Barrie Mcdermotts assessment on SL Fulltime

Thoughts??

What does that thug know about anything?

Craig Hall was a mixed bag, scored a great try but took the wrong options on a few occasions.

Forget about the inexplicable howlers, IMO and I have been saying it for 2 years now, Craig is the most exciting player on Rovers books. Every time he gets the ball you know something magical might happen. IMO his contribution to the team this season (tries and assists) have been instrumental in getting Rovers into the play-offs.

On yesterdays game, when I heard Blake was out I expected Sandercock to re-introduce the switch (with Lovergrove), thank goodness he didn't. Craig showcased his array of skills at 6 and even proved to the doubters out there he can defend in the middle.

I think Craig has matured this season enough to merit a late call up into Knights if not the elite England squad. Thats how high I rate Craig.

Bill Arthur said it as well but tbf he couldn't fill in a sick note

Bill Arthur called Barrie Mac a thug too?

I personally thought he had a decent game considering he'd not trained at 6 and Blake did his hamstring in the final move of the final training session

The try was brilliant, the advantage of having his running ability outside of the organising skills Dobson and Scotty Murrell is not to be underestimated


Gamebreaker

He's wasted on the wing! It's not even the position he wants to play, when he came he said he wanted to nail down a centre spot and look at the damage he did last week!
He's probably one of our most potent attacking weapons along with McDonnell.

Totally agree.

I would be happy to see him at full back next season, give him a free role in attack. We would certainly be a lot less predictable.

Not good enough under the high ball to play FB imo. Manu showed that at the Etihad.

If he could sort that out then im sure he could become a solid FB tho, with Shannon you know hes not going to drop anything. If we are keeping a tight budget then this would be the option id take if were not bringing a FB in.

unfortunately for craig unlike you our international coaches can't just forget about his inexplicable howlers

Has scored off high kicks also, one I think was against FC at the KC.

I'd be wary of going down that route if I was you (not that I have any influnce on team policy/selection over at your place, mind).

He had a spell at FB for us in 2009 (I think) and it very nearly finished his top flight career. The poor lad had to be dispatched to Widnes for some r+r in an attempt to rebuild his shattered confidence.

Right from the moment he made his debut for us in 2008, his natural position always appeared to be left centre and I still think that is where any side would gain the fullest advantage out of Craig. If the Fc coaching staff had pursued that line of thought from the start, with a little work on improving his defensive shortcomings, then I reckon he would be an established SL star by now, possibly still wearing B&W. Instead he was messed about and pushed from pillar to post in a supremely misguided attempt to turn him into that most loathsome of modern day creations, the dreaded utility back.

Allowed to play his natural game (with work still on his well documented defensive shortcomings) he could still, potentially, be an international centre, particularly given England's paucity in that department. Whether it is already too late for him to fulfill the promise he initially showed as a teenager only time will tell.

Good win yesterday, by the way, certainly stopped me in my tracks as I left the KC. Last I'd heard you was 0-18 down, so excellent comeback and good win against a class side.

I thought he came back after a good spell at Widnes, played at full back for you guys and did pretty well. For me Hall needs as much ball as you can get him, as you may have seen in the highlights, he cruised through both a gap and attempted tackles to finish superbly. More ball he gets the better his concentration level.

Love this post.

Absolutely as I see it. Honestly cannot think of a post on a player I agree with more.

I've been a big fan of Hall since his Hull days, but if ever a player would benefit from an extended run and having a defined role it's him. I would absolutely love him to be able to have half a season just playing and honing his skills at left centre.

He's got it all going forward, he's never going to be the best defensively, but, he can be taught to be at least proficient. His one on one tackling isn't poor. He can be taught when to hold his line and when to communicate with his half back and second row.

I think given a proper spell, Hall can go on to be a very proficient player, probably not an International, but certainly a very good player and I really hope Rovers extend his deal.

A far better left centre than the present incumbent at Craven Park. somehow, I doubt he will get to play there at Rovers, but I do agree, he would benefit from a lengthy run there.

needs signing up long term for me

Sign him up long time for me i love the kid..

Craig's defensive problems have always tended to stem from bad positional sense rather than being a weak tackler. Whether this is down to bad advice, directionless coaching or it's something that is merely genetic I'm unsure. It would be more than a tad strange if it was the latter reason as it was one of his old man's strongpoints. As you say, his one on tackling isn't poor (certainly no worse than the majority of threequarters currently playing in SL) and still appears to be communication/indecision on his part of when to go and when to stay (again, not exactly an uncommon trait in modern day backs, hello Jordan Turner

).

He's never going to be Ellery Hanley when it comes to defensive duties, but as you point out there is no reason why he can't at least be proficent to the point of not being a liability in this department with a little sound advice. Although after watching last night's game he would be a veritable tackling machine if he found himself in either Bradford's or Castleford's sides.

Certainly, there is still a part of me that would like to see him succeed (even though he is no longer our player) because, as I pointed out in my original post, used correctly in a centre position, he still has all the qualities required to be a potent strike centre. I hate to see genuine talent go to waste and as a natural attacking rugby player, Craig is arguably the most gifted player this City has produced in the last 25 years.

I believe his biggest problem is he simply does not read the game very well, he has a tendency to make the same mistakes year in year out, some of his decisions are really amateur. I also noticed at Manchester he actually backed away from Manu when he was running at him once or twice so I doubt his defense will every improve to the degree it would need to. In open play he certainly knows how to find the white wash though.

I always thought he should be one of the first names on the teamsheet, only playing at 14. Bring him on when the game is slipping away a bit and you need a try or can cover anywhere in backline with injuries.

Teams will be less likely to plan moves all week against him when he isn't playing full 80 too.

I will never forget his try against Wakefield when he went the distance beating everyone from nothing.