Basically. He needs to get hold of the ball as much as possible
I wouldnt mind seeing him in halves.
Even though theres a lot of talk about Dodd. Welsby could be the man to replace theo
Basically. He needs to get hold of the ball as much as possible
I wouldnt mind seeing him in halves.
Even though theres a lot of talk about Dodd. Welsby could be the man to replace theo
Naiqama has took some stick this season and sometimes rightly so.
He’s a big game player though and I thought he had a really good game yesterday. Hard to judge at this stage but I think he offers more than Will Hopoate will in the centre position. Naiqama passes more and Hopoate is pretty slow.
Welsby for me has to be in the spine at 6 or 1, I think we’ll see him at fullback.
The medical staff made the decision to give him an iinjection before the game but he got a bad tackle early doors and took some heavy falls on that right shoulder. Woolf mentioned he developed numbness in the shoulder and couldn't pass the ball I should imagine that was one of the reasons he couldn't compete for the ball with the Truemans try. Luckily Fages injured or not was good enough to score that 1st try.
He is our best fullback, centre and half back on the evidence of this season so far. It is getting to the point were someone will have to be dropped so he can play every week.
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
I like Theo, he’s played a part over the past 3-4 years that’s seen us turn the corner and become very successful but sport and especially one where it’s salary capped is cut throat and this injury may well prove pivotal in the development of Welsby and/or Dodd in the halves.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
I agree and i think that's very fair. For me Welsby is a better player but not a scrum half. I think he will be full back next season but this year I would like to see him at stand off with either Lomas or Dodd going to scrum half. Eventually, I wonder whether Welsby will end up as a loose forward...shades of Harry Pinner!
Isnt it nice when people are talking about our young lads like this , Welsby played lots of his Academy Rugby at Stand Off so why should anyone be afraid of playing him there , maybe with Dodd , the future is bright .
Very questionable decision to play Fages. There were a few rumours floating that he wasn't fit, it was a gamble that put us in a lot of strife. These things happen though and we got away with it.
On Welsby, I don't think there's any rush to tie him to a position yet. Hopoate would give us the flexibility to give him runs at half back, full back or centre. He's still only 20 remember and producing it every week at a pivotal position is very very difficult.
It was questionable. But if we go with Dodd and we lose, people question it that way round as well.
From what Woolf said, they gave him an injection for the pain in a shoulder injury. There are a few things you can do to a shoulder that just hurt but don't restrict movement. It seems like Fages had one of those. Woolf said they think the injection went wrong and gave him numbness in the arm, which led to him not being able to feel the strength of his passes, which definitely showed.
A lot has been said about Fages over the last few seasons. His he a good enough half back or would he be better at 9? No disrespect to Theo (who I think is a tremendous little player who’s been brilliant for us) but Welsby showed in one half of rugby what we’ve really missed at half back. Someone that takes on the line, makes defenders commit, makes space for his team mates and controls the game. I’m not sure if half back will be his eventual position but the lad has that nouse that you can’t teach. He knows when and where to play and when to inject himself. He has that Rugby Brain that can’t be coached. We’re extremely blessed to have this young man and the future is most definitely bright no matter what position he eventually ends up cementing as his own.
Just watched the final on catch-up and noticed how mature JW came across during his pitch interview.
On Saturday I also noticed him 'organising' a few of the more senior players.
Obviously, it's far too early to tell, but do we have future captain here?
Wilkin mentioned the other week on the podcast that the way he handles himself is excellent, he walked into the dressing room on his debut and just sat down taking everything in.
Comes across in a similar manner to Lomax
The lad stood out on Saturday. He just seems fearless.
After a tough set we got a bit of a kick away, Evalds picked it up, but we benefited from it because Welsby chased hard and tackled Evalds. Meaning they had to start at set in their half with most of their forwards still on the half way line.
Super Sub!
He was the gamechanger for me fages and lomax would not of created tommy maks try . Jonathan davies said it soon as he started to crab across the field danger danger for cas. A credit to his parents and the our academy set up even the aussie clubs on there forums mention our conveyer belt of young talent future his very bright
Rotator cuff injury is a nightmare. Had one myself and you almost never recover fully without surgery. I had a steroid injection into the joint to address the swelling, it improved it, but never been right since. Wouldn’t like to be tackling someone with it lets put it that way. If he has signed for big money at Huddersfield they will be watching with interest.
I haven’t watched it back but I did see someone comment on social media that Fages aggravated his injury during the first half. I can see why Woolf started him though. It was still a risk if he was, say only 80% fit but it would have been just as much of a risk to give Dodd his second start at Wembley. The way the team was lined up worked and was the one I expected, in all honesty.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
Theo's 2 bad passes allowed Cas into the game, they had not had a sniff up until then, plus he didn't really compete for the ball for their first try. Credit to Theo for wanting to put his body on the line for the team but it nearly backfired. We steadied the ship in the last 10 minutes of the first half & completely dominated the second, mostly on the back of the introduction of Lees & Paasi who really upped the tempo. Credit to Woolf for getting Welsby into the halves, it would have been easy to have gambled & put Roby there as he has done before to cope with injury during a game. Ultimately as Woolf said, we compete harder and for longer than any other team, that's what saw us home.