A lot of his injuries have been down to bad luck.His last knee injury would have been no different to any player with how he twisted in that tackle iirc.

It's a difficult one. If he feels he can carry on do you gamble on whether you'll be able to keep him on the park or do you offload him to another club and watch him come back and single handed beat us every time he plays and goes on to be captain of England. It's a gamble as it is with every signing. We do not see enough of behind the scenes to be able to make an informed decision.
I watched As Good As It Gets again last night and some of the revelations and half revelations only goes to support this veiw even more.

Most injuries are down to bad luck, but when you’re persistently sat on the sidelines, what is the point retaining the said player?

On the 'boring' quote, don’t tell me you’ve not though ‘Christ, not again' when it’s announced he’s injured? I recall a pre season thread on here, only a few weeks, where someone said they fancied a bet on how many games it is before Wardy was injured again, and it was taken as a joke! Now the inevitable has happened after one round, all the high horse mob are out because I dared to express my feelings on the situation.

Funny how it was the right call on Garbutt, as 'we don’t need players sat in the stands like him', yet Ward is fair game to play a few times a season because he’s had mental health issues. Some serious hypocrites on here.

He must be feeling pretty down now . I've just read that the cut on his cheek went right down to the bone and it's taking longer to heal. Remember at the latter end of Delaney's career because of his style of play the amount of games he missed

I think with Garbutt his knee/s were chronic. With the weight he is I can understand why the club offloaded him - despite some gnashing on here at the time - and lo and behold he hasn’t held up at HKR.

Ward is a different case. I’m not a believer in luck particularly: I think he plays the game almost too hard. It’s hard to switch off but maybe he needs to learn to manage himself a little more during games and not annihilate himself on every contact. Injuries do happen, personally I’m pretty patient and so I’d probably give Ward all the time he needs barring a chronic recurring injury. We desperately lack quality and when he plays he is England standard. Also a Leeds lad and all that. There is some room for loyalty and sentiment in this game, it is played with the heart really.

Hes got concussion. Move on. No serious reoccurring injury. No concerns at all from me.

If Wiki correct he’s played 49 times in the last 4 and a bit seasons. Enough said.

Isn't that similar to Ben Currie at Warrington and they have stood by him and he's having a decent run in the side and is a great player.


As to the comparisons with Garbutt, well IMO they aren't comparable, Ward is a home-grown player, our Captain and has fantastic attitude, Garbutt was had none of those.

Not interested in Ben Currie he’s not our Captain.

He probably misses less games than O’loughlin and he’s made his career out of it. By the time Ward finishes he will have many games under his belt.

Not sure about that. Since the end of 2015 Ward has played around 50 games, Flanders has played around 70 games. He's also over a decade older than Ward. Ben Currie has also played more games than Ward in the same period.

Interesting comparison. Theres also a 6 page thread on their board about how long do they persevere with him. Very similar playing careers so far.

There's a big difference in this case v Wards history though mate.
Crosby joined carrying an injury we then decided to sign him on a long term deal knowing this & since he hasnt played at all not 1 game.
Now his personal stuff is devastating absolutely horrendous but in pure terms of recruitment it was a poor call by Sinfield big time.

Don't think anyone could argue otherwise right now, though presumably KS's decision was based on whatever info he had available at the time. Luke Gale signing had me worried but so far he seems to be going great (touch wood). Some you win, some you lose and that applies almost as much to healthy players.

Is the injury Crosby signed with the same one that has kept him out?

Bearing in mind it was due to complications with the surgery and recovery that has kept him out.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and Sinfield hasn’t got a crystal ball, it was a poor call if he had known he was going to be out for a year, but I doubt that was the case at the time.

He had a poor injury record which was one of the reasons he was available - as you hindsight is a wonderful thing but it was a poor call given the known facts

His knee injury yes same knee we've already covered this he played strapped & jabbed up the surgery was scheduled.
I oniw you're more ready to give the benefit of the doubt but Sinfield got this one wrong just like giving his mates Ablett & Jjb new deals.

Regards Ward i agree with others in that he needs taking away from that crash bang wallop mould of play as its clear he is just going to keep picking up injuries. I have always thought he would make a good centre given some time; he has good hands, is strong and can certainly tackle.

In hindsight yes it probably wasn't a good call, but he could come back fit and do a job but yes it looks like a poor call )most bosses make these from time to time)

As for JJB and Ablett I think you need to let that one go, they're both retired, I understood the reasons at the time for those 2 players getting a contract and I believe it was more about having the players with the correct attitude in the squad, but I understand we won't agree on that one.

I recall Stevie himself saying (podcast or interview, can't remember where) that his game was always "crash bang wallop" as an amateur junior and that is what got him noticed and ultimately signed. In the academy he was played in the halves to develop his hands as they have done to a lesser extent with Cam Smith.

Personally I don't think he should play at 13 in the middle where all the players are giants these days (the days of 5ft 8" Harry Pinner waving it around at loose forward are long gone and even Kev himself allegedly insisted on playing in the halves rather than at loose forward).

I'd rather see him develop his skills as a mobile 2nd row similar to (but better than) Liam Farrell who makes up for his lack of stature with great footwork, decent hands and a high work rate.

Ward is best at second row forward I agree. What is frustrating about Ward's injuries is he has always looked an absolute class act when he plays, and what is unfortunate for him is that he would have had a fair few international caps IMO if he can have a settled run without injuries, lets hope for his sake more than anyone else that once this concussion is out of the way he can get a decent run

Ward and Currie are class acts and i believe if they had stayed fit would be at the same level or above John Bateman now as imo both offer more with ball in hand.

I only suggest centre as i believe this is a position where he could possibly play out a full career from this point. I hope to be proven wrong but if he continues playing his current style i can only see more constant injury problems sadly.

Hmmm as a jnr he was always playing 6 or extra pivot at 13 so not sure where you heard that.
The lads around him even nicknamed him Kev.

I'm pretty sure he was a back rower before we signed him.

Walker, Newman, Hurrell, Handley, Lui, Gale, Seumanufagai, Prior, Mellor, Dwyer, Sutcliffe, Myler, Cuthbertson, Oledzki, Evans, Smith, Mclelland, Briscoe, Donaldson, Sutcliffe, Holroyd.