Lautiti is one of the most overated forwards around. He is remembered on the basis of a good year with NZ Warriors as opposed to running into tackles with his handbrake on.

I would rather keep him at full back were he does a good job, rather than second row were he will be completely ineffective.

His lack of pace is a weakness, but he is 29 I doubt he is any slower than he was. We would be better bringing in some faster threequarters to cover for the general lack of pace in the squad.

Common sense, not least the non sequiter of paying Wellens a sizeable proportion of the salary cap to play as a backrower where as you rightly say, he would be useless.

It is as bigger no brainer as St. Craig's blu sky thinking that had Sean Long as a centre.

what a foolish post!!icon_lol.gif I don't really need to get into this as it appears you are cluless or a poor troll!! I look forward to Ali coming up with a match winning play against you as he has done against you time and time again like in the gf 07 or the play offs in 05!!

Quote ="sgtwilko"Ali is a not prop ans has always been a second rower! May I suggest that the Leeds pack shared the work out and didn't expect Ali to do that work!Ali is a ball playing attacking backrower. Due to your injuries in the front row clough has had to get through that much work!! About 07?? That was my point!! Ali has been winning the biggest of games whilst clough was a kid and Ali is still young!! I realise you like clough but it's more than that !! It's not a preference thing it's like comparing a golf and a range rover!! Clough whilist Been a good young kid has so much to prove on every level to be compared to a player of Ali's all round qualities come back when clough has cut it in the sl, nrl and international level!!'" He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali!

Quote ="sgtwilko"Ali is a not prop ans has always been a second rower! May I suggest that the Leeds pack shared the work out and didn't expect Ali to do that work!Ali is a ball playing attacking backrower. Due to your injuries in the front row clough has had to get through that much work!! About 07?? That was my point!! Ali has been winning the biggest of games whilst clough was a kid and Ali is still young!! I realise you like clough but it's more than that !! It's not a preference thing it's like comparing a golf and a range rover!! Clough whilist Been a good young kid has so much to prove on every level to be compared to a player of Ali's all round qualities come back when clough has cut it in the sl, nrl and international level!!'" He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali!

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" You can't really compare them even with that. Ali is on the pitch far less than TP. If you base it on metres made he has had 80 odd more carries.

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" You can't really compare them even with that. Ali is on the pitch far less than TP. If you base it on metres made he has had 80 odd more carries.

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" you seem obsessed with stats!! Stats don't tell the true story!! Ali has had a good season and is getting better!! What I've seen of pelutua has been good but alot of your fans seem to think he is running out of gas?? One thing the stats do tell me is when I look at graham, clough and pelutua is that your pack has been flogged this season!! The Leeds pack is looking pretty fresh for the back end of the season

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" you seem obsessed with stats!! Stats don't tell the true story!! Ali has had a good season and is getting better!! What I've seen of pelutua has been good but alot of your fans seem to think he is running out of gas?? One thing the stats do tell me is when I look at graham, clough and pelutua is that your pack has been flogged this season!! The Leeds pack is looking pretty fresh for the back end of the season

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" Hasn't Puletua played a lot a prop for you? This would explain the extra metres. Otherwise, Ali has made more off-loads, while Puletua has made more breaks. TP would probably edge it but I'm happy with the X-factor that Lauitiiti brings to Leeds, particularly in matches against Saints. That said I seem to remember Ali's stats for a number of games this year being a bit disappointing. Unfortunately Leeds rely far too much on Peacock to make the hard yards.

Quote ="Saint Simon"He's 30! not that young (but younger than me ) If you want to compare like for like a better comparison would be Puletua v Ali both are about the same size, age and are 2nd rowers www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 Its not looking good for Ali! '" Hasn't Puletua played a lot a prop for you? This would explain the extra metres. Otherwise, Ali has made more off-loads, while Puletua has made more breaks. TP would probably edge it but I'm happy with the X-factor that Lauitiiti brings to Leeds, particularly in matches against Saints. That said I seem to remember Ali's stats for a number of games this year being a bit disappointing. Unfortunately Leeds rely far too much on Peacock to make the hard yards.

If he is on the pitch far less, and more of an impact player he should make alot more metres per carry. He makes alot less. 6.86 v 8.64

Now this is something we can agree on

The thing is he isn't really used to make the hard metres. He rarely drives the ball up the middle. He is used close to the opponents line to draw in players and then offload. As much as i understand TP would normally play a similar role as ali but because apart from Graham and TP they are carrying your pack, meaning TP has to make the hard yards.

to be fair you're right about TP. Most of his offloads were before he was moved to prop.

He is though, he's not getting into position as quickly as he used to even two to three years ago. Either he's slowing down or his positional sense has gone, IMO it's the former. I'm not so sure he's doing that good a job anymore, more an adequate one. Will he still be doing that when he's 12 months older?

Given the way the game has changed, with us not being to utilise a quick ptb and more structured defences around, the full back is even more necessary as an attacking weapon and for that you need pace. I don't think it's coincidence that the form teams all have pacy full backs

I think you summed it up in saying that the game has changed. When Wello began his stint at fullback, how much emphasis was there on pace in fullbacks?

And we had some pace in the backs to cover too

Not as much as there is now, it was still a major asset but IMO they were seen as far more as a defensive player rather than an attacking one.

Wigan did o.k. with Radlinski, Botica, Henry Paul, Gary Connolly and Joe Lydon there.

Still caught fat boy McGuire on Friday....

I've been saying same thing for last 2 seasons. The 1st run from a kick is very very important these days to get you on front foot. Our back 3 are very poor at this which I think is major problem in us getting out of our half.

Wello still good player but lost that ability to clear his line the way he used to

I know. That was fantastic. It was even better to hear Stevo and Eddie silenced, Stevo just about managing to ask 'Where did he get the pace to do that?'

Don't over egg it. He caught McGuire because McGuire broke stride and had to slow down.

Wellens did well though.

Usain Bolt has refused to race in this country after seeing that.

Bang on!! mcguire was dribbling a rugby ball whilst wellens was on his shoulder!!

Oh shut up you miserable ole geeza.

Flippin eck. It was right funny is all, especially listening to the dumbstruck silence of Eddie and Stevo. Fantastic moment it was.

I agree.
It made me smile that the pair of them didn't have a clue what was going on, despite having all of that technology in front of them.

Old yes, miserable, it's not in my nature.