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Thread: Matty Smith

  1. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tez the Saint View Post
    He’s not a 6 mate, think he’s played there a handful of times but it’s not his position.

    I expect Percival and Thompson to both play, wouldn’t mind seeing Smith get some extended minutes under his belt either in the halves or at hooker, bar 10 minutes against Hull KR it’s been a while.
    6 is his natural position, his problem is all through his junior rugby he had the skills to play in multiple positions and did so very well. So every time there were injuries he was the one who got moved around to fill in.
    He mostly played 1 and 6 but regularly filled in at wing, centre, LF and even hooker.

  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Elf View Post
    He wore 6 on the 2015 Academy tour, so maybe that's where you've seen it. But the shirts were handed out in alphabetic order. He's definitely more of a centre / full back.
    Yeah that’s my opinion as well.
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  3. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by brook View Post
    Going off their squad numbers then Johnson,Tupou,Lyne and Bishop are a useful set of speedy backs.
    Johnson, Tupou, Bishop are sharp Lyne is a good player but lack of pace has exposed him on a few occasions I have seen him, Tommy got back to him within 20m on an intercept a few years ago (Clarke gushing "look at Makinson`s pace covering back").
    Still think the overall quickest back line is between our lot or Wigan.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tallaght Tiger View Post
    Johnson, Tupou, Bishop are sharp Lyne is a good player but lack of pace has exposed him on a few occasions I have seen him, Tommy got back to him within 20m on an intercept a few years ago (Clarke gushing "look at Makinson`s pace covering back").
    Still think the overall quickest back line is between our lot or Wigan.
    Marshall is very fast but isn't keen on defusing bombs.
    Last edited by Houghwood Saint; 26th June 2018 at 22:40.

  5. #55
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    Hearing Catalans have made an offer for Smith for 2019 but Saints waiting for Barba to make a decision as they will ask for Mead as part of the deal for Smith as Barbas replacement.

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint Toppy View Post
    Hearing Catalans have made an offer for Smith for 2019 but Saints waiting for Barba to make a decision as they will ask for Mead as part of the deal for Smith as Barbas replacement.
    Would be pretty disappointed with Mead as a replacement for Barba, mot going to lie

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    Quote Originally Posted by southernsaint7 View Post
    Would be pretty disappointed with Mead as a replacement for Barba, mot going to lie
    I would much rather we took Baiteri from Catalans for Smith instead to replace Wilkin and intechange with Knowles

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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint Toppy View Post
    Hearing Catalans have made an offer for Smith for 2019 but Saints waiting for Barba to make a decision as they will ask for Mead as part of the deal for Smith as Barbas replacement.
    What have they offered? Saints will be glad to get him off the salary cap

  9. #59
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    Personally, I think Mead is around a 5/10 option as a replacement for Barba

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    Would be happy with David Mead, been slow starting with a slow starting Catalans side but is a quality full back as seen prior to his stint in the south of France.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Chief View Post
    Personally, I think Mead is around a 5/10 option as a replacement for Barba
    Unless we land Kayln Ponga, or get a time machine and bring back a young Wello, i reckon every fullback on the planet is somewhere around 5/10 optional replacement for Ben Barba.
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    Quote Originally Posted by fishy3005 View Post
    Unless we land Kayln Ponga, or get a time machine and bring back a young Wello, i reckon every fullback on the planet is somewhere around 5/10 optional replacement for Ben Barba.
    Have to agree mate; people need to temper their expectations for Barba's replacement. Getting him over was a one-off that we got lucky with.

  13. #63
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    I don't think you can really 'replace' Barba by going out and signing another full back. You could only really replicate the Barba effect by signing the next world class player that randomly becomes available, whatever position he plays in. But it may be another ten years before such an opportunity arises. In the meantime we will likely just have to sign players of the highest calibre that we can, which I would say is probably about the Mead/Naiqama standard. I've said it on other threads, but I think our best (pretty much only) chance of having a Barba-standard player at the club next year and/or beyond is to persuade Barba to stay.

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    The more I think about this the less sense it makes - first McManus has pretty much said he’s not planning for any eventuality where Barba leaves, so I certainly don’t think it would hold up moving Smith on . Secondly, in the absolute worst case scenario where Barba leaves last minute and we can’t back out of (the presumed) Morgan exit, we would probably start:

    Naiqama
    Swift Makinson Percival Grace

    I am just not convinced Mead improves on that. Sure, he would extra flexibility for moving people around, but someone like Mata’utia can offer the same just on a lot less (again, presumably).

  15. #65
    In The South Stand Tez the Saint's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oberon Sexton View Post
    Have to agree mate; people need to temper their expectations for Barba's replacement. Getting him over was a one-off that we got lucky with.
    100%. I think the main thing when he does leave is that although he would need replacing, we need to use that to increase the quality of the squad as a whole. Barba scores and creates tries that no-one else in the league can, he’s worth a couple of tries a game and has the ability to take a team to another level. He creates so much space and makes the players around him look better as well. Replacing someone like him like for like is, as you say, very difficult. We’ll have to see what’s what when he does leave but I think it will be a case of signing a couple of players in different positions to replace him.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tez the Saint View Post
    100%. I think the main thing when he does leave is that although he would need replacing, we need to use that to increase the quality of the squad as a whole. Barba scores and creates tries that no-one else in the league can, he’s worth a couple of tries a game and has the ability to take a team to another level. He creates so much space and makes the players around him look better as well. Replacing someone like him like for like is, as you say, very difficult. We’ll have to see what’s what when he does leave but I think it will be a case of signing a couple of players in different positions to replace him.
    Yep - from the McManus interview re Holbrook last week, it sounds like our recruitment has been refined now so that we are actively hunting quality signings. Maybe the finances have loosened now we are firmly settled in the stadium? Looking forward to seeing who would come in after Barba, and not necessarily in his position.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fishy3005 View Post
    Unless we land Kayln Ponga, or get a time machine and bring back a young Wello, i reckon every fullback on the planet is somewhere around 5/10 optional replacement for Ben Barba.
    I'd certainly happily settle for a 2006 Wellens.

  18. #68
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    Corey Norman? Manly releasing him apparently.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oberon Sexton View Post
    Yep - from the McManus interview re Holbrook last week, it sounds like our recruitment has been refined now so that we are actively hunting quality signings. Maybe the finances have loosened now we are firmly settled in the stadium? Looking forward to seeing who would come in after Barba, and not necessarily in his position.
    Maybe after the quality (mates)that our club legend was signing the tightening of the purse strings wasn’t due to finances

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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    I'd certainly happily settle for a 2006 Wellens.
    I was talking about Wellens with my Dad last night & we came to the conclusion that a young Paul Wellens wouldn't be playing full back in today's game as it is a very different skills set these days.

  21. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by tilly2006 View Post
    I was talking about Wellens with my Dad last night & we came to the conclusion that a young Paul Wellens wouldn't be playing full back in today's game as it is a very different skills set these days.
    I get what you mean but Jack Walker is Leeds is very similar to how Wello was.

  22. #72
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    Quote Originally Posted by tilly2006 View Post
    I was talking about Wellens with my Dad last night & we came to the conclusion that a young Paul Wellens wouldn't be playing full back in today's game as it is a very different skills set these days.
    He probably didn't make the runs from the back that modern FB's do, but his support play was second to none, and you never had a worry when they put a high ball up to him.

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by tilly2006 View Post
    I was talking about Wellens with my Dad last night & we came to the conclusion that a young Paul Wellens wouldn't be playing full back in today's game as it is a very different skills set these days.
    He probably didn't make the runs from the back that modern FB's do, but his support play was second to none, and you never had a worry when they put a high ball up to him.

  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    He probably didn't make the runs from the back that modern FB's do, but his support play was second to none, and you never had a worry when they put a high ball up to him.
    People forget how many tries Wello actually scored also the number of times lately we've conceded tries on the line where Wello would have held them up possibly. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't swap Barba for anyone else in the world but he's a one off.
    The most complete full back in SL in recent years is Hardaker he was immense when Leeds won the treble and last season.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oberon Sexton View Post
    Corey Norman? Manly releasing him apparently.
    He has had his off field problems, but he's a good player and can cover 1, 6 and 7. It looks like other NRL clubs are in for him though if they release him?

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