He must be loving playing outside Hardaker!!

When your winger passes the ball more times to his centre than the centre passes to the winger you know something is fundementally wrong.

Compare and contrast Watkins passing to BJB and Hardaker's to Hall. No point having the best finisher in SL if him and his centre are strangers on the field

Hardaker has only been his centre 10 minutes how many chances as Hall missed out on?

I highlighted Hardaker's passing to his winger at the end of last year. He dosen't look too comfortable but he hasn't played centre much and the more he plays there the more he will grow into the role. The last few weeks I think he's been looking to get the ball to Hall more, I can't recall many times last night when he badly missed an overlap but I am happy to be corrected.

Give Hardaker time.

There's also plenty of adjustment to be made on the whole left side. For years' Burrow ran things at scrum half down that way with Senior and Ali.

Still, the usual moaners have to find something to moan about I suppose.

Hardaker looked far more comfortable on the right. Would swopping the centres be to simple?

Hardaker is deceptively strong. Just watched the game back and his effort to hold wood up in goal was brilliant

Yes, it's terrible when you've got such a big reputation that four defenders rush over to cover you and you have to pass it inside for a walk-in for your teammate. Hardaker is doing fine, by the way.

Rather harsh opinion on Hardaker.

Defensively, he's doing fine covering for Ryan Hall OBC's positional deficiencies in that area.

I have been critical of his passing, it is the area of his game that needs the most work. However it will develop and until then we will have to and so far have found other ways to get Hall accross the whitewash

There were a couple of occasions last night where I thought the pass to Hall would have been the better option but Hardaker is relatively new to the centre position and his decision making will improve with time.

If we're still having this debate this time next year then I'll be concerned but until then I'll give the kid a break.

I'm sure its being worked on. If anything, for a young (British) centre, Watkins stands out because there has never been any question about his desire or ability to get the ball to the wing. It will take Hardaker a while to get there, because his natural inclination seems to be to run with a view to gaining yards/making a break rather than set up his wing.

Perhaps we are too critical. Having a good young british is a rarity these days. And we have two!

Never mind the young bit, having a good British centre is a rarity these days, and we have two.

How on earth people can complain about Hardaker is beyond me, the guy looks a natural in the left centre position. The partnership with Hall IMO will develop, but as a partnership they are doing pretty good together already.

IMO we currently have the best two British centres around.

It makes one wonder if the WBW will achieve cult status like TMFMISL or will they both end up FIOS

I notice no-one made this observation last week when Hall, with Zak inside him, ran in three tries against Hazard County.

As for Watkins (selected for the international squad), it was great to see him own Ryan Atkins (only selected for another go at the Toby roast counter) on Friday evening.

A bit like whoever is playing inside Joss Charnley? maybe there is a correlation between tries scored and defensive lapses?

Oh, I'm glad you worked out what Ryan Hall OBC meant.

He's adjusting to the new position and doing an superb job IMO. Yes we want him to develop the ability to use quick hands to get the ball to the wing, but FFS give him a break. He has the talent and the handling ability to develop these skills, which could lead to him becoming a very good centre for years to come.

Absolutely....

I've stated elsewhere (as long as they stay injury free) this largely young element to the 2012 team can only get better as the season progresses. In conjunction with the revitalised Burrow, back to his best McGuire (and Webb) and real competition in the forwards I can only be optimistic at the moment.

Isn't the problem that Watkins [itoo[/i is more comfortable on the right ? Maybe they tossed a coin during the close season.

That's easy....have him play his international position and swap wings with BJB.

Hall outside Watkins - who [idoes[/i have the ability already to slip a nice pass (being the antithesis of Hardaker, he sometimes pushes a pass when he should perhaps better hold on) - would present a formidable combination.

The extra space as a [iby product[/i they would then create on the left would of course also then hugely benefit Hardaker/BJB (Chisholm) .

I stated at the start of the season that I'd like to see Hall on the right wing outside Watkins, however we are not doing too bad as things stand. Maybe it's something Mcdermott as in the pipeline for a shock tactic.

Would be pretty lethal certainly, but maybe moving them about could interrupt our defensive structures. I trust Mac enough now to have confidence in the way we set up will most likely be the most suitable for the players.

Hardaker's probably played abouth 10 games at centre in his career. He's only 20 and he's learning to play one of the hardest positions in the game. Give him time.

No. He may not have time. I'm stunned he's not stand off already.