Quote ="jonh"Rocky is one of the hardest working players playing the game.
I think there were a few issues with his time at Wigan which caused him to lose a bit of career momentum.
Wigan youth system is getting a bit of a reputation of not looking after the junior players from Yorkshire as it does the local lads. Appreciate there is always going to be banter but it seems a little more than that almost an us against them mentality.
Not saying it is true but I’ve heard it from quite a few lads and it probably doesn’t do our ability to attract lads from Yorkshire any favours. Rocky certainly felt that way.
Another issue was the rigidity of the systems. He was a natural off the cuff player and one of the best you will see. Played with his eyes up, Wigan wanted him to conform to a more structured style of play which isn’t really his game. He did try to go along with it but ultimately it was a bit of a square peg round hole situation.
His advisors could see it wasn’t working for him and probably became a bit too vocal about it.
I think the time he spent at Wigan ultimately damaged his progress and if he had worked with another coach/system that allowed him to play his natural game he’d currently be held in higher regard,
Smith for me is much more suited to the organiser structured role he will be asked to play. I’d say there are more comparisons with Deacon than others mentioned. A lad with a controlling style who can also offer that bit of threat from time to time, but generally directs traffic and sets up field position/plays.'"
Cheers Jon, thats a good and different insight
like i have posted i personally never had an issue with hampshire and there is undoubted talent there, and he was seen as a future Wigan and GB halfback (or certainly hyped that way), and i can only call what i have seen in terms of the comparison i made with Williams and Hampshire.
i was lucky enough to go to a sportmans dinner at Haigh Hall a few years ago and had Kris Radlinski and Steve Hamspon sat on the table with us, and natural talent was one of the discussion points as Sam T was on the scene at that point. They were trying to get the balance between off-cuff / play as you see it v structure as they saw him as special at that time
