I have a heard for a few years now what a talent and prospect this young man is, however whenever I have seen him play I have seen nothing special.
Whilst I appreciate he is young, had a very bad injury last year and has yet to secure a specialised position, I dont even see a glimpse of that potential.

Thats said he when he plays he does get plenty of game time so the coaching team must be happy with him.

Am I missing something or has he not progressed as expected?

The question is do you often see Stevie do anything wrong?
In the defensive aspect he is an old head on young shoulders.

Its difficult to roll back two seasons but I remember Stevie using decent footwork and making many half breaks to set up a few tries. It isn't quite coming off for him yet him yet but it will do.

What's the issue? Compare him to Ablett and JJB at the very same age. He is far ahead of them at the same stage. Look where they ended up.

I think ward is struggling a bit to find his feet this season after the long layoff. As others have mentioned in other threads he missed out on a lot of training last season due to his injury. This means he hasn't bulked up as much as he would have expected to. I think its a back to basics season for him this season to find his feet and crack on. Also he is still only 20 which is relatively young for a forward

JJB maybe but not Ablett.

I also thought Sutcliffe looked far more 1st team ready much quicker but still have high hopes they both make it.

I found it bizarre I read on here the other day/week (can't remember who) that they see stevie ward's future at stand off.

Are they for real?

In all his time in the first team i've barely seen him pass, let alone kick. Doesn't have much pace/acceleration (that doesn't mean im saying he's slow). Creativity? directing play? taking on the defence?

Basically, kid runs a few good lines, takes some wide carries, but i've seen little from his time in the first team, SO FAR, to justify this tag of vunderkid that he's picked up among some fans/media.

Didn't he used to play stand off in the academy? I'm sure I saw him play there in a Boxing Day game.

I bet you had never even seen or heard of Ablett at similar age.

well Ablett made his debut at 19 midway through the championship winning 2004 season so was certainly heard of.

Still very early days in Ward's career to pass any real judgment and I suspect it will take until most of the older guard have finished and moved aside till he majorly stamps his authority and identity within the team.the raw materials are there though and he is only going to get better.

I agree with G1 Ablett was always a special player - a natural 13 when he captained the academy - Ward has suffered from serious injuries and a coach who has failed to develop him correctly. Despite all that Ward has never been in Ablett's class IMO.

Are the Ryan Hall and Carl Ablett Fanboy Clubs subject to a merger yet?

Regards,
World's Best Left Centre & Wing Partnership EVER!

You would lose.

Shocking defence by ward in the build to be makinson's first try.

Swatted away like a rag doll...........by paul f*cking wellens.

Really nt sen anything to suggest ward is anything other than a championship player good junior but not up to super league standard. See Marcus vassilakopuolous.
Can we have Sutcliffe back from Bradford ASAP.

One player who got a good rep from academy for another who got a good rep from academy.

And you have those who consistently wanted first teamers replaced by 13 year olds.

Showed last week that he's not a centre and that was against the worst team seen in SL since Leigh several years ago and what does our coach do....play him there again.

Crazy to select a winger on the bench in the first place but then compound the first error by then not even using him to either play centre or go FB and move Zak to halves with Sir Kevin going 9 and burrow to 7 or burrow stay 9 and sub McGuire

Dumb bench and even dumber tactics.

As someone said on the other thread, all that possession and repeat sets and we never looked like scoring.

Forward drives all night and constantly turning it back inside the majority of the time probably hoping to tire Saints out but guess what, it didn't and we had no plan B

Saints 'A' team were magnificent tonight.

To write Ward off as a championship player is a massive over reaction. He is a young lad, half dozen games back from almost a season out injured, playing out of position.
He would admit he is way off his best yet, but give him a chance.

Agreed. I thought he went well tonight. Also think he would have done a much better Job than JJB and Delaney, had he played there.

Absolute bollox and you know it ,it was always about rotating players clearly carrying injuries or way off form.
Also Ward wasn't the reason we lost tonight either.

I thought he had a shocking game against London. I still don't know what his best position is.

I think Ward will be a good SL player but at this moment he is being exposed being asked to play in an unfamiliar position while nursing his shoulder - which he clearly struggled with V London at times. If only Leeds had another quality back.

18/19 year olds looked great against other 18/19 year olds ......just some of us didn't get carried away and wanted the first team dropped for them.......some on here did.

How does Ward get pillared for that Makinson try? Abletts effort was really weak.

What was the fitness and form of those "1st team players"?
When the youngsters got picked because of a mounting injury list was it their fault entirely if we lost games?

Steve Ward has been unlucky with injuries. Aslong as he can avoid injuries he will be a very good Super League player. He could do with beefing up a touch though and he is not a centre.