How'd he go this season? He certainly wasn't getting the media attention he was in 2008. Did he have injury problems or problems with form, or is he doing well from you guys?

I'm only asking because during all the comparing opinions about international selection going on, he doesn't seem to be coming up as much as I expected.

Things could have been better for him but next year should be better. Not as much media attention as you say but that's a good thing I say.

joe had a quieter year than the previous year although im reliably informed he played the majority of the season requiring surgury to his shoulder and it was causing him a lot of discomfort.

next year will be a big year for both joe westerman and richard owen who has also had off season surgury and both will be pivotol to our chances of making the play offs again.

Is Richard Owen a Cas player for next season then ?

Seems he's still under contract I'd assume so.

When he got a head injury playing against saints early in the season it seemed to shake him up a bit, towards the end of the season he improved alot and started to find the tryline again.

He was hyped to ridiculous levels both on here and in the media. He hasn't failed at all, he is currently at the level all sane watchers of the game expected - a work in progress - just like Dale Ferguson and all the rest.

He may never fulfill his potential - he may exceed all expectations - what's for certain is that he has plenty of time to do it.

Sure in Tomkins you have a player who seems fully formed and ready to go. However against the Kiwis there were a number of players who have taken some time to really hit the heights. Sinfield, Crabtree, Briscoe, Fox have all taken their time. Sinfield in particular has been a decent SL but never looked close to international standard until now and he was really hyped as a kid.

Finally much of Westermans future hinges heavily on what Cas achieve and how Matterson develops him.

Havent seen you on here in a while vasty, but when i saw this thread i knew it wouldnt be long before you had something to say.

Outscoring all those other forwards in the league wasnt bad for a work in progress last year was it?

No it wasn't, but when you consider there was serious talk of him captaining the England team this Four Nations it put's it in context.

I have no real complaints about Smith team selection. I think Brough deserved a shot ahead of Myler. You probably think the same about Westerman - but the truth is neither are international standard at this exact moment IMHO. However Westerman may be one day where as Broughy won't IMHO. I bring this up because those I named have all the ingredients including experience so fair call to Smith. Westeman didn't get a fringe spot because unlke Tomkins his form running up to this comp was not mega if your honest. On top of that you didn't make the play offs which IMHO tends to put players out of mind.

The other more positive thing that holds Westerman back is that we now have a lot more good players than 5 years ago which makes it that much harder to gain a spot. I fairnes would you drop Ellis, Burgess, Westwood or Wilkins? I wouldn't.

It's just opinion.

PS, scoring loads of tries in SL does not make you an International class player - Jamie Rooney - need I say more

Christ, that didn't take long did it?

No way was westerman gonna be picked at international level this year.
The kid as just had shoulder surgery for starters.....the fit he had on the field against saints really knocked him back and he lost a bit of confidence.
There are better players in joes position just now, so give it a couple of years and he'll be a great internationl player.

You just can't leave it can you?































It's an obsession!

from what ive been told joe did his shoulder in the 3rd game of the year against salford but played on with it for the remainder of the season and come the end of this season it was held together by very little muscle.

its a miracle he got through the year tbh and im sure if he hadnt needed an op and was 100% fit he would have made the squad, but i agree with vasty you couldnt drop any of the back 3 for joe at the minute and he needs to keep up his improvment next year to be even considered for the england team but his future is in his own hands has they say.

all fair points but i could have sworn we played wigan in the playoffs

Strange I seem to remember Wigan in the PLay offs as well

Whats even stanger is i was there, or did i dream it

he's been on them funny fags

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I seemingly recall that we MADE the play-offs and got knocked out at the same stage as Wakefield.

Yes. current contract runs tot he end of 2010, I believe.

Where was the serious talk of him captaining this side coming from, i've heard a couple of people say he will be the england captain one day, but nothing about this tournemount.

As it happens i think brough would have been a better choice than mguire or myler, brough having the best long kicking game in sl apart from long and dobson. He's got the best defence of any half in the league i'd say too.

Erm we did make the playoffs vasty



Westermans form this season hasnt been great, (by his own very high standards) but 'running into this competition' ie the end of the season it was very good again he was a workhorse in defence and scored plenty of tries, as well as being a very accurate kicker.

Although he wouldnt have got a start westerman definatley deserved a place in the train on squad (danny tickle played against wales ffs) and of the names mentioned above i think he would be a better option of the bench than wilkin being bigger and more powerful and a useful reserve kicker should sinfield be injured. But no he is not better than ellis or burgess, though when him and westwood have been on the same pitch westerman has always looked the better player.

Your right theres nothing great about a back scoring lots of tries, being the highest scoring forward in the league is something special though, especially when you consider he outscored most backs in the league too when his team was rock bottom on his debut sl season.

Apologies, I swore we played Catalan though the SKY coverage begs to differ. I should have sad progress.

Never a truer word said!

I really think you don't get me on Westerman.

I want to see British players forced to fight for the right to be superstars. Not because I'm mean but because it's the way to create players with character. If it all comes to Westerman (or any player) too soon and too easy they are finished IMHO.

You end up with players who become complacent and just do what gets them by. Some realise late in their careers that they have not achieved what they should but it's usually too late.

I want to see him struggle to get noticed in a unfashionable team and I want him to gain that strength of character that will see him become a true International standard player. He won't get it IMHO if it all comes to him at this point. Not being picked is the best thing that could happen to him, especially if England win and Shenton comes back telling him just how great it was - that is motivation in my book

I want to see Westerman and or other players have to fight like hell to get that England jersey. I don't care which one actually gets it so long as he earns it.

It's not Westeman it could be any player he just happen to be the one who psparked me off on this issue - it's a general over hyping of young British players in recent years that bugs me. It has ruined careers before they started. I can understand why Cas fans do it that is part of being a fan of your team. However for some reason this seem to lead to TV pundits, journos and so called experts jumping on the bandwagon. Many bigging up a player they had barely seen play. It was really stupid and Westerman deserves credit for not going off the rails such was the stupidity.

It was Eddie "the idiot" Hemmings who suggested Wsterman as Captain by the way. How credible his opinion is I'm not sure.

Enough waffle - enjoy your day.

We've been getting you on Westy from day 1 TBH.

The problem is, that's where you should have left it. You are causing lots of unnecessary attention to be focused on the lad by your one-man crusade.

I think in general most people would agree with the sentiment of players having to work for recognition, but not with the fact that each time he is mentioned on his own club's forum, we get vasty's four pennorth never mentioning anything new and generally making yourself a laughing stock, as you did with the playoff cock-up.

Westy's not played in the series for England. He's being left out. He hasn't got the silver spoon in his mouth. We like him and we're going to big him up because he plays for us - just like you were bigging up "thrush" in your earlier post.

Now, in the name of all that's good, give it a rest. We're sick of the same old story time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and again.

Thanks

I think Georgie's pin has got stuck.