He just doesn"t do it for me. I do agree he has great hands for his winger but I think a centre should be able to beat a player either by strength, speed or good footwork. Oakes very rarely does any of that. I think we would be better cultivating him in the 2nd row. As far as bringing the ball out of defence he"s ok but that's not really a centres job, that's what forwards are for.

TBF neither Oakes or Evans are the complete package in terms of playing centre. It's why they're with us and not in SL.

Quote ="Stockwell & Smales"He just doesn"t do it for me. I do agree he has great hands for his winger but I think a centre should be able to beat a player either by strength, speed or good footwork. Oakes very rarely does any of that. I think we would be better cultivating him in the 2nd row. As far as bringing the ball out of defence he"s ok but that's not really a centres job, that's what forwards are ">for.'" Totally agree it should be a forwards job thats why every team uses wingers and centres to run the ball out.

Quote ="Stockwell & Smales"He just doesn"t do it for me. I do agree he has great hands for his winger but I think a centre should be able to beat a player either by strength, speed or good footwork. Oakes very rarely does any of that. I think we would be better cultivating him in the 2nd row. As far as bringing the ball out of defence he"s ok but that's not really a centres job, that's what forwards are ">for.'" Totally agree it should be a forwards job thats why every team uses wingers and centres to run the ball out.

One of the things that frustrated me with Oakes on Sunday was when he was taking the ball in, he constantly stepped back into the markers, whereas if he just carried running straight, he would have made a couple more metres even before contact. At some points he was stepping back into the markers who were directly at the side of him.



As Bullseye said, if Oakes and Evans were the perfect centres who could put their winger away, defend superbly and beat defenders, they wouldn't be with us. I think they're very good centres for this league however.

So I saw the match review panel brought their decisions on the SL games on Tuesday. When do they review the Championship games? Is it today?

Ferres not even sighted for the headbutt by the MRP...