I agree that Donald looks lost on the right. less than half the player he has been before

Couldn't agree more, difficult for any threequarter to shine when the pack is on the back-foot. Whilst Bailey may have made a difference (but may have been a liability), we sorely miss Ellis' wide runs - a role that would have certainly fallen to Eastwood. If we can be contained down the middle (which Saints have on both occasions this season) then other than Ali, we have no other threat.

It also seems the club got it wrong in deciding to not directly replace Toopi (once again more evident without Ellis). Ablett is too slow in the centre, Smith (despite being a class player) isn't a centre (and will probably have left the club before the end of the season) & I dont think either Gibson or Watkins are ready for being played week in week out at this stage. Credit to Keith, he's having a great season but if he were to get injured we'd be worryingly weak in the backs, certainly not champion material.

Hopefully there's something up Hetheringtons magic sleeve.....

Kind of agree. He looks lost, but I'm not sure if it has anything to do with him been on the right flank. Fair enough, there's no way he's seeing the quality of ball that he's had from Senior over the last couple of seasons, but the truth is he's not looking for it either. His kick returns have been nothing but dull (he's hardly got out of second gear, in more ways than one), I don't expect one of his 'specials' every week, but i want to see him picking those holes in broken play and attacking them. We haven't seen have many scoots from the hooking position (after a general kick down field), so his work ethic has to be questioned, as well as his application. We are seeing handling errors from him, letting balls bounce and not finishing the tricky scores we know he can produce. I'm annoyed by his lack of form, he's Super Leagues premier winger on his day (highlighted by his try ratio and inclusion in the Dream Team for the last two seasons). I feel his future or other circumstances are effecting him, so putting it down to him playing on the right doesn't wholey ring true to me. Wingers, more than any other position, are confidence players, they need to be scoring. He seems to love scoring against the Bulls (and game breaking scores at that), so a hat-trick there couldn't come at a better time. Will the real Scott Donald please stand up.

Absolutely agree. The guy has been pish poor this season, and if we had the backup he should not be in the team.

It is quite obvious that Senior is the reason he has looked so good for a couple of seasons.

We can now see why a player with such a fantastic scoring ratio in the NRL never came close to state of origin or why other NRL clubs were not queing up for his signature.

This is not knee jerk, because its been the same for all game this season. He has the heart of a pea. Rarely chases balls, and looks uncomforble under high balls himself.

That said, I thought he had his best game of season yesterday (which is not much). If it takes moving him outside Senior again to get his previous two seasons form back, then that is what should happen quickly.

Nail. hit. on. head.

You writing Donald off now?

Lets put in another way Gareth. When you wrote Smith off at the same stage last season, Smith's performances were head and shoulders above anything Donald has done this season.

I don't think even you would deny that.

Is Lee Smith naturally good at everything? If you groundman got taken ill could he fill in and do a job there

That's actually his position this year hence the no3 squad number H-T-H.

Heard he is good at cricket too!

I have written Donald off as a right winger, he's just not comfortable there. Yes he is lacking Keith's service but there's more to it then that. He is exactly the same player he was in '06 when frankly he was fairly rubbish. Can anyone point out a game to me in which Donald played anything above decent, when playing on the right?

The majority of problems yesterday came down our left where Burrow was horribly exposed against Gidley. Gibson created two chances for Donald which without having watched the game again I would have expected him to have scored at least one.

Then you do Gilmore's cover defence a dis-service in that case.

I'm not, I would just expect that when given two chances like he had yesterday, a finsher of Donald's quality should have scored at least one.

I wonder if any of the Senior knockers have changed their opinion now that Donald's form is suffering without Senior?
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(Of course they won't) [/size

I have. Already stated it twice in last week.

I think the Donald situation, IMO, is proving that Senior is undervalued as a player in the team.

I thought Senior was finished, but this season not only does he look very good, but the Donald situation underlines the point.

I don't know what else Donald could have done with the first it was simply matched by a great cover tackle.

You'll have to remind me of the other opportunity Donald missed because I think I must have missed it as well.

Why do you keep making things up?

When did I write Smith off, this season or last?

I think he is talking about the dropped ball before the other one.

I have stated my opinion on Donald on this seasons form, but I dont think on either of the two chances mentioned he could have done any better.

Give over Gareth, you know what I am talking about. You only reitterated your point in the last three weeks, with arguments with both myself and Tvoc, on the same subject.

Yes, I was talking about last, hence why I said "at the same stage last season".

If Burrow couldn't cope with Gidley, which he couldn't at times I agree but he's not unique in that, why didn't Senior take Gidley?
He has done this in the past to nullify or at least reduce that threat & also to the likes of Gleeson etc.
Was that failure down to Senior or the coach?
It seems to me that whoever Saints put in their team, when they are on the attack they always look threatening with dummy runners and excellent running lines something that certainly close to any opponent's line we seem to lack.
Far too often we rely on the individual brilliance of one or two players, Burrow, McGguire or Webb to create space near our opponent's line.
This is not new, it happened under Smith and now under McLennan.
I wonder if it is the supporting coaching team, I have said in the past that GH's loyalty to past players may be laudable but is it always in the best interest of the team?

Don't be dragging me into your sordid little squabbles.

I have never written Lee Smith off.

You've made it up.

I have posted that I hope he stays, that he's an important part of our threequarter line. I have posted a balanced opinion of where he fits within the pecking order.

I've never used derogatory and knee jerk comments like "has the heart of a pea".

Cause you haven't Gareth. I dont need to dig up the posts, as plenty on here will be pishing their pants at the back track, knowing the truth. So I will let it go.

One moment in the game summed up Gibson as a centre for me. He received the ball and both gilmour and Meli commited themselves. He had enough time to get the ball out to the winger for a certain try, but for whatever reason, he didnt.