Although I'm a Saints fan, I'm not blinkered to the merits of other teams and their players.

I first spotted Westerman, the year Cas won the NL1 (or whatever it's called now). Westerman won all the Young Player awards and I thought he was an outstanding prospect. I was delighted when he confirmed this with his debut season in SL, again scooping the Young Player awards.

I believe last year was a slight blip, caused mainly by the injury, but also by being a teenager played out of position. I am sure that this year he will take his game to the next level, and grab a spot in the England team.

I am sure that, injuries permitting, he will develop into one of the great loose forwards, and be spoken of in the same terms as players such as Scully and Farrell.

He will be a very good player but Scully and Farrell were better at that age than Westerman. I'm not sure what age they both made their England debuts but it was early, very early

How can you be sure of that? Do you watch him play every week?

And why does it matter what he's like at this age? I'm more interested in how he matures, because I can see a lot more potential in him. There's more to his game we haven't seen, IMO.

I can't be sure, I don't watch him every week.
But I reckon drawing a comparison to Farrell and Sculthorpe is very unfair on the lad because almost certainly, he won't be as good.

Again, how can you be sure of that? To say "almost certainly" that he won't be as good is stupid. He might not be as good, he might be better.. we don't know yet. But to make that assumption this early on is ridiculous.

If he was that good he'd have played for England in the 4N or previously

=#8040FFInjured this year, operation last year sums up why he didn't play

Touche.
Do you think he'd have played mind?
I still say it's an unfair comparison, like I said, time will tell.

Joe looked like a player low on confidence last year and suffering the affects of a shoulder injury picked up at the begining of the season. i remember reading he played the vast majority of the seaosn with injections! he also looked put out by faumuina and his form dipped mainly as he was being asked to play a wide runnign SR - not what Joe is all about.

joe's second stint on Friday was increddible he looked hungry for the game and full of enthusiasm. a complete contrast to his 2009 form. i hope for his and everyone associated with Cas' sake that friday's performance was a sign of things to come this season!

i don't care what anyone says a fully fit Joe Westerman is a far better young LF than any other in SL.

I disagree but then again its up to the England coach come the end of the year

Can we not wait a bit longer than 1 game into the new season before judging players and deciding the England side?

Would sculthorpe and farrell have got into the england/GB team so quick if they played for cas....doubt it very much.
Lets not forget these two players played for 2 clubs playing at the top for there game when they were selected for there country.

James Donaldson is the best potential LF in the country, but is a year or two off internationals. I think the 13 shirt will be Westermans to lose then though, good to have a few Loose's coming through at various clubs though.

What I don't get is this. Farrell and Sculthorpe are spoken about in hushed tones all the time. However, how many times did we win a series against Australia, or indeed a world cup with them taking up space in the GB/England side?

You never know how good a player is until they're tested at the highest level anyway, and all of this "he's never as good as" comparison is, quite frankly a load of old codswallop. Westerman is a different type of player from bot Farrell and Sculthorpe (thank goodness) and unless he gets a chance, no-one will ever know how good he is.

Look at Shenton. An un-noticed centre in the England squad last season who made tackle after tackle and kept the opposition out when he played. After he went off in the 4N final, the Aussies attacked down the side he'd vacated and scored try after try. But who, other than Cas fans who watch him week in and week out would have actually rated what he did (except a very canny Aussie coach!)

Westerman will not be another [insert name of any other loose forward here. He is and will be the first and only Joe Westerman - a lad with a hell of a lot of talent who Cas fans would like to see picked for international honours.

Well said

You mean one game isn't long enough to decide who will win the league, occupy the playoffs, come bottom, get in the England side and get a franchise?

...and the next target for Wigan, Warrington and Stains...

Indeed, the top clubs want the top players...

They can keep their grubby hands off him too.

Saints could not afford me .

Be good to see Westermans skills against Harrisons agression .

Joe featured in today's Guardian www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... per-league

Joe featured in today's Guardian www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... per-league

Good article.
I don't agree with everything said but it was a well written piece

Who's Leeds Carnegie?

The Union team.

Didn't spot that!