POWELL!!

[EagleEyePie]

Powell wasn't the reason we lost, and I thought he played reasonably well considering he was returning from injury, but 'reasonably well considering' doesn't quite cut it in a must win playoff game. It took him quite a while to get up to speed and in the meantime we'd been dominating possession and offering very little threat. We were already robbed of another effective plan B at 9 because of Cust's absence.

I really don't understand the thinking behind dropping a player who has been playing really well for someone who is bound to be lacking match fitness and would need some time to settle. O'Neill is a real threat from dummy half and for some reason we didn't use it. Then when you consider the bench was packed with props yet Ellis seemed to play no more than 10 or 15 minutes what was the point of that?

[Barney841]

We lost for many reasons last night, Powell was only one of them.
Bad tactics, lack of organisation, not ruthless in attack and too slow pass from the PTB

[DaveO]

Whether we lost just because of Powell or not isn’t the issue and poor performances from other players and the coach should not be used as excuses to let him off. This thread is about Powell the player and last night he proved once again he’s not good enough.

The fact Peet picked him when he wasn’t match fit is Peet’s fault not Powell’s but if those who think the sun shines out of his backside still aren’t convinced that he needs to be moved on then I give up.

[ian.birchall]

Whether we lost just because of Powell or not isn’t the issue and poor performances from other players and the coach should not be used as excuses to let him off. This thread is about Powell the player and last night he proved once again he’s not good enough.

The fact Peet picked him when he wasn’t match fit is Peet’s fault not Powell’s but if those who think the sun shines out of his backside still aren’t convinced that he needs to be moved on then I give up.

+1

[First Try Tickle]

So who’s picking Powell.

Shaun Wane once said that Sam Powell was the first name on his teamsheet. But whilst coach he never said he was shocked he was being overlooked for an international spot, and whilst he’s been England coach he’s never picked him.

Now Peet brings him back and drops O’Neil after 2 great performances in the cup semi and final.

Then he does it again in the biggest league game of the season and breaks up a winning team.

Maybe it’s because they made him a 250 appearances shirt so Peet was told he had to wear it.

[DavidB]

O’Neill’s fast and accurate distribution was great to get fast ball to Smithies / Smith to create that extra yard of space for Field to exploit. A slower, inaccurate pass from dummy half, which is inevitable with Powell, means our attack loses that sharpness.

Changes needed

[Dreamteam]

There would be more uproar about this if we wasn’t on about a Wigan lad. People are upset about partingon leaving because he’s a Wigan lad, he’s not proved anything to show he’s Wigan level in 4 years. It’s the same every year

[medlocke]

There would be more uproar about this if we wasn’t on about a Wigan lad. People are upset about partingon leaving because he’s a Wigan lad, he’s not proved anything to show he’s Wigan level in 4 years. It’s the same every year

Not wrong there

[Dreamteam]

There would be more uproar about this if we wasn’t on about a Wigan lad. People are upset about partingon leaving because he’s a Wigan lad, he’s not proved anything to show he’s Wigan level in 4 years. It’s the same every year

Not wrong there

And we shouldn’t compare the contribution levels between partington and Powell but partington was a regular under lam even if that was the bench every week. Under peet he’s had next to no game time even before cooper was brought in, injuries to havard ( long term ) Ellis 2 different bans one of them 5 games. Oneil is a better player currently and also has a lot of potential to fill. We need to stop holding him back

[Fan4Fifty]

O’Neill’s fast and accurate distribution was great to get fast ball to Smithies / Smith to create that extra yard of space for Field to exploit. A slower, inaccurate pass from dummy half, which is inevitable with Powell, means our attack loses that sharpness.

Changes needed

This is the nub of it for me with Powell - the lack of speed, length and accuracy of pass and the lack of any kind of running threat. Despite his 250 games I still can't fathom what he brings to the field of play that warrants an automatic selection. I simply don't get why you would drop a young, fit, confident hooker who's been playing really well and had 2 weeks rest, for a player coming back from a long lay-off who couldn't be match fit - it's completely baffling. I watched the warm up on Friday and Sam Powell was the starter for the final 50 metre run before the players went back into the changing rooms. I appreciate it's not a full on race as such - but he was last to the half way line. Says it all I think!

I'd say too that it's much the same with Isa - apparently a great bloke to have around the club, hardworking, works hard on community stuff but on the field poses no kind of attacking threat whatsoever whether at centre or second row.