Langley
Orford
Scruton

This is really tough this week, but its a very nice problem to have!

1st - Orford - showed exactly what he is capable off, totally controlled the game!

2nd - Langley - great effort again! I even considering having a wee bet on him for man of steel at this rate!

3rd - Kearney - improved even further on previous weeks performances and showed all the people on here who said he shouldn't be at 6 exactly why is at 6!


Overall, great team performance and nice to see a good team spirit in the players but mentions must go to Scruton, Beaver, Whitehead, Baby Volcano and Halley

So I wasn't the only one who started to see - just maybe - the potential there then? Although on Friday he reminded more, on occasions, of an early TV. It will certainly be an unexpected bonus if he continues in this vein.

The same TV comparisons came from me and the people I was with too. Especially the hugging of the line and keeping the ball in play for Halley's try.

If he becomes the same sort of player that Tevita was, we'll all be happy.

Sheriffe has certainly been one of the major positives of this season so far. He has so far showed massive signs of improvement which hopefully he'll keep up.

I thought the same. I've always rated Langley though. Some folks just don't appreciate hard work though and write him off because he doesn't play the same way that Anthony Watmough does. Players like Langley are the heart that keeps teams going and if more of our own stood up like Langley does then we'd be a lot better for it.

The thing with Rikki Sheriffe he usually just plays what is infront of him at that second instead of thinking forward a few more. But he's strong and he breaks a lot of tackles but if he could just become a bit smarter then he could be a good player. Started well this season I must admit.

Well, he did promise an improvement before the season started. Last year, I never really rated him but in the form he is at he moment, he deserved his position in the starting 13 and will hopefully continue to improve!

Orford
Langley
Menzies

Plus most of the squad in dispatches

Three players are currently dominating the voting. Orford and Langley are the stand out leaders with Brett Kearney closely following.

Orford - 26
Langley - 23
Kearney - 16
L'estrange - 5
Menzies - 4
Sykes/Sheriffe/Scrutton - 2
Worrincey/Lynch - 1

It appears to be coming down to Orford's attacking and organisational play versus Langley's impressive defence.

I think a lot of us have been a little dismayed how a talented ball playing forward like Langley seemed to regress into a hard tackling but rather ineffective barge down the middle forward.

I've never doubted his fantastic work ethic and he is a tackle machine. But its really great to see his go forward improve immeasurably. He was my man of the match.

Langley
Orford
Kearney

Langley
Orford
That Kearney / Karny bloke for me.

We now need to back that performance up with some consistency . . . .along the same lines rather than of the earlier two games

Orford, Beaver, Langley

Also Sheriffe and Kearney

1. Orford
2. Kearney
3. Scrutton

Personally I didn't think anybody had a bad game and the superb team spirit was clear to see.It seemed to me that Orford was doing the half time team talk and I would guess he is the one pulling all the teams coaching and tactics strings at the moment....long may it continue!

1. Orford - outstanding
2. Langley - huge effort
3. Kearney - took his tries well

Honourable mentions to Sheriffe, Menzies, L'estrange, Scruton, Whitehead, Mcnamara.

Bring on next week.
COYB

Yep I am sure Orford is chief playmaker and head coach of the Bulls...

Not as crazy as you might think... and i'm sure there are many that think the same as me! The contrast between the saints game and Cas was remarkable. At times we were like St HELENS at their best and thats something i've never witnessed while McNAMARA has been coach!

Two separate points there.

Surely, what we saw at half time was what we expect to see a captain do, was it not? An inspirational captain. Whatever else they have been, I do not think ANY of our captains throughout SL have come across as particularly St.-Crispin's-Day-Speech-Inspirational, even Robbie. Lead by example maybe; good technically maybe; good in public maybe? but inspirational? Not sure.

But Orford looked to have taken on that mantle on Friday. A role I would bet the head coach wanted him to take on earlier, hence the delay in naming the captain, but perhaps he felt uneasy about doing so having just arrived. Supposition on my part, but I don't think I am the only one to think that. And maybe, after the Stains debacle where - I'm sorry to say - we looked like headless chickens low on confidence after that early blitz, lacking leadership on the park, he realised he needed to step up and inspire? Maybe?

And is it altogether possible that this was what the head coach wanted all along? Maybe?

Whether any of this is indeed the case or otherwise though, I think it is at best naïve and at worst disingenuous to go on to assume that the dramatic improvement we saw on Friday was due to Orford taking control of the coaching and tactics - and in a whole four training days?

That said, a couple of Macca's comments stuck in my mind - his seeming downplaying of Orford's contribution in the post-match comments (although he was surely right to praise the platform the pack laid), and the big rap he gave his assistant coach reported later.

I'd prefer to think that the improvement we saw on Friday was a team effort. If perchance that involved Macca taking on board other input, if that may have meant admitting the need for it (and I have no idea one way or the other) then that can only be a very good thing? I think perhaps that was more the point you were trying to make?

But you'll find no disagreement from anybody, other than anyone who wants us to fail so Macca gets sacked, with your wish that - whatever brought about the improvement - long may it continue!

Not even when we beat them on their own turf?

To be fair there were not many there to witness that!!

Orford
Langley
Kearney

Orford
Kearney
Langley

This week Matt Orford collects 3pts as your MOTM for the game against Castleford. Just 4 votes behind was Jamie Langley who collects 2pts with the final point going to Brett Kearney.

1. Matt Orford - 3pts
2. Jamie Langley - 2pts
3. Brett Kearney - 1pt

This weeks results means that the overall table is nicely taking shape. Jamie Langley takes the overall lead but Matt Orford is close on his heels.

1. Jamie Langley - 5pts
2. Matt Orford - 4pts
3. Nick Scrutton - 3pts
4. Rikki Sheriffe - 2pts
4. Eliott Whitehead - 2pts
6. Dave Halley - 1pt
6. Brett Kearney - 1pt

Will Jamie continue his form into Fridays game against Salford or will someone else catch your eye?

That's a pretty fair reflection of the season so far.

Kearney's first try was straight out of the Rhinos play book (although I'm sure they got it from the NRL first)