You know its bad when MBBB has to resort to "serious" mode...

I'd say so.

Thought he was definitely our man of the match. Whenever a kick went through, he was always chasing it and trying to get on the end. Whenever he had the ball, he was nippy and difficult to get hold of. 150% effort from him too. Great debut. Should be in the side next week regardless of who is available.

I obviously didn't watch very closely. Mind you, I couldn't see much with my head in my hands.

I thought he went well for a debut. Got himself a brace and was always looking for work. Wish the same could be said for other players in the team.

Agreed. Bags of enthusiasm, looks to have decent speed. How he played today you really couldn't ask anything more from a young debutant.

pretty impressed with finigan. took his tries well and neither were particularly easy ones. couple of mistakes aside looked decent defensively and looked good both at wing and fullback. will only improve with experience.

A bit of polishing and he could be a very good player.

Ben Hellewell is the better prospect but is 2 years younger.

Is it me or have we become too used to big hulking backs?! I've noticed it mentioned a few times in various posts and I'm not sure whether it's just us or whether it's other clubs too when they introduce a smaller (some might say normal sized!) player. I know a player needs a certain amount of bulk and strength but I've thought before that we might take it a bit too.

I know a smaller player might struggle when it comes to big one on one hits, especially in defence, but at the end of the day if your technique is right you can still tackle a player! Get round his ankles - even the biggest player can't run without his legs!

I love seeing smaller, nippier players taking on and beating the big guys and it makes for a much better spectacle than having two sets of giants steamrolling each other.

His old man, Michael, grew a cracking beard, but he didn't like the Odsal wind.

His old man, Michael, grew a cracking beard, but he didn't like the Odsal wind.

He looks to have plenty of raw talent and an instinct for joining the line at the right moment. He loked much more dangerous at fullback than on the wing. He needs to be handled carefully though. He didnt look as if he had played an awful lot of rugby, his defensive positional sense was poor. I can see him being targeted in defense once opponents get word of him.

It's a big ask of any 18 year old to step up in a game with a fair amount of expectation and pressure from fans. It's an even bigger ask or expectation to expect him to be the best player in the side. That he was by some distance along with Kopczak, is a credit to him.

Yes he got licked for pace by Jodie Broughton, but that boys got wheels and would make most full backs look stupid in that same position. Finnigans ability to be direct, attract attention from defenders and offer something different make him a threat with ball in hand; something the rest of the side bar Kearney, Manzies and L'Estrange are significantly lacking.

That other senior players didn't step upto the plate was the bigger disappointment. I lost count of the number of times Langley tried to take on the role of Ray Price with his passing instead of making than pumping the legs and making the required hard yards.

For fear of repetition, yesterday was a game Glenn Morrison would have relished. We continue to regret his release.

great start for the youngster, looked quick & direct and grew in confidence throughout.

Its easy to say that with benefit of hindsight. on basis of previous two years and number of games he missed then we were left with little option but to release imo. Just typical that both him and solomona then go on to have pretty much injury free seasons

regret perhaps but i for one understand the reasons behind him leaving. he played in only 8 games in his final season with us. given that he was likely a high earner AND took a quota spot, a pragmatic approach was needed.

his drive and commitment was second to none and I believe if you had a team who played with the heart and passion of glenn morrison then that team would be formidable. i just hope that while he was here that lads like whitehead and donaldson listened to him and picked up a few pointers

I agree, retrospect is a wonderful thing but if he'd had another season like last one with injury we'd all be sat asking why we renewed his contract.

He doesn't need to be hulking, I just think that with full time training he would get stronger which would help his all round game.

Despite that it's usually the case that a good big un will beat a good little un (unless it applies to halfbacks!).

Hindsight is indeedy a wonderful thing. However given Morro's experience, ability to communicate - particularly with youngsters and that he was unlikley to be on more than Glenn Hall is, then it still seemed a no-brainer. Sure 2009 was a bit of a mare, but this followed on from 2008 where he made 733 tackles, 6th highest in the comp.

2010:

18 games, 4 less than Hall
5 tries, 3 more than Hall
2 try assists, 2 more than Hall
1623 metres, only 45 less than Hall in 4 fewer games.
605 tackles v 451
Twice as many tackles busts (30)
5 clean breaks v Halls ZERO
99 marker tackles v 59

Hindsight indeed. But let's hope Hall comes good. Right now, he should have a buss pass, he is that much of a passenger.

Hall's never been a great attacking player and the stats bear that out. It also highlights a weakness in the squad as apart from Menzies (who's figured a lot in the centres) we have no real attacking threat in the backrow. We've a few steady players and some kids feeling their way but no real line breaker.

Couldn't make Sunday's game so missed his 2-try debut.

What's Vinny's background ? How old is he, is he a local lad and if so from which amateur club ?

Oldham I think. Possibly Warterhead or St Annes.

Quote ="miscreant"Couldn't make Sunday's game so missed his 2-try debut. What's Vinny's background ? How old is he, is he a local lad and if so from which amateur club ?'" Is Google so difficult to use... www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... irst_team/

Quote ="miscreant"Couldn't make Sunday's game so missed his 2-try debut. What's Vinny's background ? How old is he, is he a local lad and if so from which amateur club ?'" Is Google so difficult to use... www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... irst_team/

Crikey, I was only asking



I know times are tough but don't bite me head off, mate.

Thanks for the link

Opinions were divided on both though. Letting Morrison go was a huge mistake, i said so at the time and he has proved it a million times since. Some on here ludicrously said he was "injury prone" which is why he had to go. yes he did spend a lot of time injured, but he was still never "injury prone" - he just had some very bad luck with serious injuries. Unless one is a believer in things mystical and paranormal, this never meant he would always continue to pick up injuries, it had zero connection with the future.

Indeed I would have thought that having been fortunate enough to acquire a real gem like Morrison, if anything we'd have wanted to keep him just to get a hopeful full season's return on our wise investment.

Solomona was different. he is a fat luxury player who if you have the rest of a squad that will do 99% of the work to make up for what he won't, will give you some occasional flashes of brilliance and will frequently make a stunning break and will often create something out of nothing. The personnel we have, though, I wouldn't think we could afford to carry such a passenger, however mercurial.

Bob on.

Solomona is an embarrassing athlete who showboats when it suits and has never delivered what his ability suggested he was capable of.

A poor man's Ali Lauiti'iti.