I thought Wheeler was OOC at the end of this season? My mistake, and would also account for why we won't be letting him go!

He signed for two more years a month or so ago.

and then swiftly got injured, again.

I really think (hope) he will get over these niggles and prove to be a top pro and possible international. Skill wise, imo he's well ahead of Gaskell

Sure am, but I'd plan on giving him more than 2 minutes at the end

What do you base that on? All Wheeler has shown in his three or four years in the first team is that he's got a decent step. He's got no kicking game and doesn't seem to have any of the other attributes to make a half back.

His lack of ability to get onto the field on a consistent basis is a major problem for him.

He should never have been offered a new deal, unless it's pay as you play.

Skill wise in regard to what? Stepping? Yes. Kicking and controlling a game? Nowhere near. People appear to be basing their belief on him being a stand off from his youth career (which is no guarantee of anything these days) and 1 half against Wigan last year, the rest of his half back appearances have been average to good, never outstanding.

Gaskell consistently played half back well and didn't let us down for a season and a bit, and this was way ahead of schedule. Let's not forget if all had gone to plan Eastmond and Pryce would have been at half back last year, with Lomax in reserve, not Gaskell. This is another reason why I can't understand people wanting rid of him.

And send the conditioner with him. Since Apollo left the injury count has been unbelievable.

Fully agree.

I think, as in any business you want to get to the top of, you have to gamble occasionally.
I see wheeler's squad place as this gamble. We can afford to assign 1 place in the squad to a [imaybe[/i.
Wheeler has talent, real talent. When he runs at 2nd receiver or centre its obvious. I'm happy to gamble that place in the squad on the premise that a) IF he gets past his injury problems he'll be a star player and b) if we let him go and a decent club get him and starighten him out, he'l really bite us on the .
I don't want 1/2 a dozen of these guys, but just one I can live with.

Very true. In the end the reason why he is a big miss is not because of his injury, but the lack of a proper Centre for the last few years. Ideally we would have had Shenton and another Centre. With Wheeler and Jones busting a gut to fill in for them. As it turns out we have Shenton and an open spot which gets filled by which ever player happens to get a good run there.

Having Sia with the number 4 shows that even the coaches are not sure who is our first pick at Centre. I'm yet to see Jones play as he has been playing during my month away. So would be interested to hear how people feel he measures up to Wheeler, who would seam to be his competition.

Fully agree with this, I also can't see him being on a king's ransom.

He's looked solid without looking outstanding for me. I've no complaints with him being in the team.

Given that he was thrown in at the deep end, Jones has done well. However, for me Wheeler is the much superior player (at this stage in Jones' career anyway) and so when fit he would be a shoo-in for that spot.

I'd go a little further and say solid with some nice touches.
He's looked a lot better than, say, Chris Dean did in a similar circumstance.
He doesn't just fill a shirt, he does contribute.

Given he's only 18, I'm pretty impressed. He's not a good as Wheeler, but he's available every week.

It may be tough but 76-0 against a team of part timers and I'm afraid to say Lance just wasnt at the races. It would have been a game like that where you'd expect a world cup winning international player to be ripping them to pieces but he didn't make a single break in the whole game.

To me, he looks like a player that will be back in the NRL before his contract is out.

He's looked poor all year apart from the one game against Leeds.

Not true. And in our last game his excellent chip kicks brought two tries.

Put it into perspective, Leon would have score 4 or 5 tries tonight.

Only if he decided to turn up!

He looked as though he was playing to orders last night with a passing game. Trouble is we didn't have a passing game first 20 mins, it was all one man rugby, individuals trying to look good against weak opposition.

How did Joe Greenwood go on debut ?

Didnt get much game time,made a break but Lance cocked it up though


Big lad who looks like he could do some damage out wide In the future.

Bit of a shame that really. Also a bit of a waste given the scoreline.

I'm starting to get a bit worried about Lance and nervously contemplating being stuck with a bit of a lemon who's on big money and is clogging up an all-important overseas slot for the next 3.5 years. Not too many players ever got out of second gear on Friday to be fair, but most at least showed flashes of quality and looked like top class players in bursts - Hohaia however was completely and utterly anonymous throughout and posed about as much threat as one of the corner flags. That's incredibly worrying against such limited opposition....

I'm surprised - or perhaps I'm not - that nobody has criticised our coaching staff for leaving a sub unused on the bench on Friday. Flannery was on the bench but didn't play. Oh, and Greenwood only played for the last 10 minutes (to those who thought the days of using a sub for the last 10 minutes were over ...

).