Then Why give him the 7 shirt this season?



FWIW, I think we should do away with squad numbers and do it like we still do internationally and how the Aussies still do it. Get given your shirt number on the day. I understand its a way to make money with shirt printing and stuff but that can still happen regardless anyway.

Really is amazing, all the other teams will start doing the same. At least for that game we had the right balance.

Patton and Brown should be nailed on HBs now.. and Gidley nailed on at 1.



i dont want to see Ratchford or Russel anywhere near that FB spot when everyone is fit.

Like I said earlier, I think Gidley should stay fullback because of how poor Evans is at centre, and Ratchford would be a massive upgrade.



However despite him looking assured under the high ball against Brisbane, I am not sure how he will perform over an entire season.

In modern Rugby League having a fullback who is quick and elusive or can break a tackle is a huge benefit, because it gives a great platform for the forwards to start a set. I can't think of many if any top teams who have a small and slow fullback at the moment...



And I questioned his decision making a lot of last season, because he seemed to run when he should pass, this was highlighted in the GF and is not something I would have ever accused Hodgson of. So I am not sure how great he would be in an attacking sense, he didn't do much against Brisbane except the quick hands which led to Russell's try.



I don't really see the comparison with Hodgson, yes they both lack pace but I think Hodgson was far better at linking up play and key decision making.



I personally think Ratchford would be a better fullback if he played there every week, but like I said, we need him at centre.

Move Hughes to centre?**!!?? Why would we play a second row forward at centre? His defence could not possibly be better than Evans, he's not as quick as Evans and lastly, given a bit of space to operate in, Evans even showed on Friday some of the attacking potential he displayed as a teenager. We might as well play Westwoods at centre, after all, that's where he started out.

At the very least Evans is a superb defensive centre so it's a bit much to call him 'poor'. You also seem to be seriously suggesting that a man who played 15 seasons of NRL at fullback isn't good enough to play fullback for Warrington? And, '[i he didn't do much against Brisbane[/i': were you at the same game I was?

I think the key here would be to utilise Johnson at fullback to cover for Gidley, Let's face it he probably shouldn't be playing week in week out although I'm sure he'd like to. We need our best 17 on the field when it comes to the business end of the season.

Evans is not a superb defensive centre, that is a myth... he doesn't have the rugby intelligence required to be a great defensive centre. He is strong and fast, so if someone runs straight at him he will tackle them, but he missed a lot of tackles last season because he struggles to make decisions with things like numbering up or when players are running good lines.



Gidley is nearly 35, I am not basing my current judgement on how well or otherwise he played in the NRL... he hasn't been good enough to be a starting nrl fullback for quite a few years.. and yes in attack he didn't do much against Brisbane.



Just because we won the game, doesn't mean everyone was brilliant.

Ran into the right channel every time and joined every set as a third pivot with no wayward passes. Assisted Russell for a Try.







We completed 100% of our sets in the first half. So yeah... Everyone was Fluffing brilliant.

Ok and I thought Gidley should have passed on quite a few occasions but didn't... and he never got us on the front foot or made enough metres returning the ball. But we all have our opinions.



But we have a severe lack of options at fullback, so hopefully his ball handling and decision making near the line improves.

Sorry, I don't deal in myths. Evans is our best defensive centre since Allan 'the clamp' Bateman. Gidley was starting fullback for an NRL team in 2015 - less than two years ago.

Quote Asgardian13="Asgardian13"Sorry, I don't deal in myths. Evans is our best defensive centre since Allan 'the clamp' Bateman. Gidley was starting fullback for an NRL team in 2015 - less than two years ago.'" Yes and he wasn't good enough, he got constantly moved around positions, you're speaking like he played 20 games a season at fullback, he wasn't even newcastle regular fullback, Darius Boyd was from 2012 onwards... go on an nrl forum and ask Newcastle fans. Better yet read through this 20 page thread about him in 2014 where they basically say he is finished, and doesn't justify a position in the team forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... ey.432859/. Like I said, he hasn't been an NRL standard fullback for a long time, like Evans isn't good enough to be centre in a good sl team. And Evans our best defensive centre in 25 years? You listen to Stevo too much, who seen a couple of decent tackles and decided to label him as a monster in defence. Like I said, he is a decent tackler if you run straight at him... any player or ball movement and he is struggling. I would take Atkins over Evans in defence every day of the week, at least he hits hard whilst missing tackles. Ill help you out a bit in the comparison.. Atkins made 413 tackles last season and missed 27. Rhys "best tackler since sliced bread" Evans made 375 tackles and missed 41.

Quote Asgardian13="Asgardian13"Sorry, I don't deal in myths. Evans is our best defensive centre since Allan 'the clamp' Bateman. Gidley was starting fullback for an NRL team in 2015 - less than two years ago.'" Yes and he wasn't good enough, he got constantly moved around positions, you're speaking like he played 20 games a season at fullback, he wasn't even newcastle regular fullback, Darius Boyd was from 2012 onwards... go on an nrl forum and ask Newcastle fans. Better yet read through this 20 page thread about him in 2014 where they basically say he is finished, and doesn't justify a position in the team forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... ey.432859/. Like I said, he hasn't been an NRL standard fullback for a long time, like Evans isn't good enough to be centre in a good sl team. And Evans our best defensive centre in 25 years? You listen to Stevo too much, who seen a couple of decent tackles and decided to label him as a monster in defence. Like I said, he is a decent tackler if you run straight at him... any player or ball movement and he is struggling. I would take Atkins over Evans in defence every day of the week, at least he hits hard whilst missing tackles. Ill help you out a bit in the comparison.. Atkins made 413 tackles last season and missed 27. Rhys "best tackler since sliced bread" Evans made 375 tackles and missed 41.

Quote Ron="Ron"Yes and he wasn't good enough, he got constantly moved around positions, you're speaking like he played 20 games a season at fullback, he wasn't even newcastle regular fullback, Darius Boyd was from 2012 onwards... go on an nrl forum and ask Newcastle fans. Better yet read through this 20 page thread about him in 2014 where they basically say he is finished, and doesn't justify a position in the team forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... ey.432859/. Like I said, he hasn't been an NRL standard fullback for a long time, like Evans isn't good enough to be centre in a good sl team. '" How did Darius Boyd go on Saturday? A perfect chance to compare Gidley and Boyd on one field at the same time.... I know which one was better. imagine Gidley taking Browns dummy... or standing there as last man pretty ineffective When Russell Scored.... . where exactly does super fullback Boyd play in every Origin and test game he's selected in ....oh on the Wing you say. Some Fullback......!!!

Quote Ron="Ron"Yes and he wasn't good enough, he got constantly moved around positions, you're speaking like he played 20 games a season at fullback, he wasn't even newcastle regular fullback, Darius Boyd was from 2012 onwards... go on an nrl forum and ask Newcastle fans. Better yet read through this 20 page thread about him in 2014 where they basically say he is finished, and doesn't justify a position in the team forums.leagueunlimited.com/threa ... ey.432859/. Like I said, he hasn't been an NRL standard fullback for a long time, like Evans isn't good enough to be centre in a good sl team. '" How did Darius Boyd go on Saturday? A perfect chance to compare Gidley and Boyd on one field at the same time.... I know which one was better. imagine Gidley taking Browns dummy... or standing there as last man pretty ineffective When Russell Scored.... . where exactly does super fullback Boyd play in every Origin and test game he's selected in ....oh on the Wing you say. Some Fullback......!!!

well done you understand how Atkins made the dream team.....





Atkins also had the luxury of playing in every game he played Evans on the other hand was never so settled....



I doubt your even a wire fan ............

Boyd was the starting fullback for Australia and Queensland last season... and I never said he was super, I said he was brought in as Newcastle fullback in 2012 because Gidley wasn't good enough in that position, therefore supporting my point about him not being an nrl standard fullback for a lot of years.



But yes he is comfortably better than Gidley in that position, I don't tend to go off one game sample sizes.

Atkins made the dream team for his attack not his defence... he scored 17 tries compared to Evans 6. I guess his lack of tries was because he played on the wing too much?



Evans just isn't very good, and his lack of ability was a big reason behind us getting beat by Wigan last year... but Tony Smith chooses him, so not his fault.

It was a pleasure to watch Kevin Brown's passing game. First and foremost he is able to pass, his pass timing and choice of who to pass to was spot on. Conversely, Atkins, Evans and Russell are unable to achieve any of the above. Wire blew two clear try opportunities, Russell had a 2 on I with Savellio inside him and held on and Evans had a similar situation and blew it. How many times have we seen Atkins pass into the crowd. It just beggars belief that at Super League level our back line and centres in particular have such limitations.

Atkins looks for that off load or some flick when a pass will do.



With king at centre we have a. It of creativity in the centre has a bit to learn but has shown promise, with Russell or penny outside him we have some speed in that side and power close to the line and in the air on the other side



Our back line is not the best but we have the halves to get the best out of them.



I personally do not get the Atkins bashing Lyons Connollys n newloves don't grow on trees he's been a good super league centre for a very long time and in majority of our big games when fit has performed well. Of our current squad he is by far the best centre we have. Him n tom lineham should have a good season with brown n. Patton hitting them cross field kicks to them

I wouldn't mind going for a pint with you Ron. You seem like a really upbeat, positive guy.

I never realised this was a dating site.

If you don't ask, you don't get.

I would have Gidley at 1 with Johnson as his understudy. Never ever have Russell at 1.



I would have Ratchford at right centre with King as his understudy.



I would have Russell and Penny fighting it out for a wing spot. Here is my back line:



1 Gidley

2 Penny

3 Ratchford

4 Atkins

5 Lineham

6 Brown

7 Patton



Some good experience, guile, power and pace there.

Iv been calling for Ratch at centre a good couple of years now. I would love to see the above going forward.

You will have a pint MF whilst Ron will just have a half I suspect....only kidding Ron

This.



Ratchford too creative to leave out of the team and looked good at centre in 2012.