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Thread: Joe Batchelor

  1. #1
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    Default Joe Batchelor

    Hearing good things about our new signing One of the coaching staff I was talking too said he's impressed this pre season and would not be surprised if Justin gives him and early go in superleague?

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    In The South Stand reliable sauce's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rommel View Post
    Hearing good things about our new signing One of the coaching staff I was talking too said he's impressed this pre season and would not be surprised if Justin gives him and early go in superleague?
    Great news, he’s definitely got some competition.
    I presume we’ll line up something like;

    Douglas/Lees
    Roby
    Thompson
    Taia
    Peyroux
    Paulo

    LMS, Walmsley, Knowles, Douglas/Lees/Ashworth/Amor/Batchelor/Fages/Bentley/Smith


    Definitely got enough depth for some rotation.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk fishy3005's Avatar
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    I was chatting to him a few weeks back. He seemed like a nice lad. He joked about not being big enough to be a forward and not quite fast enough to be a three quarter.
    With full time training and good nutrition hopefully the club can bulk him up a bit. Its difficult these days though with the off seasons getting shorter and shorter.
    screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by reliable sauce View Post
    Great news, he’s definitely got some competition.
    I presume we’ll line up something like;

    Douglas/Lees
    Roby
    Thompson
    Taia
    Peyroux
    Paulo

    LMS, Walmsley, Knowles, Douglas/Lees/Ashworth/Amor/Batchelor/Fages/Bentley/Smith


    Definitely got enough depth for some rotation.
    I would like to see us use this depth, I think it's needed

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    It's good to hear, because second row is where I have some concerns, especially regarding Taia, who was really looking his age in the second half of last season.

    The worry is if we play guys who really aren't second rowers there, which knackers up the potency of our left edge. I think Knowles is a gutsy and cracking player, but I've not seen that he's got the running & passing ability to play out wide. Ashworth might be an option, but he seems to have physically developed into a prop; does he have the pace and lateral defence needed for a modern SR?

    So Batchelor might be the answer, although I think he'll need time to develop as the step up to SL is massive.

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    Hopefully that will be the case because Taia was well off the pace at the back end of last season and looked like a player at the end of his career. Wouldn’t mind seeing him in straight away.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Upside View Post
    I would like to see us use this depth, I think it's needed
    Holbrook spoke at the Saints business breakfast yesterday morning. He said with no break and a possible 34/35 games he would be using the full depth of the squad.

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    I’m a fan of Taia, think he’s a very good player. Watched an interview with Holbrook last year and he was talking about the influence he has a leader in the team which I like. He has a lot of responsibility in the team and he played a lot of rugby last year so it’s only natural that there’s a dip at some stage. When we’re under the cosh we seem to resort to throwing them ball to him down that side and expecting him to make something happpen but I think that’s why I like him, he always competes and a lot of our good things last year came off him in my opinion. I’m hoping Peyroux has developed his attack pre line over the winter to balance things up.

    In terms of the whole rotation thing, I’ve said it before but I don’t see the need to flog Roby for 65-80 minutes if we’re winning a game at home, Taia is in that catagory as well, Peyroux as well plays really intense. Either have them start the game and come back on later on or give them a week off. If we’re in control, I’d rather see them play half a game and be fresh and fit for the big ones. Similarly with our props, you’ve got Walmsley, Thompson, Amor, Douglas, LMS, Ashworth, Lees off the top of my head so I’d rather rotate them and give them all plenty of games. Whoever’s performing the best in relation to how we want to play next year then plays the big games.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Webbo Again View Post
    It's good to hear, because second row is where I have some concerns, especially regarding Taia, who was really looking his age in the second half of last season.

    The worry is if we play guys who really aren't second rowers there, which knackers up the potency of our left edge. I think Knowles is a gutsy and cracking player, but I've not seen that he's got the running & passing ability to play out wide. Ashworth might be an option, but he seems to have physically developed into a prop; does he have the pace and lateral defence needed for a modern SR?

    So Batchelor might be the answer, although I think he'll need time to develop as the step up to SL is massive.
    I thought one of Knowles best games came playing left second row against Wigan away I think it was, Zeb was out injured, Knowles had a blinder. Didn't float my boat my h when played right side though
    Ashworth got caught defensively a couple of times when stood covering second row, that would concern me with him. Hopefully Batchelor signing works out

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    Great to hear. He’s got an outstanding attitude according to Holbrook. When he signed for us he drove over to train once or twice a week 2.5 hours each way from York even though he wasn’t yet on our books as such

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    I think by the end of the season he will be in the 17.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SaintH517 View Post
    Hopefully that will be the case because Taia was well off the pace at the back end of last season and looked like a player at the end of his career. Wouldn’t mind seeing him in straight away.
    Yes Taia is in the twilight of his career. However for me the alternatives lack the physical presence needed against a good pack. I hope Ashworth can continue to develop physically. Due to our strength at front row who knows maybe Thompson will find himself at second row if injury strikes.

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    Thompson I said never a second row in the modern game, he is a Middle for sure

    We have plenty of options for second row, theymwill develop physically

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    Quote Originally Posted by robert80 View Post
    Yes Taia is in the twilight of his career. However for me the alternatives lack the physical presence needed against a good pack. I hope Ashworth can continue to develop physically. Due to our strength at front row who knows maybe Thompson will find himself at second row if injury strikes.
    Thompson is good enough to cover all the positions in the pack (Prop, Second Row, Loose Forward) he is already been voted as top 5 "world class" in the prop and loose forward positions. He's one of the fastest players we've got if he develops a passing/offload game we could be looking at a phenomenal player.

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    Thompson’s main weakness is his lateral movement in defence. That would be much more exposed if he was defending on the edge. Definitely best to keep him in the middle IMO.

    I think reports of Taia’s demise are premature. He still has loads to offer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fishy3005 View Post
    I was chatting to him a few weeks back. He seemed like a nice lad. He joked about not being big enough to be a forward and not quite fast enough to be a three quarter.
    With full time training and good nutrition hopefully the club can bulk him up a bit. Its difficult these days though with the off seasons getting shorter and shorter.
    The reduced interchanges this year should pay dividends to teams with lighter, mobile packs. I think we've got a great mix of size and mobility.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WA10 View Post
    The reduced interchanges this year should pay dividends to teams with lighter, mobile packs. I think we've got a great mix of size and mobility.
    Just made a similar post on another thread, we probably need at least one, if not two backrowers doing near 80 minutes if you consider using potentially two subs for Roby (off and on again) and 5 for the props

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    Thompson’s main weakness is his lateral movement in defence. That would be much more exposed if he was defending on the edge. Definitely best to keep him in the middle IMO.

    I think reports of Taia’s demise are premature. He still has loads to offer.
    I accept Thompsons weakness re lateral movement. it has been exposed in the past. perhaps it is because he runs in at speed. however at 13 he is ok. I have a preference for Knowles at second row because he plays above his weight and his work rate cannot be faulted. If given a preference against a real physical pack, like the Hull of old I would prefer Taia, Knowles and Thompson in the back row initially. Given that we could still have Walmsley, Roby and Douglas in the front row I would see that as a tasty pack. You would need a pack of this type to take on a Aussie side.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk fishy3005's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WA10 View Post
    The reduced interchanges this year should pay dividends to teams with lighter, mobile packs. I think we've got a great mix of size and mobility.
    Yeh thats a good point mate.
    screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies

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    Quote Originally Posted by WA10 View Post
    The reduced interchanges this year should pay dividends to teams with lighter, mobile packs. I think we've got a great mix of size and mobility.
    Good point, well made, the new rules will have a impact and it looks like Saints are covering this. Joe, was brought in and has been praised for his commitment. I have faith that Saints have, again, brought in a player for the long term good of the team.
    COYS

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