3 return for cas

[medlocke]

In every successful team there are leaders, thinkers, playmakers, try scorers, and grafters. A coach needs to balance these, along with other attributes like encourager or moaner/trouble maker (remember Gary Stephens?), sets example in training etc.

As fans we judge largely by what we see on the pitch. The statement "I don't know what the coach sees in Powell" tells you more about the person saying it and little about the coach or player.

How often did Ian Potter win Man of the Match?

The salary cap imposes further limits: "Sam is no James Roby", "We need an Inga or Carmont instead of Sarge." Is that a cappuccino I can smell?

Sam Powell has won GF and WCC medals as part of a *team*. That doesn't make him lucky, it makes him good though not a star imo. Good as part of a balanced team with others to do the clever stuff while he plays steady away and does the essential graft.

Our current problem is that changes, age, injuries have left an unbalanced team. Too many young forwards coming in at once. Lost an organising full back. Relying on brains and leadership from players who are old and injury-prone. A new coach trying to change our style of play.

Then again, you could just blame a lot of it on your favourite whipping boy if it makes you happy.

It makes him a passenger who likes to tackle, There is more creativity in my little toe, BTW Rickey Bibey won medals as part of a team, It didn't make him a good player did it, A hooker with no creativity or pace is about as much use as me in a salad eating competition

[nathan_rugby]

In every successful team there are leaders, thinkers, playmakers, try scorers, and grafters. A coach needs to balance these, along with other attributes like encourager or moaner/trouble maker (remember Gary Stephens?), sets example in training etc.

As fans we judge largely by what we see on the pitch. The statement "I don't know what the coach sees in Powell" tells you more about the person saying it and little about the coach or player.

How often did Ian Potter win Man of the Match?

The salary cap imposes further limits: "Sam is no James Roby", "We need an Inga or Carmont instead of Sarge." Is that a cappuccino I can smell?

Sam Powell has won GF and WCC medals as part of a *team*. That doesn't make him lucky, it makes him good though not a star imo. Good as part of a balanced team with others to do the clever stuff while he plays steady away and does the essential graft.

Our current problem is that changes, age, injuries have left an unbalanced team. Too many young forwards coming in at once. Lost an organising full back. Relying on brains and leadership from players who are old and injury-prone. A new coach trying to change our style of play.

Then again, you could just blame a lot of it on your favourite whipping boy if it makes you happy.

Whilst I do agree with a lot of what you say, my issue with Powell is that he lacks basic hooker skills. Fair enough he doesn’t have the pace or creativity but he should have the passing accuracy required. This is bread and butter no matter what style of hooker you are.

If we had creative 1, 6, 7, 13 on the pitch with an attacking/creative game plan, then I think we would get away with having a defence 9. I think the fact that our attack hasn’t been the most creative and easy on the eye for a long time is why the finger can easily go to Powell.

I for one am I believer that a hooker who possesses attacking prowess is one that can bring fresh advantages. James Roby has it, Clarke should it at Cas when he won MOS and McShane had a phenomenal amount of assists for a 9 last year.

[morley pie eater]

In every successful team there are leaders, thinkers, playmakers, try scorers, and grafters. A coach needs to balance these, along with other attributes like encourager or moaner/trouble maker (remember Gary Stephens?), sets example in training etc.

As fans we judge largely by what we see on the pitch. The statement "I don't know what the coach sees in Powell" tells you more about the person saying it and little about the coach or player.

How often did Ian Potter win Man of the Match?

The salary cap imposes further limits: "Sam is no James Roby", "We need an Inga or Carmont instead of Sarge." Is that a cappuccino I can smell?

Sam Powell has won GF and WCC medals as part of a *team*. That doesn't make him lucky, it makes him good though not a star imo. Good as part of a balanced team with others to do the clever stuff while he plays steady away and does the essential graft.

Our current problem is that changes, age, injuries have left an unbalanced team. Too many young forwards coming in at once. Lost an organising full back. Relying on brains and leadership from players who are old and injury-prone. A new coach trying to change our style of play.

Then again, you could just blame a lot of it on your favourite whipping boy if it makes you happy.

It makes him a passenger who likes to tackle, There is more creativity in my little toe, BTW Rickey Bibey won medals as part of a team, It didn't make him a good player did it, A hooker with no creativity or pace is about as much use as me in a salad eating competition

I was wondering what example would come up - I never thought of Ricky Bibey (or a salad eating competition).

One thing Sam Powell has achieved is to get Meds and DaveO agreeing

[fozzieskem]

Powell on the bench

[medlocke]

Powell on the bench

And should only be used in case of emergency

[Caboosegg]

As ususal bbc radio manchester not playing the game as advertised.....

[medlocke]

As ususal bbc radio manchester not playing the game as advertised.....

Wishfm

[Barney841]

How many times have we been in there half?

[nathan_rugby]

Not many.

We aren’t winning the possession game. Forwards struggling to make yards. Rarely winning the floor so the POTB is very slow and our kicks are landing on their 30-40m line.

Our defence has been ok but Cas have looked a bit clueless at times also.

[DaveO]

In every successful team there are leaders, thinkers, playmakers, try scorers, and grafters. A coach needs to balance these, along with other attributes like encourager or moaner/trouble maker (remember Gary Stephens?), sets example in training etc.

As fans we judge largely by what we see on the pitch. The statement "I don't know what the coach sees in Powell" tells you more about the person saying it and little about the coach or player.

How often did Ian Potter win Man of the Match?

The salary cap imposes further limits: "Sam is no James Roby", "We need an Inga or Carmont instead of Sarge." Is that a cappuccino I can smell?

Sam Powell has won GF and WCC medals as part of a *team*. That doesn't make him lucky, it makes him good though not a star imo. Good as part of a balanced team with others to do the clever stuff while he plays steady away and does the essential graft.

Our current problem is that changes, age, injuries have left an unbalanced team. Too many young forwards coming in at once. Lost an organising full back. Relying on brains and leadership from players who are old and injury-prone. A new coach trying to change our style of play.

Then again, you could just blame a lot of it on your favourite whipping boy if it makes you happy.

Got to say the above post is probably unique. Normally I can usually find something to agree with in a post but I have to say I disagree with everything written.

Powell is a no 9 so needs to possess the necessary attributes of a 9. So while a team may need players with different attributes specific positions require specific attributes and he doesn’t have those required of a 9. As to Mick Potter he was a far better player than Powell. A bit of a Micky Mac type of hooker. Hard as nails.

In fact I’m hard pressed to think of a worse first choice hooker at the club since 1981. Millard maybe.

What precisely does it say about fans who can’t see what the coach sees in him? That they know nothing? There seems to be this assumption that because Powell gets picked that means the coach rates him. It doesn’t. All it means is he rates him better than the alternatives the club has and given what they are Lam has limited options.

In any case the coach is always right argument is a poor one as all it does is disqualify those who say this from expressing a negative opinion on any player. I mean David Vaieliki (spelling?) was considered rubbish by every man and his dog because he was so if you saw him play are you really going to argue 12,000+ Wigan fans missed something?

Which brings us to salary cap. That is no excuse for having a squad player as you first choice hooker. When people say you can’t have superstars everywhere your first 17 should still be pretty damn good across the board. Players like Powell, Sarge and Isa should be backups not starters and I don’t think you can use the salary cap as an excuse for this, certainly not for a 9.

Plenty of average and poor players have picked up winners medals having been carried by their team mates. We have some ourselves like Stephen Holgate who won a GF medal in 1998. The point someone made about L Tomkins is a good one. Powell is no better than him.

With a salary cap of £2m and the marquee rule we have got too many players of his standard in the first team and since its lost some of its class players like S Tomkins and Bateman they have been exposed for what they are. Not good enough.