I don't think he looks kike a halfback to be honest. I think full back might be his best position. For the team his utility tag was good, for himself I think he needs to specialise in a position, and I think fullback would be the one to go for. Seems like the Roosters might be giving him that chance.

I think the talent is in there, but it didn't quite seem to emerge at Leeds. Being 3rd choice (at best) at full back won't have helped.

I personally thought he was a decent fullback. Looked safe under the high ball, and returned the ball well. He never seemed to boss the game in the halves, and his floor passing wasn't good enough from hooker.

I think were justifying his claims to be a jack of all trades and master of non quite adequately here.

Full back - too slow to the ball, never beat a man on the return. Safety was his only concern.

Wing - Neither big enough nor fast enough, just a filler.

Half/back - His only hope, had a good one at the Harlequins from the bench on that scorching hot midday kick off game in 2007. Not sure who he was on for at the time but he played like a stand off. That was the game when Webb spent a quarter of it in the sin bin and should really have been off.

Hooker - if you say so. Defence in and around the ruck area was half hearted at best. The attempted tackle on Pryce in the Qualifying Semi Final last year said it all.

If the NRL can turn Tansey into anything specific then they must have some excellent coaches down there.

To be fair he must have something that coaches can see, and fans can't. That could be flexability though, and being just about good enough to cover most back positions to a decent standard

He must have, mustn't he. I always thought there was a bit of an X-Factor when he played and his ability to score the odd try would support that.

For Leeds he started 20 from:

Full Back - 13
Wing - 1
Stand Off - 2
Hooker - 3
Loose Forward - 1

In total his Leeds stats were: Played 20 + 33, Tries 21, Goals 3, Points 90

He played in just the three SL Play Off games:

2006 - EPO - Full Back - Warrington - Home - =redLost 17 - 18
2007 - QSF - Sub - St Helens - Away - =redLost 8 - 10
2008 - QSF - Sub - St Helens - Away - =redLost 10 - 38

Tansey does carry a bit of lower league quality about him, that's for sure. He is a utility player, probably because at Leeds he hasn't displayed the quality in the direct positions he has been trialed in. It was always going to be hard for him to get a regular spot at Leeds. But he's the kind of player are vital to a title winning team. Your squad players can't all be world beaters. Fact. And his flexibilty to cover an array of positions is a huge string to his bow. He hasn't played many games in his Leeds career, and he's hardly settled into a role. He's had bad games and better games. He knows where the try line is, doesn't matter how they come about, he seems to get them. He probably represents excellent value for money. He seems to get his head down and get on with things. Future international? No. Handy squad player in retaining titles? Oh yes.

Agreed, it's just the 'how he got a gig in the NRL' that confused me.

Maybe more English players are given the opportunity to join the NRL than we realise. It's just they don't have the balls to make the move.

Maybe so and as I've noted already here you 'can't knock the lad for giving it a go.'

I'm still surprised a NRL club would give a player like Tansey a second glance though.

Could be a case of a player over here, at a high profile club, with talent, who is a good cheap option for the squad. What I think puts many off going to Australia is the money they will earn over there, and what it buys you. Tansey at the start of his career won't have been on much at Leeds, and so could get a bit of a pay rise playing in a better competition

www.sydneyroosters.com.au/default.aspx?s=team Tansey to start at FB this weekend

www.sydneyroosters.com.au/default.aspx?s=team Tansey to start at FB this weekend

Just maybe the players from the top SL clubs aren't quite as far behind the normal Aussie players as some on RLfans would suggest.

It says something when a bit part SL can get a start in the NRL.

Yes, Gareth Ellis proves that.



It does for now. Let's see how long it lasts though before getting too carried away with Tansey's NRL record.

Always rated Tansey me.

Soliola is playing in the second row this weekend. Can't believe Tansey is getting a start at FB in the NRL, has Minichello had a leg removed or something. Tansey is a hard worker, but has limited talent.

We will see in the next few weeks

I actually disagree.

I think Tansey has heaps of talent but never worked hard enough at Leeds. He was too greedy with the ball and blew a lot of chances with ball in hand. If they can coach him to pass to the open man over there then I think he could be anything. He has decent speed and I still think he had the best footwork in the club.

He looked OK the other week at FB. He does look a little stiff (from the upperbody) as though he has over trained the shoulders and not necessarily the fastest over the first 10m. BUT, he does have a good step and isn't afraid to try to get the offload - something that Leeds don't seem to have at the moment (when I've seen them on TV).

He should be happier as he is playing FB which he was denied at Leeds.

Roosters on the box today, tansey full back, soliola 2nd row.

Tansey hasn't had much to do so far but Soliola has got through a heap of work. He looks better at 2nd row than at centre.

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Well Jordan has just scored a good try and had it ruled out by the video ref

The boy done well - certainley didn't look out of place

I agree, although I don't think he was ever going to impress for us being played on the wing or at hooker.