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Thread: Article on Fages

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tabasco View Post
    When Knowles returns, I can see Matautia moving to the right hand second row position with Bentley on the bench, possible spelling Knowles for 10-15 minutes either side of half time. If that is successful, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bentley wanting to move on at the year end.
    The thing is, why aren't we doing that now? It seems obvious to me. Bentley - excellent defender, no so great in attack. Mata'uatia - the opposite (or so it appears). It doesn't even fit in with Woolf's safety first approach, it just seems a bit mix and match.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tabasco View Post
    When Knowles returns, I can see Matautia moving to the right hand second row position with Bentley on the bench, possible spelling Knowles for 10-15 minutes either side of half time. If that is successful, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bentley wanting to move on at the year end.
    That would be my preference. (Not Bentley moving on)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    The thing is, why aren't we doing that now? It seems obvious to me. Bentley - excellent defender, no so great in attack. Mata'uatia - the opposite (or so it appears). It doesn't even fit in with Woolf's safety first approach, it just seems a bit mix and match.
    I think we haven't done it because Knowles is still out. But I believe the plan was for Mautautia to be the running SR to link up with the 3/4s

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    Quote Originally Posted by CGSaint View Post
    Gotta say I think Bentley is slightly overated.
    He could develop into a great player but at the moment i see a lot of wasted energy. Not seeing the kind of runs/lines from many of our previous players. Not exactly busting through the line either.

    But I like him and I think he will become a better player
    To be fair to Bentley, If you watch stuff from his Bradford days, he runs superb lines and scored a bag full of tries, albeit, at a lower level.

    For us, he seems to do a lot of donkey work coming out of our own half and doesn’t touch the ball much in the business of the pitch. I reckon that’s down to tactics and the way Woolf wants us to play.

    As with our centres, the second rowers need quality ball in the opposition third of the field to allow them to run those lines.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    I think we haven't done it because Knowles is still out. But I believe the plan was for Mautautia to be the running SR to link up with the 3/4s
    I meant put Bentley at LF and the other fella SR while Knowles is out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    I meant put Bentley at LF and the other fella SR while Knowles is out.
    When everyone is back to full fitness i would like to see

    11. Matautia
    12. Bentley
    13. Knowles

    14. Thompson. Use him as interchange loose forward. His game seems to be just run hard hit hard. Similar to a modern lf/pr

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    Quote Originally Posted by itswide2west View Post
    When everyone is back to full fitness i would like to see

    11. Matautia
    12. Bentley
    13. Knowles

    14. Thompson. Use him as interchange loose forward. His game seems to be just run hard hit hard. Similar to a modern lf/pr
    I would always put Thompson in the starting 13 dead solid, error free and his defending work rate is excellent. As for the other 3 contenders I reckon Woolf needs to develop an off loading game into their skill set.

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    Quote Originally Posted by STIDDY View Post
    I would always put Thompson in the starting 13 dead solid, error free and his defending work rate is excellent. As for the other 3 contenders I reckon Woolf needs to develop an off loading game into their skill set.
    Why would he do that? Off loading is banned at saints

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    Back to back Champions. Still in the hat for the CC. Some good RL played under Royce but I don't remember us being happy then? Oh and the trophy cabinet was bare. I bet Rogues wishes he could come on here as a supporter of the Champions! He would be on every day.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Glasgowsaint View Post
    Why would he do that? Off loading is banned at saints

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    Nobody told Paasi yet ?

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    My mistake, but not sure that Bentley has the passing ability also doesn't seem to break many tackles. I would have Mata'utia as LF until Knowles returns. Though that is not an option for this week after the head nock and the 6 day turn around.

    Speaking Pashtu yet?

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    Quote Originally Posted by STIDDY View Post
    I would always put Thompson in the starting 13 dead solid, error free and his defending work rate is excellent. As for the other 3 contenders I reckon Woolf needs to develop an off loading game into their skill set.
    Don't see a passing game from Thompson but he runs hard and gets stuck in with the tackling. I would go with Thompson Mataútia and Knowles with Bentley off the bench, that or reverse Bentley and Sione.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    My mistake, but not sure that Bentley has the passing ability also doesn't seem to break many tackles. I would have Mata'utia as LF until Knowles returns. Though that is not an option for this week after the head nock and the 6 day turn around.

    Speaking Pashtu yet?
    According to Woolf, Mata’utia passed his HIA but did not return to the pitch as he felt unwell so the full protocols following a head knock may not apply.

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    Quote Originally Posted by wirefox View Post
    Nobody told Paasi yet ?
    Youthful exuberance

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tabasco View Post
    According to Woolf, Mata’utia passed his HIA but did not return to the pitch as he felt unwell so the full protocols following a head knock may not apply.
    Good news. When they said that he wouldn’t be returning I assumed he had failed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Belgian Saint View Post
    Good news. When they said that he wouldn’t be returning I assumed he had failed.
    Does make you wonder about the efficacy of the HIA if you can pass despite showing concussion symptoms. Hopefully be ok to play Friday as I’m not sure we’ll have Lees available.
    Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RV12 View Post
    It's a big year recruitment and retention wise. Getting Lomax and Walmsley to sign new deals is big. But with Grace, Bentley, Fages, Coote, Naiqama and Roby off contract, this has the potential to go wrong.

    Any retention decision must be taken with a bigger picture in mind. Neither of our half backs are natural field kickers. Coote takes a lot of that responsibility for a full back, with Fages doing that in his absence.

    Fages high kicks near the line are good and usually land the right side of the goal line. His grubbers and long kicking aren't up to that standard though.

    We hear a lot about Dodd, but I'm starting to suspect we would have seen him more if we rated him as highly as some think.

    We are the best team in the country and have been for years. The key to staying there is decision making. If we have a spine of Welsby, Lomax, Dodd and Smith next year that is far less experienced and weaker.

    I like Fages. He's a good and very consistent player, but we may need to be ruthless and use any spare cap space to get a top class scrum half. Or, if Roby retires, we may retain Fages and get an experienced hooker in.

    Some huge calls to make for the club and it's not easy with so many pivots off contract and potentially not knowing whether Coote or Roby will be staying until late in the day.
    Isn't the head coach off contract too? You'd think the coach would want some say in any recruitment plans but with his future still to be decided that further complicates the matter. Does the club want him to stay and does Woolf want to stay? Saints were dominant in 2019 but were a Zak Hardaker penalty conversion away from a trophyless and disappointing 2020.

    On recruitment specifically, I agree the club needs to be ruthless. I think there are other halfbacks who would offer more than Fages. How long can Roby keep going? A spine of Welsby, Lomax, Dodd and Smith would indeed be weaker on paper and I don't think that will happen. I think the club knows that the majority of the salary cap should be spent on the pivots and you can't imagine that would be the case with that line up.

    Regards,

    STEVO

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    One year option on the coach in Saints favour.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    You really should have just left it alone with that spelling. Now you look like a right turnip.

    In seriousness, I was thinking about the situation the other day. Say for instance Fages leaves at the end of the season and we keep Dodd who starts the season on fire but gets injured for 10 games, who do we bring in then? It's one of those positions you can't just fill in at and we've all seen the result when you try and do that. We really need to try and hang on to Theo for me, he's not a world beater but he's a tough little bugger you can rely on.
    As I have said before Dave , do not think there is any other Saints player better than Theo . Hope to see more of young Doddy tho'. Is he a relative of Ken .

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    Quote Originally Posted by Prez View Post
    I'm with you Ralph. Although some of Fages fifth tackle plays are poor and his kicking game is not the best, he compenstaes in the other areas you've identified. He's certainly no passenger and has contributed fully in our successes. He's a good player surrounded by some very good players, Luleuai is a good example as you say of such a player. When we chose fages over Richardson wechose a combative rugged and pretty reliable player over one with flair, it was a good choice!
    Tommy Mak. might disagree with you re: Theo's kicking game mate . I was made up when we let Richardson go. never good enuff for Saints .

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wee Waa Womble View Post
    Does make you wonder about the efficacy of the HIA if you can pass despite showing concussion symptoms. Hopefully be ok to play Friday as I’m not sure we’ll have Lees available.
    You are right, Somebody has a knock to the head and then feels unwell and is fit to play? Unless it was something like a stomach problem and he had been feeling a bit off before KO.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fonsboy View Post
    Tommy Mak. might disagree with you re: Theo's kicking game mate . I was made up when we let Richardson go. never good enuff for Saints .
    Initially I was disappointed that we were not using Dodd to kick after he came on, but from that point I don't think Theo put a foot wrong with his kicking.

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    After the first three games I'd say Theo's kicking has improved. It is a little more varied and adventurous. I'd like to see him develop it more though. Last season defences knew exactly where he going to kick it the second he got the ball. Hopefully, if he continues to mix it up a bit this season it will keep defences guessing a bit more.

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    https://www.manchestereveningnews.co...elens-20436235

    Sounds like Theo wants to stay and talks have begun. Guess it’s just a matter of whether he’s satisfied with what Saints offer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reliable sauce View Post
    https://www.manchestereveningnews.co...elens-20436235

    Sounds like Theo wants to stay and talks have begun. Guess it’s just a matter of whether he’s satisfied with what Saints offer.
    I suspect that means Bentley and/or Grace agreed to a smaller deal than Saints were expecting, if we were considering not offering a deal with cap concerns, but now we’re in a position to make an offer.

    Still no words seemingly on Naiqama or Coote, are we looking at replacements? I heard we were in for Tony King, but not sure how much that was Warrington fans winding me up!

    Going to be a really competitive year for recruitment, Wigan have both their marquees gone, Warrington have 14 out of contract I believe and Leeds have quite a few as well

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