100% Agree

With quick play the balls I would much rather have Leuluai there.

But the good teams do not give away quick play the balls, its ok having a scooter there against Crusaders or Salford but against a good team a scooter is often simply neutralised, and in the big games we need control and direction at the PTB not a 1 trick pony, we may as well get Higham back if all we want him to do is scoot.

I think that comes with experience, although sometimes I despair at Piggy's distribution he does control the PTB and the pace of the game very well. Deacon has that that experience, Tommy is getting it.

I agree it comes with experience as does quality half play, he has bags more of that and is much further down the line to being a quality half than to wipe the slate clean and try to convert him to a 9, a game I personally do not think he will ever have.

He is not and never will be a controller what he does well is play off the cuff so rather than stifle the one thing that could separate him from the crowd we should embrace him and play him in his natural position for me.

Last year I said that Roberts was the best winger at the club and Riddell was the best hooker.

I still believe it.

Last year, Richards was the best winger. This year It's Roberts. Your point confuses me. Riddell still has alot of game time before he convinces me he is more use than Leuluai. He does not create anything even if he is solid, his distribution can be awful.

DaveO has just gotten a rather large tent

Our PTB and ruck control was shocking tonight, it nearly cost us the game. Piggy is a massive loss in this area.

I disagree with Rouges regards Roberts, while I agree he was the best winger at the club at the back end of last year, i think he could prove to be the single most valuable player in the completion if he can continue this form.

I am not a betting man, but i will be having £10 on him to win MOS, top try scorer and the Goldthorpe medal each and £5 on the nose for him to win all 3 in 2010.

i have said in another post that we were better when deacon went dummy half,tommy very good in loose play and tonight put hell of alot of work in,but better and quick ball from there when deacs was there

Never a hooker as he can't even do the basics of the job, ie quick ball, he stands and takes a step when passing left to right. That gives the defensive line far too much time to move up.

MaGuire changed things around with that switch of Leuluai and Deacon. It worked and contributed to us winning the game. He has earnt his money tonight.

I think Tommy is much better in shorter spells at nine, but tonight he was far more effective at seven than at nine.

Exactly what Monaghan was doing to great effect. He was taking 2 or 3 strides and then passing.

He had a bloody good game did Monaghan. He caused us all sorts of problems. An absolute swine to contain.

No disrespect to Tommy, but he will in my opinion have the craft of Monaghan.

Why would that disrespect Tommy?

Monaghan is twice the player Tommy is at hooker.

Totally agree, simply comparing them as halves that have made the switch to hooker. TL is not the same style of player as Monaghan and he brings many different skills to the table, Monaghan has a style that suits the hooking role over TL, and i do not think TL can ever develop this in his game.

Any idea when Riddell is going to start proving this wild theory of yours?

Thank God for that, someone's finally seeing it!

I think 16-4 down at H/T with no territory kind of lends weight to the argument?

PS

I think we were 20-0 up against crusaders & 10-0 up against HKR when Piggy wnet off and IMO didn't look as effective until Piggy came back on.

It's not neccessarily what he himself does, it's how he gels the players around him and gets the forwards going forward and allows us to play the game in the right areas of the field.

Spotted it myself last night that we were far better when Deacons went to 9 & Tommy to 7.

Correct Andy, we missed the pig last night. I txt a Saints friend of mine and he said the same. We missed him around the ruck, Tommy's a good impact hooker but he's not one for leading from the start, which is how he works for NZ aswell.

He's never a hooker. He should be kept at 7 without doubt.

Maybe so mate but it still doesn't mean that either was performing well enough to avoid criticism.

For me, Piggy was so-so last year, albeit an improvement on Higham, but that was all I expected from a journeyman such as he. His physical condition last season warrantied a degree of criticism IMO. The fact that he looks fitter now will be a bonus for us, so I'm quite happy with him.

As for Roberts, his sensational current form only goes to highlight how shocking he was last season in comparison. Unlike Piggy IMO this guy came as the real deal with around 100 NRL tries under his belt and should have been better last season. However, he is certainly frost hardened now and is playing a different game to last season.

I hope both can keep it up!!

exactly...........and i posted in the riddell injury thread, when speculation was being made about who plays where.......i posted

"leave the halves alone (tommy and sam, and stick deacon at 9".

not many agreed , but i think last night proved i was correct.
lets hope MM agrees with me next time riddells injured.