Wonder if letting him defend on the right might help... Needs people around him who can defend, him and Atkins together is a disaster

Atkins may have his knockers (sorry but I couldn't resist a Cosmo Smallpiece gurn whilst typing that) but his defence isn't that flakey is it? He's'perhaps guilty of jumping out of the line now and again but is usually effective IMO

I can't understand this thread tbh or to clarify the length of it. Is Patton our starting half by design, is he doing significantly better or worse than expectations, do we have another half back in reserve or currently playing out of position in the firsts, is the club resting on its half back laurels and is Patton our long term first choice plan?

I stand on the SW40 most weeks in a section called the 'bloody ell Patton club EVERYTHING is the lads fault well it isn't IMO. He has limitations he makes mistakes, don't we all? His performance should be scrutinised it's professional sport and maybe he's not got enough 'credit in the bank' when he makes a gaff as Cooper did recently. Imagine the outrage if Patton had thrown it straight past Johnson last night into the stand with the line at our mercy?

Moan all you want but I would suggest it needs to be a bit fairer what's good for Patton is good for others, more considered or even constructive.......life was so much simpler when my spot on the terrace was called the 'What you playin' at Brown stand

BTW I'm not Patton's Uncle

As CW8 says, we’ll know by the end of the season. It’s always been that he needs that long run in the team to really show himself - this is that chance. He’s not going to be another Briers but I think we’ll be happy with him as third choice.

I also think there’s another 16 players on the team sheet each week and our fortunes don’t lie solely with Patton.

Patton was excellent.

Well said UR.
A voice of reason. There's enough slagging of Patton and Atkins over on BaceFook.
We're above that on here.

At the risk of perpetuating the thread, I feel I need to qualify some of my criticisms of Patton.

I don't know what the difference is between honest appraisal of a players performances and "slagging them off". Can someone illuminate me?

Last night I questioned Dec's defence, pass selection and accuracy and work ethic. I stand by all that and it's not the first time he's been guilty.

Ratchford & Atkins all get bad press on here regularly, and sometimes it's justified, but they also make massive, positive contributions elsewhere.

Is Corey Aston a better half than Dec? Not in ny opinion. But last night he was because he kept it simple, played to his strengths and kept focussed.

I'd advise Dec to do the same.

Don't be silly. If you're going to post stuff like this don't get in a huff when people continue to post overly critical stuff about Patton.

For me at the game and having watched it back after getting home he was alright, nothing more nothing less. If Brown gets fully fit then for me Dec isn't doing anything that will keep Brown on the sidelines for long.

Which one of these were Patton's fault? Genuine question. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... gton/50447 In terms of fault, I'd say: 1st was Austin/Cooper/Hill 2nd was Johnson (and Philbin not being in the line) 3rd was Atkins and Ratchford Nothing there for him to be singled out. He wasn't great in attack but no-one was. He also got a try assist.

Which one of these were Patton's fault? Genuine question. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... gton/50447 In terms of fault, I'd say: 1st was Austin/Cooper/Hill 2nd was Johnson (and Philbin not being in the line) 3rd was Atkins and Ratchford Nothing there for him to be singled out. He wasn't great in attack but no-one was. He also got a try assist.

Both the agodo and minikin tries, he couls have worked bit harder on the agodo and he had no idea on the minikin one, he was close enough to tackle and didnt even try, there's a reason teams are targetting him, qnd its not cos of poor tackling, he just ends up in no mans land, which is affecting others around him.

I girst noticed this at the wakey away game(this year) but i havent mentioned it previously as i thought he was doing alright going forward unlike others, now the pros arent outweighing the cons

It's a few days/weeks since I last posted on this thread. I thought I'd let my indifference towards the lad just simmer, and nothing's changed. He's ordinary. Nothing more or less. If he were a car, he'd be an Austin Maestro. He makes mistakes, all halves do. He misses tackles, again, all halves do, bit he NEVER "takes the game by the scruff of the neck" like good/great halves do. He's a ball passer, who sometimes puts a kick in for a try scorer. Unless he gets injured/suspended, he plays every week until Brown is back, and we're stuck with him until his contract runs out. Ho-hum.
What annoys me about the whole situation, is that he's being coached by Lee Briers, who was was described as the most talented British half of his generation (ok, by Eddie Hemmings, but you know what I mean). Either Patton doesn't pay attention, or Briers is hopeless at coaching. One or both needs to get their act together, and do their jobs, properly.

What makes me smile, is the scapegoat accusations on this thread and the weekly matchday threads, and the fact he's Warringtonian. COBBLERS. He's not a scapegoat. He's getting SOME grief, as his performances aren't at the level they need to be, for a side with designs on the big prizes. As for the geographical coordinates of his birth being a reason for criticism, no way. Callands or Canberra, Grappenhall or the Gold Coast, he'll get commented on. We pay the lad's wages. He's up there for praise OR criticism

Exactly, reeled in.
The opposite end of the spectrum that seems utterly out of touch adding nothing but balance. I've no argue with balanced criticism.

Now between us all let's be realistic and fare with our comments.

Like I said...we're above bacefook.

Another young player who had many, me included, questioning his ability was Toby King; no pace, can't put his winger away, not fast enough reactions.

Well, boy, Toby is one young lad who clearly[ihas[/i worked hard on his game and improved masssively. He's now officially my 2nd favourite player, after Ben C obviously.

I was on the verge of writing him off. Terrible decision making, couldn't pass. Improved all areas.

He's taken his chance. Can see him staying at Warrington his whole career now.

I wonder if Dec doesn't have enough maverick in him to be a half back ,the confidence to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He seems to me to be more reactive than proactive & maybe he would be better suited to some other position.

Well here’s the rub,in his academy days he was very good at running the team around. For whatever reason he has just not done it at senior level. A step to far?

I hope that this doesn't sound too muddled, but, he might even be trying too hard and that transposes into performance?

Maybe his natural game (which probably isn't good enough for first choice HB) is being tested beyond its limits? It's a fine line, he seems to be over doing taking the line on (for his ability) and that split second and loss of space is affecting his timing and pass selection.

The way I see it, you have just realised you were wrong. He didn't have terrible decision making at all and showed some genuine quality (admittedly among a few errors) from the start.

Briers was the most talented half of his generation, Patton isn't, so it's not like Briers can just say listen Dec this is how to play like me. Otherwise Gary Schofield and Andy Gregory would have brought through a generation of world class greats when they tried their hands at coaching.

...but maybe you'd think Briers input would've raised Patton's input from "youngster with potential" to "top SL scrum half"

instead, we've got "youngster with potential" to "bang average"

I'm not asking, or even expecting, a world beater. Just for him to improve. He hasn't. His career has plateaued.

I would guess that Briers has a very good understanding about player development. Unfortunately, coaching ain't that simple.

The most talented player of a generation.??
he got one cap for Great Britain while Sean long and and a ruck of make shift stand offs filled the GB half back roles.....
Let's be honest Briers showed consistent high standards once he turned 30..... Before that we never troubled the top half of the table.... Patten has already scored in a grand final and he's 23.

So far the great Danny Richardson has let Sean long down and been farmed out to championship clubs. While I saw the latest once in a generation player jake Trueman do nothing again for Cas except a 40/20 kick.

At 23 Briers was the definition of a turnstile. And by 24 he led us to the heady heights of 3 points away from relegation......

Not sure what your point is here, Patton is better than Briers because at a comparable age he has played in a better side?

Who was better Chris Riley or Des Drummond? Riley won three Challenge Cups. Des went to Wembley once and all he had to show for it was breaking Iro's jaw.

As for counting GB caps who was better Billy McGinty or Mark Roberts?

I'd also be interested to know who you think was the most talented British halfback of Briers' generation? Long? Burrow? Horne? Deacon?

Goulding...
Perhaps even Brough.

Clearly I'm not saying Patten is better than Briers.

People are writing Patten off as dog to quote one phrase.
I'm just highlighting we let Briers get away with some woeful for almost a decade before Tony Smith came in and dropped him.....
I think Dec Patten deserves a bit more than the crap he's getting....

And let's not forget in all our wilderspool years of Lee briers our best stand off was a winger called Graham Appo...
I don't remember Lee Briers being a man of Steel contender like Appo was.



If Briers was so talented Saints would have kept hold of him and swept up challenge cups grand finals and World club challenges for the next couple of decades..
They didn't they let him go and swept up challenge cups, grand finals and world club challenges.



I do wish Patten was busier around the park but he's playing in a good team with title ambitions. Briers for the bulk of his career wasn't he could throw out wild interception passes or do crazy chip n runs that didnt come off and no one cared cos we were and as long as we tried something we were happy.

People have to remember ordinary just like Paul deacon wins....... talented like Mat le tissier wins chuff all....

Not me either biscuit.

Briers would give you one great game and several average at best. And theres always been talk amongst circle's too....and national coaches like Nobby and Smith would have been aware.
Like you said....Briers was good as gone when TS arrived. Briers to be player coach at Barrow....contracts drawn up.
TS helped give us half a decade of superb Briers.