Interesting point. Those players though were not struggling in the way Watkins is. Players learn/improve in different ways, some will adjust quicker than others. Watkins will clearly take a bit longer to adjust to SL than the above players. Hence the reason we needed to bring in an established centre.

Actually in all fairness, all of them looked worse at times than Watkins has. The difference is that with the exception of Mathers, all were thrown in at a time when we were not such a great side anyway, and the expectations not as high. And in relation to JJB it took him years (injuries been a major side of this) to start to look anything like a decent player.

In what way is Watkins "struggling"?

please read my statement again and try not to jump to conclusions

the kid is learning and the only way he is going to learn is by being out there on the pitch

Watkins has the potential to be a stand out centre and IMO will one day grace a representative shirt but… at the moment he is still making rookie mistakes and at times still looks like a reserve player.

He has a ton of enthusiasm and has some nice touches but the question is:

Should he be loaned out to home his skills and round his talents or is a baptism of fire appropriate for this young prodigy?

With the absences of Smith our centre options are limited and, at the moment, needs must but when Smith returns what path should be taken with him?

I believe, at the moment, we are not in a position to have him learning his trade when the costs for mistakes can be relatively expensive. A lad of this talent needs to be weaned gently and slowly to SL standard and not dropped in at the deep end.

I'll ask again, in what way is Watkins "struggling"?

watkins is an outstaning young player.

Remember he only made his debut last season and his overall appearcne total is still minimal.

In the same way the rest of the side is G1, poor ball control, poor option taking in both attack and defence, silly individual errors.

I suggest loaning the entire first team squad out to a Championship side to gain some confidence and replacing them with our all-conquering, confidence filled reserve side.

Now your talking

I see.

Because I've seen the lad, like the rest of the outside backs, starved of quality ball in space. I've seen the lad in and out of the team given no chance to build any form, momentum and confidence and I've seen the lad force a couple of balls and make a couple of errors, just like the rest of the team.

As you say, if his "struggles" merit dropping him and loaning him out to a Championship side then which championship side will be getting Donald, Senior, McGuire, Burrow, Diskin, Kylie, JJB, Ablett, Sinfield, Kirke, Peacock, Ali etc etc?

I am all for scape-goating and there e a a couple of prime candidates to carry the can for recent results but a young talented centre like Watkins should only be in the sights of fekkwitt scapegoaters.

Gareth i totally agree.

I think the main thing here is consistency with selection.

From what i have seen its seems to be one week in for Gibson then one week for Watkins. This seems to be the way regardless of performance.

I seem to remember a similar situation with Smith and Hall last season during which period there were endless debates about which one of those two were the weak link when neither of them could seem to get an consistency due to playing well one week then been mysteriously replaced the week after.

Surely it would be beneficial for all to choose one and give them an extended run.

We should give gibson an extended run.

I would agree with that. He has more experience, and is a more stable player at this stage. Watkins should get a chance on the wing/centre when there is a case to rest someone or an injury crops up.

When smith comes back, depending on when it is we'll see if anyone has staked a claim by that stage

I don't think gibsons done a bad job so far, he's just been solid. But what can he do? it's not like he's getting put into any space or being given one on one opportunities with his opposite number.

You can't just float passes outwide and expect people to sh*t miracles you need to create some indecision in the opposition defence and provide your players with multiple options.

We aren't doing that, but then we aren't getting much opportunity either because most of the time we are bringing the ball out of our own half.

Wasn't that the 2006 gameplan?

Yes it was. The situation is similar IMO. We have a weakened pack or at least a pack who arent playing well enough for whatever reason and our backs are attempting to produce try scoring plays on every set to try and miracle our way out of trouble.
The pack need to run it in harder, the halves and Sinfield need to be more organised.

I don't see the situation as similiar. In 2006 we scored points for fun early on. We pushed saints all the way in 2 league games as well, we threatened for top spot but then a shock defeat at cas seemed to be the catalyst for a run of form which destroyed our season, didn't we lost 5 or 6 games on the trot, including a cc semi. We lost 2nd spot to hull, the run of form was too damaging and we just couldn't pick it up in the playoffs.

I see our style of play similar in that our backs are trying to miracle our way out of trouble because our forwards arent doing their jobs. In 2006 we were unexpectedly a forward down after the sacking of Ward, this season we are unexpectedly a forward down without Eastwood. Id agree with you in a way that a shock defeat hurt us in 2006 but I think the same is true this year. I think the defeats to Manly and Saints in the cup have massively hurt our confidence. I think we were really up for both of those games and intending to put in big performances but for whatever reason we didnt.

I think there is a strong similarity so far with the 2006 season - so far anyway. Recruitment problems (O'Neill getting injured and turning out to have less of an impact as we would have liked & the Toopi and Thackray signings vs Eastwood & Buderus getting injured), indifferent form, and an inability to beat our closest rivals are all disturbing parallels IMO.

Then again we weren't great at the start of 2007 (loss to HKR sticking in my mind) but managed to pull things together in the play-offs, so 2009 need not necessarily be another 2006 yet.

We should give Lee Smith an extended run. Is he still on the books?

A view from the Warrington Wolves "Rumour Thread"...

LOL

who gives a.....what those underachievers think.

yes i think it was!!

Well Kallum Watkins has been named in the Gillette Academy side tonight to take on Wakefield at Stanningley, Is that the u18's?...
Looks like it's layed out to be a confidence boost for him...

Well he was supposed to have done well with limited ball and had a "Try" disallowed aswell as 3 other Rhinos "Tries" in the 0-26 defeat by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats...