I take on board TVOCs comments about Kirke's defensive work but if Bailey had produced those stats he'd be crucified.

Big useless soft lump who concedes the collision. Why he retains a place ahead of Pitts when we're down to the bare bones is a head scratcher.

Including Saturday's low go forward Kirke has still averaged 5.85 meters per carry this season, Pitts has averaged 4.20

Kirke averages 23 tackles per game, Pitts just under 16 and while game-time will come into that comparison Pitts has started 3 of the 4 he's played, Kirke 6 of the 10

Obviously stats can only ever play a part of the assessment the coach will make.

There are no stats that help quantify Kirke's softcockery.

In fact there are no words to describe Kirk's softcockery.

So much so I have had to invent the word softcockery just to make this post.

Can't believe you are bagging that lad.

A few weeks back your comments were spot on, and shared by many.

But you are quick to chastise others for bagging players, but are continuing to do it on this lad.

I share your general view on the long term prospects of Kirke, but considering he has been head and shoulders over most other players over the last two weeks, it is a bit unfair to single him out for any critisism. Especially when you are critisizing him for a game in which he was one of the better performers.

My criticism of him has remained constant and has remained throughout the last two games when he has performed better but is not one of our better performers. A nice off-load against Saints and shoving Tansey whilst over the line does not deflect from his softcockery in just about every collision.

His 2 metres per carry confirm his lack of heart.

You told me that Meters per carry meant abosolutely nothing only 3 weeks ago. You told me it was more about the game in context and the defensive element they brought also. You further said it was about game changing moments.

In the last 2 games, Kirke has covered your criteria for what was important only 3 weeks ago.

I don't agree entirely with G1 on kirke, I think he has something to offer us when we are playing well as a team but G1's opinion of Kirke has remained consistent, especially in the pub after a few pints.

He has a lot to offer us, and does some donkey work. He's not the highest earner but a solid squad player who can do a decent job.

His offensive stats this week are poor, but the stats do not show a wonderful offload that everyone would have been creaming themselves on had it come from a flair player such as Ali.

His defensive stats are pretty good, so looking at it objectively, he may be asked to do a job, and that job may not be to cart the ball in

I don't think I have ever had to defend an average per carry of 2 yards.

I also said tackle statistics or carry statistics do not show the damage done in any particular tackle or carry.

Kirke does no damage in any collision. The only thing Kirke damages is my cholesterol as it winds me up to see such a big lad play like such a soft cock.

But try assists and try's scored are hard to argue against are they not?

15m in 7 carries is poor no getting away from it. How those stats are derived would be useful. Do the 5 or so yards which he ran in the build up to smith's try count or not?

Eiether way I think we need to trust McClennan on this one, I'd imagine once Ali, Eastwood & Ablett are back we may see Kirke and JJB given rests, and rotation from thereon

Metres per carry don't tell you how many men were on someone's back or how tight the opposition defence was.

I like the new word though.
Softcockery.
Yes, rolls off the tongue nicely, that. (*)





(*) Cue Puig at this point.

Your choice as an alternative in Jay Pitts made 0.5 meters per carry V Harlequins this season.

Not that I claim in any way to understand how some of the figures are arrived at by Opta.

That's because only a high Meter per carry should be seen as useful. And even then, if it involves returing drop outs or kick offs, it can be slightly miscued.

A low one taken as an average could see a mass anomoly. A player could make 8 carries, making 8 meters each time, but then get a couple of ridiculous passes from dummy half in his next 2 which might be 3 yards negative each time.

That would then go from an 8 meters per carry to a 5.8 meters just like that. Looking poor despite a more than excellent return for the first 8.

He saved all his running efforts for keeping Rocky away from the sticks!

Graham did have an outstanding game. He does the ugly stuff with the ball, often taking 2 or even 3 of the drives in sets as we come away from the try line. His defense was also perfect, I'd settle for that.

I must admit I'm gutted thought. I thought Ryan Bailey might have negative stats this week as he was carried back further than he went forward, but obviously they don't make allowances for negatives?

Of course they do. It's just that you don't make allowances for anything that is not negative.

You talking about Ryan Bailey again?

He got pushed back in 1 tackle IIRC but your mob got so excited you nearly wet yourselves.

It does show though that when Bailey is on the pitch smashing their forwards about they do not know what to do as was adequatly shown on Saturday when he left the pitch and they got on with it and laid the platform they did for their backs.

On that particular occasion the statistics were clearly inaccurate.

Kirke's softcockery (that one was gratuitously thrown in for El Barbudo's consumption) should not be tolerated any longer.

I've said it before but I once took the out of him in a bar and he didn't smash my face in. Do you think I would have tried that with bailey or Barrie Mac?

Despite holding the SL record for yardage in a season Graham has never been a big metre maker per carry. His game is consistent yardage often.

I don't think he's quite that good.

Bloody hell, 2m?

I could get an erection and move that far forward whilst standing still!!

Graham is class IMHO. He's not a blockbuster and not a massive hitter in defence but week in week out he is leading the side forward, often 2 carries per set, and he never goes backwards.

But the most impressive aspect of Graham's play is his cover defence. This is not something I've noticed just because he pushed a half-ar$ed Rob Burrow to the corner on saturday. When Saints beat us at Headingley in the game where Scruton dropped Cunningham on his bonce, Graham was all over the park. We made a couple of clean breaks and Graham appeared at the back, pushing Wellens out onto the wingman and covering the break maker. He also is probably one of the best ball handling props in the SL.

No doubt I'll get hammered for saying something nice about the FGB but it's just an honest opinion. And no-one enjoys it more than me when his bottom lip starts wobbling and the dummy comes out, by the way.