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Thread: Mat Whitley

  1. #51
    In The South Stand Tez the Saint's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen07 View Post
    We don't need him to necessarily be international quality. You'll know that gone are the days when you could have 10 or 12 GB internationals in your squad. If we had someone as good as Farrell we'd be a team transformed.
    You know that's not what I meant in terms of a potential signing, was just using him as an example to try and answer your question.

    Just think we've got enough smaller, loads of tackles type back rowers and I think it's a lack of ambition from the club. I'd be disappointed if the rumours prove to be true. Nothing against him, he works hard and does his job well but he's not the type of back rower we need IMO.
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  2. #52
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    Whitley reminds me of Bateman , without the attitude problem

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    Quote Originally Posted by cheify View Post
    Whitley reminds me of Bateman , without the attitude problem
    It's Bateman's 'attitude problem' that makes him into an above-average player.

  4. #54
    In The South Stand Tallahassee's Avatar
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    He isn't even playing today unless he's injured. Another typical Saints signing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallahassee View Post
    He isn't even playing today unless he's injured. Another typical Saints signing.

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    He's a good player for Widnes. He looked quality for Widnes last year but has struggled this year in a poor side. It's still only his second full season at Super League level, I wouldn't look too much into him not playing today.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scouse Don View Post
    He isn't an big improvement on what we have so don't bother.
    Spot on Don. Would be just yet ANOTHER reject signing.

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    There is a 17 year old ripping it up for the Chemics at Warrington, so I wouldn't write off all their players. A far better show by Widnes than the dross of yesterday.
    On the Back foot looking for the front one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greengrass View Post
    There is a 17 year old ripping it up for the Chemics at Warrington, so I wouldn't write off all their players. A far better show by Widnes than the dross of yesterday.
    This is what's the most concerning point at the moment. There are teams sat below us including Widnes who have all beaten us (bar Huddersfield) and even when they do lose a game they still look better than Saints have in terms of effort and application.

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    What effort from Widnes today, that side had a lot of young players in some I've not seen before and was 20-20 after 70 mind. Admittedly Wire aren't in Castlefords position at the moment but we had a far far better side on paper out yesterday and showed nothing like the fight Widnes shown.
    We should be hanging our heads in shame today.

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    Quote Originally Posted by parrsaint View Post
    This is what's the most concerning point at the moment. There are teams sat below us including Widnes who have all beaten us (bar Huddersfield) and even when they do lose a game they still look better than Saints have in terms of effort and application.
    I thought people were going over the top that we'd be in the middle eights, now I am seriously worried about it if that's the best effort we can muster.

  11. #61
    Learning All The Songs Mike Stephenson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greengrass View Post
    There is a 17 year old ripping it up for the Chemics at Warrington, so I wouldn't write off all their players. A far better show by Widnes than the dross of yesterday.
    I commented on him when his age was reported in the Saints vs Widnes game the other week. Just goes to show, that if you are good enough, you are old enough. Today you could really see what he offers- speed out of dummy half. A priceless commodity.

    Enjoyable game to watch.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Newlove View Post
    What effort from Widnes today, that side had a lot of young players in some I've not seen before and was 20-20 after 70 mind. Admittedly Wire aren't in Castlefords position at the moment but we had a far far better side on paper out yesterday and showed nothing like the fight Widnes shown.
    We should be hanging our heads in shame today.




    And let's remember that both these sides have beaten us in the last few weeks.

  13. #63
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    Thought Matty Russell was sensational for Warrington.

    Widnes just competed really hard and toughed it out. They aren't a good team and they don't have many good players but they fought for everything. Just made a mistake at the end there in the lead up to the Brown try and that should have been stopped as well.

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    A bargain isn't a bargain if it isn't adding to what you've already got. Right now Saints have too many underwhelming forwards who can't hurt the opposition and win good field position. The club have mediocrity like LMS and (depressingly) Amor, a handful who are clearly not cut out for SL (Peyroux, Richards)and a couple of younger players with potential but at the point where they could easily be binned off (Thompson). Someone like Whitely shouldn't be a priority.

    Key Saints needs are a real wrecking ball of a prop and a fast, line breaking second row. In other words two well established / regarded professionals.

    To use realistic examples from yesteryear a George Mann and a Sonny Nickle are the type of players needed in the positions above (as I say I be been more realistic instead of saying Kevin Ward and Dick Huddart). I'm interested to see how Ashworth does as he may be a start in improving an ageing and underperforming pack and hopefully, with Grace, the start of the integration of the successful juniors. Signings wise it's hard to look at the NRL as we all know the disparity in wages makes it virtually a dark market.

    Then within the pack we've got the age old issue of who is a suitable backup hooker. I still can't believe we didn't get Dwyer when he was available. Chance may have gone but he'd be a good little player to have around.

    The bacKline needs a revamp. Morgan is everything I warned- nothing like a strike centre - but unhappy and fast looking a bust, Swift has regressed from good clubman to a gaffe prone calamity and we lack full back cover with Lonax do injury prone. The kid on the wing at Wakey would be a good start and I'd keep an eye out at Wigan. They'll struggle to keep all of Tierney, Manfredi, Burgess, walker etc happy (esp if the rumour that Charnley will return) given there are only so many shirts to go around. People have also suggested Evans's at Salford; not sure.

    Problem in all of this is who is ooc and who isn't. The recruitment has been so poor that the club may have to be prepared to shell out some cash to bring in any quality but they must do this as they've lost a lot of revenue by a failed bargain basement policy of the last decade which has barely addressed key needs.

  15. #65
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    other teams are shaming Saints by playing youngsters when the club whose young team won the championship don't think any of them are good enough.

  16. #66
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    I'm not being disrespectful of other people's opinions but if we need a back rower to play on the right, we need a complete change of mindset, no more squad fillers, let's sign a genuine line breaker or off loader. Someone who can stake a place in the side consistently for the next 3-4 seasons. Let's put things on hold until Holbrook gets here on Wednesday and puts his own stamp on the squad and any future signings, particularly UK based players he has never seen.

  17. #67
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    If Whitley can't get into that Widnes side ahead of some of those players I don't see why we're looking to sign him. There were two or three players in that pack today that just couldn't tackle and don't have a future in SL. If they are ahead of him, it's another poor signing, but having never noticed him it's a difficult one to judge.

  18. #68
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    Like someone pointed out a George Mann/Sonny Nickle would be good or another Chris Joynt/ Derek McVey. Joynt and Nickle came through lower league teams Oldham and Sheffield a battle hardened lower league 2nd row who could be persuaded to turn pro might be the answer do they not Scout now?
    On the Back foot looking for the front one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greengrass View Post
    Like someone pointed out a George Mann/Sonny Nickle would be good or another Chris Joynt/ Derek McVey. Joynt and Nickle came through lower league teams Oldham and Sheffield a battle hardened lower league 2nd row who could be persuaded to turn pro might be the answer do they not Scout now?


    Very good source says he has now signed for Saints. His mum.

  20. #70
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    Should have a look at Ince from Widnes. Serious wheels that lad, there's not many catch Jones-Bishop from an interception coming across from the other side of the field


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  21. #71
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    Watched him quite closely tonight.

    Saw absolutely nothing he has to offer in attack - nor any exceptional work rate in defence. Basically as I thought when the rumour first come out - not a bad player but certainly nothing special.

  22. #72
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    A typical Cunningham signing.?

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  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by yogi bear View Post
    Watched him quite closely tonight.

    Saw absolutely nothing he has to offer in attack - nor any exceptional work rate in defence. Basically as I thought when the rumour first come out - not a bad player but certainly nothing special.
    That's worrying. There was nothing in the Widnes team bar Chappelhow that I'd be even remotely interested in. Even Ince on the wing looked pretty Matty Dawson-esque against Regan Grace.

  24. #74
    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Blobbynator's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yogi bear View Post
    Watched him quite closely tonight.

    Saw absolutely nothing he has to offer in attack - nor any exceptional work rate in defence. Basically as I thought when the rumour first come out - not a bad player but certainly nothing special.
    Thought the same. Not a bad player but no better than what we've got.
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  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    Thought the same. Not a bad player but no better than what we've got.
    That must be the key to our recruitment
    Learned comment from The Don

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