completely wrong..... again

If im blaming anyone for the saints defeat.... it would be ratchford (im not blaming him btw, as there were plenty of poor performances.. he was the worst though)... Patton was just poor, he was off the pace and had nothing to offer.... pretty much like every game this season.

he just isnt good enough.

60 yards across a field, 3 players covering it, kicking 40+ yards dictates that you need a bit of height in trajectory to make the distance, odds are stacked in the favour of the defenders.

This is against kicking early against one person covering those 60 yards, which it would be harder to find the fullback on the full than it would be to hit the ground.

And to answer the point about coaches not restricting this, we’ve seen Austin (at Hull from memory) kick the ball at least 60 yards on the fly, he’s also done this finding touch with penalties. So that demonstrates that we have people who can kick distance, and kick relatively accurately, so if they are not being discouraged to do it by the coaches, the half backs need coaching to start doing it! Chipping the ball in the arms of fullbacks isn’t effective.

Whats the betting Patton leaves us next year and signs for Wigan or Saints and they have him kicking on the 3rd or 4th, banging 40/20s everywhere while we're stuck with a 31 year old Widdop.

i guess its a risk we're going to have to take.....

Slightly less than Lama Tasi landing the golden point drop goal at Old Trafford, I would imagine.

Awful again

At least he's consistent.
Still, there were plenty worse, today.

If I were Price, I'd be sending a 30odd year old Brown off to Lourdes, for some spiritual "healing", so he comes back to the starting XIII, earlier. As hard as he tries (and he does give great effort), Patton simply isn't the answer.

Sorry, lad.

We may have to have a forced change for Monday. It looked like Dec was injured at the end of that shambles of a game.

Good,harsh I know but he won’t get dropped so if he is injured then someone else gets ago.

Ratchford to halves, Mamo to FB.

I'm happy to see that.

Do you mean Ratch to replace Austin? Surely you would not advocate dropping Patton?

I don't get this...I've never once said Ratchford shouldn't be at hb.
I'm a massive fan of him and have lost count how many times I've said you should "always have your best players in back position they can get their hands on the ball".

Re Patton
I've said he's good enough with the talent around...and so he has. He hasn't actually been bad. Not inventive enough for sure.

My preferred 6/7 has always be Austin/Ratchford.
How many times had I said 'a big good un always beats a small good un.?

Inept.

He's been awful for weeks

Kicking to nobody, kicks that don't create anything or simply hand possession over. Running across the line and getting tackled. Knocking on at the base of the scrum

At the end of the season he'll be wishing he'd have taken the contract that Huddersfield offered

You've never once said ratchford should be at HB but your preferred 6/7 has always been Austin and ratchford... Love your posts but that contradicts what you say

I'm disappointed Dec hasn't played 'who dares wins'...following orders?


Considering he's on a short tender, I'd have wished he'd have done something like Brad Dwyer, backed himself against the wishes of his coach. Come off your a hero and off that earn a honeymoon perod, fail..you're no worse off.

Your kidding. ..I've said it many times...I've said a big half back give presence.
I've said that in defence of Brown.

I've not actually said put Ratchford at half back since Austin was signed, and even after Brown's injury...because I think, thought, Dec would be up to it.
He has the skill...I've seen it...he just hasn't used it.

But pre Austin I've always banged the drum about Ratchford playing at half...or...being in a position he can get his hands on the ball.
(If) I use loosely, that is at fb....so be it.

He’s just not very good is he? No excuses now, he’s having a run in the team and must’ve played nearly 100 games in his four or five years in and around the first team.

Average at best in everything he does. We played better without him and with Brown in the team last season and we should’ve gone out and brought someone in once we got the dispensation for Brown. We’ll win nothing with him in the halves the whole season.

Mamo to full back and Ratchford in the halves from now on is a must.

It is with a heavy heart I think it's time to offer Salford £1million for Hastings... or £1.5million plus Dec

I would like to see Ben Currie in place of Dec Patton.

To think we got rid of Dwyer who was mom yesterday.

Never been totally convinced about Ratchford's defensive capabilities but by and large this has been overcome by his qualities elsewhere especially in open play. Not sure moving him to hb is the answer as he is more of an individual as opposed to an organising player. We can't have 2 almost identical players in the halves ... obviously referring to Ratchford and Austin

The 6 & 7 of your day have gone TRM.
It's left channel and right channel hb now. The backrowers and roaming loose and fullback play the rolls of the stand off.

I get what you are saying Duckie but second rowers, well the ones we have excluding Currie perhaps, do not have the skill set of what you refer to as the historical role of the stand off.

'your day' ..... Well in 'my' day you had an overall organising halfback and a halfback who had a more free role. They still by and large could play either side of the ruck. I still think you need an overall general and neither Austin or Ratchford for me fit that role.

And as an old fart can you enlighten me on what TRM is.