Panchitta Marra wrote:He's got to learn to catch the ball.
Full Back is the target "bomb drop" zone PM, the last line of defence like a goalkeeper in football, only perhaps more difficult as there's a repeat each set of 6 tackles.
Watched the game back, and he only dropped an aerial bomb once - that's probably the average, or even below, for all top Full Backs in both SL and the NRL, with the number of times they get peppered and the increasing skills of the kickers in placing them. And the advantage is always with an advancing attacking player than a static defender.
I saw in Sam an increasing maturity and a huge influence throughout the side, which will only improve with fitness and game time.
Thought all returning players did us and themselves proud. Can't be easy coming back from a long spell of injury to a game of that intensity and in that heat so a huge well done to all of them.
On a separate note how Ratchford wasn't sin binned even for 10 minutes after deliberately tripping Sam defies logic. Bad enough to do it to any opposition player but to do it to one who has been out with a broken foot just stinks
Never argue with an idiot. He will bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.
OJ wrote:Thought all returning players did us and themselves proud. Can't be easy coming back from a long spell of injury to a game of that intensity and in that heat so a huge well done to all of them.
On a separate note how Ratchford wasn't sin binned even for 10 minutes after deliberately tripping Sam defies logic. Bad enough to do it to any opposition player but to do it to one who has been out with a broken foot just stinks
Don't think it was a pre thought to injuring his damaged foot, OJ - just a cynical move in the heat of the moment to prevent a try. Wouldn't say Ratchford's a dirty player, in that respect.
Answered a lot of doubts in my mind re his long term future. Anywhere near as good as he was pre Wakey injury last season he is the best fb in SL by a mile.
Looked short on match practise on occasions but a decent display and more important with centres back our attack seemed a bit more fluid.
thegimble wrote:Answered a lot of doubts in my mind re his long term future. Anywhere near as good as he was pre Wakey injury last season he is the best fb in SL by a mile.
Looked short on match practise on occasions but a decent display and more important with centres back our attack seemed a bit more fluid.
- And just as importantly, the defence looked more "together" as a combination. They scored two tries from kicks and two others as a result of errors and repeat penalties near our try line.
I'm not going to watch the match a third time but I'm sure Sam dropped two or three bombs, not one. But I agree that for a first game back he did well, and all the returnees are only going to get better and sharper.
moto748 wrote:I'm not going to watch the match a third time but I'm sure Sam dropped two or three bombs, not one. But I agree that for a first game back he did well, and all the returnees are only going to get better and sharper.
On one occasion Moto, they said Sam dropped a kick in our in-goal, but it was in fact, Gelling at fault there.
Nezza Faz wrote:
Don't think it was a pre thought to injuring his damaged foot, OJ - just a cynical move in the heat of the moment to prevent a try. Wouldn't say Ratchford's a dirty player, in that respect.
Can't disagree om anything you say Nezza Faz but even if it was done just to prevent a try it should have merited 10 mins in the bin for being a deliberate foul. My thoughts are probably influenced by the appearance of Ben Thaler being more lenient with Wire than with us when it came to blowing his whistle and he's usually more even handed than he appeared to be yesterday
Never argue with an idiot. He will bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Good to see a predominantly positive thread, especially about Sam.
It shows that many of the disagreements on here are based on genuine differences of opinion between dyed-in-the-wool Wigan fans. We all need to remember this sometimes.
I just found it annoying that on the two occasions Sam looked like he was going to run rather than pass t'Wire fouled him but his play still loked like that he was showing in the second half of the season before he went to NZ
Regarder une fille en bikini, c'est comme avoir un revolver chargé sur sa table:
Il n'y a rien de mal a ça mais il est difficile de penser à autre chose.
but I'm sure Sam dropped two or three bombs, not one. But I agree that for a first game back he did well, and all the returnees are only going to get better and sharper.