To make it worse, I had completely forgotten that he has spent the last month playing in the Reserves to build up his fitness, so its not as though it was his first game back after a lay off.
To make it worse, I had completely forgotten that he has spent the last month playing in the Reserves to build up his fitness, so its not as though it was his first game back after a lay off.
Thing is,come 2012,and say he's still injured virtually 90% of the season,would you give him a new contract?
Wheeler's injuries really frustrate me. Oddly we've just handed out a new contract to magennis whose knees are shot, has more strapping than a mummy and spends a lot of time out also
I just want to say i did not critisize any one person, i think the coach is doing a very good job our final league place says that even more so when you consider all the injuries the club has had all season, but that was the comment i made, "how unlucky must we be?" no other tam has or as had as many injuries,and by the way i have allwayas wanted Wheeler to stay here he is a Sthelens lad and one of those rugby players who have natural ability, so much so that if Saints where daft enough to say he could leave the top clubs would be queing up for him, if we can afford all the backroom staff who are supposed to keep people like him fit we can keep him.
Is anyone surprised anymore? It's been the same for years now. Every big game that comes along we have key players missing. Can't be put down to luck anymore. Got to be inept staff, methods or poorly conditioned players in general
All that said, the team we field is still capable enough
No other team in the league has had the amount of injuries Saint have suffered
It can't be bad luck -there is something wrong with conditioning etc
What is Wheeler's latest affliction?
It's somebody sticking pins in voodoo dolls when it gets to big games.
Are they doing a Man of Biscuit awards this year to run alongside Man Of Steel? We would sweep the board that's for sure (Wheeler, Pryce, Flannery, Eastmond).
No one will be more frustrated at his injuries than Gary. Now that Eastmond is going, other than Lomax, he is the most talented player we have. I know everyone is sick of the injuries he is getting, it is ridiculous, but I agree with FearTheVee - he is only 21 and not on much. He could yet be brilliant - I'd keep patient
All season it's seemed to be the same old faces,the same ones who won't be playing Sunday have rarely played all season,one we've rewarded with a contract extension!
Wigan released Long because of his knees, and look what happened there.
We have got to let Gary Wheeler get over his injuries, he'll play week in week out one day, I'm convinced of it. Personally I watched him as a kid as a friend and a relative had boys in the same team (with Dixon and Magennis) and he stood out then.
He'll end up centre too with international honours.
Re. Wheeler - he's got lots of talent and that's where the frustration comes from when he's injured. I could literally bang my head against the desk because the talent is there and he shows it in glimpses but NEVER strings a run of games together. He's got one year left on his contract and I think next year he HAS to feature in around 20 games otherwise how can we possibly give him a contract on the premise that he may potentially be a world beater.
Re. The squad - It's really disappointing to be without 7 players, especially when three of them are half backs (Pryce, Kyle and Wheeler). It'll be tough going to Wigan without their creative influence. A win would be our finest for some time in my view.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
Will there be any surprise inclusions next week. Is there info saying his season is over.
Nobody said life would be easy
Funny how two of the three are going to pastures new next season.
I may be wrong but i can't see Eastmond playing again now, remember Fa'savalu? He didn't play again in the first team when he announced he was leaving. He just played in the reserves.
I'm not entirely convinced Pryce and Wheeler are actually injured. Pryce first of all had a 'knock' and now he has a quad strain, like Wheeler. These would be the first two quad strains of the season I think. But I wouldn't be surprised if Pryce has been dropped - much as Eastmond was - because let's face it, after the first two matches he played in he disappeared. Wheeler might just be rested this week as part of his rehab. Or perhaps because Meli (who was allegedly injured too last week but he wasn't included in the official returnees on the Saints site) offers the brute force/size we might need against the Pies and Gaskell offers the kicking game we so lacked against them in the CC Cup semi.
Just suggesting possible alternatives.
I dont think anyone doubts his ability. I for one am one of his biggest fans, he oozes class. Potential does'nt win games however, but the difference is that Wheeler has the class already, and therefore Saints are'nt sticking with a player that "could" be very good, but are sticking by one that is already very good. They have already invested a huge amount of money on his development, and would be silly to release him, not until the end of next season at the earliest. Let him see out the end of his current deal then re assess. If by then, things are pretty much the same, maybe, just maybe they will let him go. But for me, that would be a decision that could haunt them for a long time.
Oh god no,but if we are in the same position next season as we are in this where he rarely plays,you cant expect the club to say youre worth a new contract when theyve binned so many other players for less.I hope he is fit virtually all of next season,and is a complete gem,I really do.
I really really hope its tactical with Wheeler, otherwise I think he may lack a bit of bottle. Pryce is just taking us now, roll on next season
Surely you're having a laugh! If Wheeler was fit, he'd be playing! He's probably out for all of the play offs! Got a torn thigh from training on Monday.
I can't believe the fans who bag Wheeler. We have a good young player who is just struggling to get his body up to the physical demands of playing a full contact sport. 18 months ago people were saying the same thing about Lomax. Now the same people are saying how wonderful he is and infact are saying he should move to full back where he had his run of injuries in the first place.
As for the rest of the squad, the interesting point for me is that Flannery is fit but omitted. This makes a nice change as he seems to have been an automatic pick regardless of how poor he plays until now. It is good to see the Aussie coach doesn't feel the need to look after the Aussie players. Flanno is probably a good pro to have at training but has let us down in the big games far too much. It is good that we are giving some of the young boys a go.
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
Really. What is there not to believe.
He gets injured a lot
People bag him for being injured a lot.
So its entirely believable that people bag him.
To put it into context, due to Soliolas injury last year, Wheeler has been first choice for 2 years now. that is, had he been fit he would have played every game. Last year he managed 11 games. 9 this year. Christ even when we were calling Scully injury prone he was putting in 16 - 20 games and its took Wheeler 2 years to play that.
You also have to remember that in a salary capped sport you cant afford the luxury of consistently injured players on the payroll. For now its probably ok because he wont be on that much and we wont get someone with the same talent for that money. Sadly though, it is fast approaching the time where he can show that he can put in a good amount of games. It is a shame because to me he looks like one of our most talented youngsters if not one of our most talented players full stop.