I don't think Wilkin has quite lived up to the potential he had as a youngster.



But that has nothing to do with his attitude as far as I'm concerned ... he works his backside off on the pitch. He's averaged around 27 tackles a game for the last couple of seasons, and, according to the Super League site, is averaging 39 per game in his first four appearances of this season.



It's probably true that he isn't big enough to be a destructive running second rower, but you can hardly put that down to him thinking he's a superstar.

Wilkin is a GB international forward, so he does have some ability.



I think many of you are not taking account of his excellent angles of running when hitting the line, and his generally intelligent footballing skills, and support play.



He isnt a blockbuster but he is a footballer.

RL isnt all about bash and barge, you need players with subtle skills as well.

Spot on, he runs some great lines.

he's great at playing hide and seek in big international games too...

In the all conquering 2006 season, he made the step up from behind the shadow of Gilmour to become not only the best second rower in our squad, but arguably the country. In that season alone, I can't think of a second rower who had performed better than Wilkin.



Since then, he has not improved, and has possibly taken a step backwards.



Now, I don't think he is worthy of a GB shirt anymore. (although don't ask me who deserves one ahead of him

)

He's a damn site better than Flannery and I'll bet he's cheaper too. For those thinking he hides from the hard work, I remember him breaking tackles to win us the Challenge Cup final against El Giantes at Twickers, with a broken nose. Hardly the stuff of lazy pretty boys.



We haven't played well in donkeys years, when was the last time we cut lose and pasted someone? We struggled through last season, grinding out results and it wasn't pretty. A lot of the work Wilko does goes unnoticed.

Funnily enough. Wilkin hasent had a good game for years either!

What?

He wasn't that bad in the cup semi against us last year.

P.s Clough looks like a great prospect how's he been playing??

It's ok sayin he does 27 tackles a game cox he prob does.



He's prob the best 3rd man tackle machine in the world.



And yes he did run good lines but now he is just like a dummy runner.



Don't get my post wrong cox wilkin is a player I like but IMO he thinks he is better than he is and not played how he can for year and half.



No matter what anyone says he has not lived up to it.

Fair comments mate. I do feel though that he hasn't quite cut the mustard at the very top level and in the biggest games.

You do wonder sometimes how weve managed to win anything these past few years with all these overated players that turn out for us every week.

Can we loan him back then please

To my mind he is a nautral loose forward, and should be playing there week in week out, instead of Clough, Hargreaves, Puletua, Flannery or anyone else that just happens to be passing. Give him the 13 shirt and let him settle.

It's difficult for me to match up the quotation above with the one below:







I think you're right in saying he hasn't quite lived up to his potential - I thought he was going to be absolutely top drawer - but in your original post you imply that this is because he is self-absorbed and lazy, which is wholly unfair in my opinion.



It seems to me that because he's a good looking lad people tend to dismiss him as a feckless poser as soon as he has a couple of mediocre games.

I cannot see how we can regard him so highly for making a few decent angled dummy runs. That is crazy. He was nowhere to be seen when we needed the forwards in the GF last year, he was nowhere in the WC and so far hes been nowhere again this season.



For a lad with such ability he should be demanding the ball and driving it up or pivoting a move, he doesn't. If his only role within the Saints set up is to run some decent angles then we really are in a bad way this season.



His attitude is a disgrace and has been since he joined us. That is from personal experience which I don't need to go into.

I'm surprised by how many saint's fans don't rate him that highly i thought he was classed as one of your star men like wellens,long and KC.

Wilkin is great player IMO. Looking at the stats he makes plenty of yards, makes plenty of tackles and his fair share of breaks. Also he has an excellent in play kicking game which is a good option to have in a second rower. Wilkin's form usually picks up in the summer so wait and see.

`I agree, He doesnt seem to be making any progress (if not goin backwards)

He often trys to make big shots on the big men and comes off second best missing the tackle.

I also think he probably thinks hes better than he is.



He should be given more respnosibility. I remember when he played half back, or stand off in the playoffs when we had loads of injuries and he was fantastic

Jesus wept. There's no Meli so i suppose someone has to be targeted amongst our ranks. Wilkin is a class act and once the pitches firm up will become even more invaluable to the side along with Leon. Pryce at 6 and Wilkin at 13 is the way forward.

I think he has got lazy. As someone has said he is great when we are racking up the points but when it comes to "hey lads hey" he seems to disappear (EG Grand Final 200icon_cool.gif.

Seriously!!!!



My god we have been spoiled over the last few years, so one player isn't as amazing as people "think" he should be!



As has been previously stated, Jon is a dry weather player, but he never let us down in any game that i have seen him play, which i want to point out, its probably around 99% of them. And to say that he went missing in the 2008 Grand Final, jeeeeeeez, none of the 17 really played as well as they could.



To single out one player is unfair, but to say he walks around as though he is a super star is just ludicrous.



He doesn't always make the headlines, but thats part of being in a team, and in my view is a brilliant team player who never lets us down.

Get rid of the patronising rubbish and judge him in a balanced manner.



He plays for a top side so he is by logic a good player. The point is that he is not as good as he should be and doesn't work hard enough for me.



The Grand Final needed forwards to put the ball up their shirt and give us some field position to take some form of control of the game and the reality is that not enough of them did this, including Wilkin. You could similarly say that Wilkin is supposed to be a play making back rower. Well I have not seen him make a big play when we have genuinely needed it in a big game yet for Saints, not once.



This idea that Saints player are not to be judged or we have been spoiled is utter rubbish. We have been at the top because we have had the players to put us there. Who exactly is Wilkin replacing at Saints? Chris Joynt, Paul Sculthorpe ? He has to start proving he is a capable enough player to warrant a Saints jersey and he hasn't for 2 years now IMO.

So if he is so rubbish who would you replace him with?



might i point out that at present WIlkin has made 157 tackles in 4 games. Thats 39 a game harldy a lazy player as some have said

patronising rubbish???



I just dont understand it when people say he isnt as good as he should be!



He has played in the team for what 4 or 5 years now straight and to say he has gone backwards, in my view, is a bit harsh.



He is a very good player, and like most players in any sport, he plays well when the team is playing well. But for people to say he doesnt show up when the team is playing badly....he isnt superman he cannot make the team play well all on his own.



I just hate it when fans pick out certain players for not being world beaters every week.