Not quite sure what Aaron Smith has done recently or whether he has an injury but having an unused Jack Welsby was a complete waste of time tonight. Aaron Smith should've been on the bench really or we should've picked an extra forward like Jack Ashworth if that's how we were going to approach the game.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
Its becoming more and more bizarre. Perhaps he thought we'd walk it and he could shuffle after the hour or so, if that was the case why did he not throw Dodd into the mix in the first place. I can't believe he had a plan to play Welsby in the forwards though, surely not.
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I don't like the idea of having a back on the bench "just in case" which it appears how Welsby was utilised tonight. I don't see why he was picked as there is no point bringing him on if we have run away with the game, he already is too experienced for that and he obviously wasn't intended to be used if the game was tight as he didn't come on. As Blobby says, Smith or another forward would have been a better choice. Dodd if there was a 100% guarentee if he was going to get on the pitch.
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This. Just watched the game again and I think this is what is happening. But, we all need to remember that the Coach has the job of building our future team group. It's a really tough ask for anyone.
He needs backing whilst he tries to filter these lads in.
COYS
I really don't think he has any plans to filter in the young lads as you suggest. He's played them when he had to. I can't remember a single occasion when he has proactively rested a first choice player and rotated a squad player in. There have been injuries of course but he seems content in grinding things out, ploughing up the middle, wearing out our forwards while our backs are passengers for long periods of the game. He simply doesn't seem to have any interest in developing the team, instead it's all about the here and now. Maybe that's how he's being rewarded, on his win ratio or something who knows. He still hasn't introduced a single new attacking play and we're a good half way though the season. In fact any semblance of attack options we've previously used seems to have been eradicated at the expense of 3 charges down the middle, a scoot by Roby than a crap lobbed kick by Fages. That's it, no flowing passes, no chiming into the line, no kick variations. Each game is like the players are meeting for the first time. So if he has been instructed to steer us through transition he's not doing a great job as far as I can see. If we win anything it'll be in spite of him not because of him.
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Maybe Woolf was too confident of a win and listened to all the hype of Wakey being decimated with injuries, isolations etc. It was a strange one though with Graham having to withdraw, as it was the result was in doubt until the last few minutes and he had to keep Fages, Lomax and Roby on for all the game.
I don't know what's going on with Ashworth because at the moment there is not much difference between him and Matty Lees in terms of being effective.
We have to remember that we have only played 13 games this season with a huge break in the middle with good space in between games so there shouldn't really be a need to rest players. Woolfe has said that rotation will come in the near future and I hope he comes through on that.
True that Simm has only come in because of Percivals injury but he is nowhere near good enough to be claiming a centre berth for himself yet. Welsby isn't yet good enough to claim a starting spot in a preferred position although he is improving. Then there is Dodd who has just turned 18. Other than them (and Eaves) who from an under 20's POV is knocking at the door?? I assume quite a lot of kids won't even be getting any game time at the minute?
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I can't really remember any youngsters, particularly in the backs who haven't played either covering the centres or wingers when they first come into the squad..
youngsters ousting established players who aren't injured simply doesn't happen, Percival came through on the back of a raft of injuries in 2013, else Josh Jones would have kept his spot, Makinson came in on the back of Gardner being injured..
In fact I can only think of Richardson being picked over Matty Smith (except in the playoffs) by Holbrook
Simm has got a great opportunity, he's got another six or seven games to see if he could take over for Naiqama in the next couple of years..
My worry with Dodd as an 18 year old we're putting a lot of pressure on him to retain a championship, because Theo and Lomax aren't putting 50 on teams every week
I'm not advocating ousting senior players at all and of course the youngsters still have a lot to learn. My view is he seems disinterested in any rotation until he is forced to. On reflection though it may be best to lose the youngsters for now as they'll clearly not be learning much I playing like he wants it played.
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Can't agree more.
Rest Roby, Fages, and Lomax.
Surely these guys are good enough, and the coach had to have confidence they can do a job to get the win?
Love to see all 3 of these in action for a full game.
Obviously I mean. Dodd, welsby and Smith to play
We will probably see Dodd, Welsby, Smith and quite a few others in Batchelor, Ashworth, Costello, Paulo, Rizzelli, Eaves, Wingfield etc for the Salford game on the 25th October. After the second Wakey game this week we have 3 games in 6 days and 2 of those are 4 pointers in Leeds 23rd October and Wigoons 29th October.