Williams and the forwards weren't working for us to kick us into the right positions, I've seen better kicking by Danny Walker, also he misses the inside plays I remember Dufty screaming at him for the ball where he had a clean break, also his short kicking is awful and his defence isn't great. As for Dudson the stats don't lie he hasn't had a great game, he shouldn't be near the 18, especially now Mikaele is back, and if cover to the four front line props are needed Vaughan, Bullock, Kasiano, Mikaele, this should be provided by Harrison, Philbin and Green, all of which do a better job.
The fact that we have these players who are not performing is more to do with the clown(s) that brought them to the Wire. If they were any good they wouldn't have been moved on from their previous clubs.
Joined: Feb 10 2012 Posts: 6030 Location: Stuck in 1982
ninearches wrote:The fact that we have these players who are not performing is more to do with the clown(s) that brought them to the Wire. If they were any good they wouldn't have been moved on from their previous clubs.
I'm not saying that the players mentioned are/aren't under performing or that our recruitment success strike rate isn't woeful, especially recently, but your statement doesn't really hold much water IMO as we'd never sign anyone that's a success or let players go that achieve success elsewhere.
You only have to look at Saturday's game to realise that unfortunately, the latter is true .
But we have let them go & didn't they do well in their new environment? One player we let go several years ago has filled a good utility role wherever he's been. ,GO'B. Letting 2 of the best props in the league move on was a major cock up especially when we replace them with Catalans finest.
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