But also no guarantee that he would. And to be honest, even making full allowance for the totally different levels of competition, he looked a different player pre-season.

It's not finding excuses for the player, who has to do better. But I'm not overly panicked because losing your first and second choice full backs is apt to stretch any squad.

Indeed it is. But that isn't why Vickery is been picked. He would still be been picked without BJB available.

How do you know that? Even if it had been true at the start of the season I doubt he'd be keeping BJB out of the side now. I don't know that for a fact, it's conjecture, as is your statement unless you're privy to more inside information.

I also still don't think he's generally as poor a player as he's looked the last 2 weeks. If it is a confidence thing, that doesn't absolve him of responsibility. He needs to get his chin up and man up a bit. Coaching staff can play a part in that, but he has to be the one to do it. I can't believe that even 2nd grade players down under get to his age without knowing how to field a kick. Has to be a mental thing surely?

As has been said, this guy looks plain lost. His positional sense is poor (is he a winger by trade?) his attacking play is weak and his defense is unimpressive. I'm not sure it's just a confidence thing. It seems to be an ability thing, too.

I'm no coach and don't purport to have all the answers, but Vickery is clearly the weak link in the chain and we have to have a better option somewhere.

Surely Vickery wouldnt have started infront of BJB had he been fully fit.

what makes you think i already aren't?

Well Hardaker should be back for a few games before BJB which will move Watkins back to centre, hopefully having Watkins there will do Vickery a world of good. A try, even if it's a simple effort will surely give him a boost but Ablett has seemed relucant to pass to him or for the team to even go that side.

I'm [ia pedantic nit picker[/i



Oh the irony.

The lads association with Australia is just another stick for you to whack him over the head with. You now seem to be judging him off the back of his first performances for Leeds Rhinos which have seen him play against some very tough teams. Whilst he hasn't set the world alight, he's not disgraced himself and certainly seems to be improving with each performance.

Vickery is now getting his British training under the coaching staff at Headingley and hopefully he will be developed into a player of your standards. However for now he is Super League standard because he's stood up to St Helens and Wigan who are two of the better teams in the competition.

On top of all this Joe has been given a year to prove himself whilst many in the academy will be on much longer deals and will be given their chance to break into the first team in games to come. Your just too impatient.

Talk about nit picking

most others seem to have the same opinion but hey you keep going.
i'm a bit surprised you have time for rugby with the massive t shirt business you have going. a big time business man like you should be far to busy for everyday things like discussing rugby

You haven't seen Vickery play then.
I see kids at Junior Rhinos on a Saturday morning who are better wingers.

If by most others you mean some peoples comments on social media then that’s hardly a majority opinion. It’s just a couple of opinionated loud mouths like yourself who don’t think before their write on here and other places where this discussion is been held.

It’s funny you mention my tee shirts because as it happens I’m just in the middle of organising something massive and my t-shirt business is a humble affair that hasn’t quite worked out yet thank you very much.

Now let’s get discussing some rugby shall we starting with you defending your ludicrous criticism against Joe Vickery without going on some tangent about my career.

as far as rugby is concerned his positional sense is awful, hasn't got great hands, is slow and whilst trys hard simply isn't good enough.

another big scheme? bet nick clegg is proud of you

I have seen Vickery play when Leeds Rhinos have been live on sky and this very thread was started as an acknowledgement of Vickerys improvement.

Unfortunately Vickery isn’t going to get to prove himself in the junior leagues that you watch on a Saturday morning. However he did well enough to get a chance in the first team over here off the back of playing in the junior leagues in Australia and in training with the Rhinos.

If these wingers are as good as you are saying then we’ll probably be seeing them playing in Super League when they old enough to do so. On top of all that your comparison between a Super League player and Junior league players is totally illogical because none of them are qualified to play in each others leagues due to age restriction.

I'd like to see a junior player on the wing for Leeds Rhinos when there were playing Melbourne Storm. We might have won

Really,so a young kid couldn't have better positional sense or technique?


There is obviously a big difference between the junior leagues in Australia and SL,to put it simply,he isn't good enough.

I'm sure we could find similar flaws in the games of other players on the team.

Admittedly Joe Vickery is no Ben Jones-Bishop but we live in a salary capped era where clubs simply aren't allowed to break in order to find like to like replacements for injured star players. Your inability to acknowledge that Joe is on a one year contract is a shocker and proves that when it comes to reality you become ignorant.

If you don't want to see Vickery play on the wing then feel free to watch the other wingers at Hunslets. However by all means keep watching Vickery and highlighting the flaws in his game on here but with others I'll be on here to counterbalance your criticisms too.

I haven't asked what Nick Clegg thinks about my upcoming ventures yet thank you.

Not interested in the post but I have to hijack this thread and ask you Damo - the peakwalking blog, it really is you isn't it ?

You don't just look on a map and make the rest of it up ?

As we all know young kids develop at different ages so someone who looks good aged six could end up looking average by aged fourteen because the rest of the kids have caught up.To put it simply for me if Vickery is good enough to be at the wrong of the score (which was narrow) against Melbourne Storm then he's good enough for a Super League wing spot.

It's not me and Lee is real



Anyone who knows me well knows I hate walking. Having said that I've probably just added to your theory about the peakwalking blog been written by me haven't I?

bush is twice the player that vickery is.

As put downs go that's a New World record Olympic Gold contender right there.

''with the try line begging Tom Bush knocked-on''

From a report from last weekend's Hunslet match.

to be fair i've seen world class players drop the ball over the line. jason robinson for one

Martin Offiah for three.

I didn't just compare Tom Bush to Martin Offiah did I?

Everybody loves Bush.

Gotcha doesn't.....................