That ageing full back (as it were) has forgotten more about right centre play than any right centre since at Leeds has probably known.




Interesting development.



I wouldn't exactly call 8 months a long term, unless you happen to be pregnant, then it might feel a long time towards the end.

The reason for Donald going to the right was to steady the defence...
He now looks a weakness and his confidence is dropping. Good finish yesterday but he needs to be moved back to the left. Gibson and Smith will steady up 3. Credit must go to Ryan Hall, I thought he had a really good game, apart from 1 error. Great catch for the try, didn't drop a thing and he was targeted. On that performance I think we have the lisence for him and Donald to swap wings.

On topic, Gibson will never make a top SL centre as long as he has a hole in his butt.

top centre yes,but a steady,reliable good player he def is. and certainly better than anything the NRL has to offer if wigan are anything to go by

bit harsh. He looked good when he was breaking in. What he lacks in power he makes up for in pace, footwork and hands. More of a finesse player. The he got injured.

last night he showed glimpses. He sucked in wing and centre and flicked a ball out to Donald but did little else. Wigan didn't make him defend that much so can't comment. He made less mistakes than watkins to boot. In between plays he was breathing heavy so I suspect he's still short of fitness. Give him time to get up to fitness then judge.

Hi tigertot – I always look forward to your deliberated, reasoned and deeply rational interjections.

With solid logic like yours I find it hard to understand how anyone could possibly disagree.

Off topic bradford will never be a top SL side as long as hood has a hole in his butt!!

Im not going OTT because i wasnt commenting on Donald as a player, i think he is a fine player, probably one of the best in the league,

however i would rather lose him than either, Hall, Smith or Webb, and i think we would be a better team with Smith playing outside Senior, and Ryan Hall playing outside a quality centre, than keeping donald and not getting a centre

i would hope when the quota comes down to 5, GH is thinking in a similar way,

I agree entirely.

I think Gibson will need several first team games, at the very least, to get back to the level he was at before his knee re-construction. And the level he was at was very good. He'd ousted Toopi and was emerging very nicely. People forget that. People also under-estimate what it takes to recover from a knee re-construction.

I think Gibson will make a solid centre and hope we're patient with him.

He is reliable, but the faith Leeds have shown in him I don't think will be rewarded with the quality he promised as a youngster. He is just not big enough, his horrific injuries can't disguise that. Watkins is already more of a threat. With regard to Wigan, Carmont was a revelation last year, but Noble seems to have managed to beat that out of him.

And why should that bother me?

Same build as Yeaman or Craig Innes even. I don;t think his size should hold him back.

And more of a defensive liability and error strewn, though that is to be expected.

Reminds me of a very young David Stephenson actually

Solid doesn't always cut it for the teams looking to win things. He did his knee around 23 months ago but my issue is not with the length of recovery time but rather that he was neither big enough or fast enough before it happened anyway. It's unlikely that a knee reconstruction will change that in a positive way and at 22 I don't see him developing his physique much further.

Out of contract at the end of the season and I'd be surprised if it's extended in anything other than making up the numbers capacity.

I disagree.

Yours,

Carl Ablett.

It's a team game fortunately where the sum of it's part can exceed the individuals abilities within it.

Nothing wrong with that I suppose after a win against a truly awful Wigan performance.

As long as the opposition remain this inept anything is possible.

Keep the faith, they don't get that much better. We'll be OK.

Hang on, you're dragging me down now.

It's a long season, I'm looking forward to when it starts. Hopefully next Friday.

he needs time.

yeah people seem to forget that he forced his way in with his form. Something that can happen for juniors under the right coach, even with international reputations in front of them. imagine that



Long term I think a power winger outside him would be a good match.

[url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/leeds-rhinos-news/Leeds-Rhinos-Boss-34pleased34-with.5070106.jpHe has had to play in the centres, though he's a back-rower.[/url

Yours,

Uber coach Brian McClennan.

Doesn't sound like Mclennan is too concerned about playing him in the cenrtes if needs be.

Neither am I.

Although I agree with you on the fact that Gibson may not physically develop further at his age. He was a very promising threequarter, with alot of skill.

I seem to remember a lot of people slagging off Diskin after his return from a knee injury. Maybe we should give Gibson a little bit more time than 5 games in to the season . It's not like we have a huge chance of missing the top eight is it?

IMVHO I see the Gibson/Hall pairing as the future and with the potential to match the best.

He might be the same build but they must be 3 or 4" taller. I cannot think of any top quality centre who has been as short as Gibson. He will not be able to develop the power that is needed to go with his obvious skills. Not a dig at him, just as I see it. England & Leeds need a great centre to replace Senior, the best player of any position of the SL era IMO, it's not going to be Gibson I'm afraid.

Isnt that what someone told Jason Robinson.....



Perhaps also thats why they have Burrow listed as 5ft 5in


yea right...that would make him only a foot shorter than Peacock.