Disagree with you Rogues on Johnstone, he can make a few bad reads close to his own line but once a winger makes a decision to come in its "damned if you do...., he takes a high ball superbly in attack and defence, has bags of pace and is acrobatic when there is little space to work with. Contrast that to Manfredi who prior to his injuries was one of if not the best ball returners from a kick, but who now turns around slower than the QE2, in the Hull game with the angle and giving chase he could not get to Swifty.
Johnstone and Makinson are the two wingers for me. Sam Tomkins looks back to or close to his best, his zip seems to be back from the games and highlights I have seen of him.
Would anyone but a one eyed bigot play Bateman and Farrell in a starting 13? It would be a recipe for disaster; it’s happened before and it would do again. Perhaps we should dig Billy McGinty out of retirement and complete a featherweight backrow.
It will be interesting to see how Farrell goes against Saints. He is a consistent B grade performer who is found short in big games because he has’nt the attributes to trouble quality sides often enough.
If we are picking SL second rowers on talent, proven abilties and physical atributes then McMeeken and Currie would be in, but them two have for one reason or another dropped off alarmingly. If as many were asking for previously, pick on merit due to form, its Farrell, Philbin, Jones and Holmes that are the best English back rowers at the moment.
I put Holmes in as some mention Farrell`s tackling, Holmes does not miss any head on tackles because nobody runs straight at him, if they do they usually play the ball slowly and spend the next few minutes with their hands on their shorts trying to get air into a displaced ribcage.
Anyone picking Farrell on the international stage has no idea.
He has been exposed every time he has played for England and been embarrassed, totally different game international rugby, he doesn’t have the power/intensity.
Regarding the discussions over the centres and that Percival and Gildart are the obvious pairing, let's not forget about Kallum Watkins, especially now as he's got a decent coach.....
"Never write off the Saints!!"
To be fair you’d have to say Farrell is the form backrower in the comp. He’s had a great start to the season.
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Some players can't transition to higher levels. Mick Nanyn was a record points scorer at Championship level. However we wasn't even an average Superleague player. Some players just don't seem to be able to take the step up to the next level. Farrell is one of these players in many people's eyes.
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
I think you can only ask who didn't make it and was there exclusion justified.
Widdop is fair enough. He has been struggling for form for a long time now since his shoulder injury.
I am surprised Jackson Hasting has not been debated more. The current MOS not being included a big call given heritage players have not been ruled out.
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
Going to look like I'm wigan bashing but I wouldn't even put him in as a running 6. I do not rate him & will be very surprised if he makes the cut at Canberra.
He does have a good offload, which is odd for a stand off & he's quick but nowhere near what is required at international level.
Lomax is your running threat from 6. Has to be Hastings or Gale calling the shots inside
He is incapable of stepping it up though. Running wide when against them, you're going have to muscle up in the middle of the park. Farrell is simply not up to it.
I remember one physical confrontation he had against Justin Poore. The lights were out quicker than a power cut down Blackpool front
I think Lomax would be better with Gale, I can't put my finger on it exactly because Fages is probably more like Hastings. That said, halves tend to split anyway these days so possibly Hastings will get the nod later in the year.
As far as Widdop goes, he should be nowhere near the squad.