Jimlav wrote:GeoffN wrote:No better than Goulding, IMO, and further down the line we've got Marsh & Thornley. Don't think we need Shenton.
In MM eyes i would suggest shenton is much better, mainly due to being far better in defence.
I wouldnt say that at all. Shentons defence is seen as the weakest part of his game and I have seen him have some poor games defensively. Goulding defence is much better than some give him credit for and I would say that his defence is as good, if not better, than other centres of the same age.
Jimlav wrote:if it was a striaght choice between goulding and shenton i would take shenton every time. in a poor side shenton always stands up, put him in a good team and he could be a real special player. he has great physical assests, and with MM training would become a far better player. he would gain much more strength and size, and his play would benefit from the way we have been playing, adding the fast passing moves to his game which he doesnt really have the chance to show at cas.
in addition, with the way we use our wingers and centres to run the ball up on the first couple of tackles more than any other team, shenton would be a real assest.
I would have Shenton but I wouldnt take him at the expense of Goulding as I think that he is no better. I have seen Goulding outplay Senior, Yeaman and Atkins who are all considered the top centres in England so he isnt exactly poor himself. In my opinion we should have signed Shenton when we signed Gleeson then had Goulding replace Carmont from next year.
I cant say that I have ever seen Shenton and thought that he looks particularly exceptional, although he obviously has potential. Also much of what you say in your post and can work both ways. Shenton has done well since he broke through but I think a lot of the reasons for this is precisely because he plays for Castleford. It can be easy for players to look very good in poor teams as they stand out more and look better in comparison to those around them. That doesnt always translate to them looking the same playing for bigger teams. If Shenton had been at Wigan, Leeds, Saints etc it is highly likely that he wouldnt be a regular centre now and would be in much the same boat as Goulding. I actually think that some of our younger players would excel in a similar way if they were at smaller teams as they have more of a chance to do so, Goulding himself showed that at Salford as did Mossop at Huddersfield.
