No scapegoat at all.

I really liked RA during his initial contract spell with us and find it a real shame he is going in decline. He's certainly not why we lost last night. Just a general review of his performances in 2014/15 and looking at the options given that

Bridge not good enough any more - out
Myler not fit for purpose / good enough - out
Atkins - not good enough any more? - .........

I thought Atkins was still on a long contract?

Cannot imagine anyone paying a transfer fee to sign him,

Perhaps someone should tweet @DRMarwanK and tell him he's an England International centre

Rhys isn't an out and out winger. He offered confidence to Ryan when he was out of form.
Rhys is ideal as a centre or FB.
Joel has played centre in the NRL.

Atkins is still contracted but apparently we are looking to buy a few players out of contract and have a complete overhaul so he could possibly be one of those.

Unfortunately in these days of so called high intensity rugby you need players whose injuries can be managed better & who are less injury prone...cost is a major factor & passengers can't be carried & although the following players can be brilliant on their day they need to go, Grix, R.Evans & Wheeler.
Positionally, maybe Atkins out on the wing as a Ryan Hall type player or even moved into the second row ,Ratch possibly LF with Currie left centre. I can even see Geno being a good mobile forward in the future. We do need to concentrate on defence though when filling these positions.

Atkins at loose forward? Jesus H Christ don't say things like that

The biggest winge most have is that he can't pass the ball and then someone comes up with playing him in a pivotable role

Thats another case of cider for me tonight.

Your cider might taste better if you and Wirefan read ninearches post it was Atkins to Wing to 'help' with his passing and Ratchford to loose

You're bang on there Rico too busy thinking of drinking

Yeah. My bad also.

Atkins is still though. That, I am not confused about. At all.

Let's be fare please!
The only poop part of Ryan's game is his passing and occasionally his defensive positioning.
He has lost half a yard of pace but he can find the line.

So what you are saying RD is that the only poor parts of his game is that he has barely any pace left, that he can't pass (at all), can't break a tackle anymore unless 2 yards out, and his defensive positioning is poor.

............................................ALL of which are key competencies for a Centre.

I was thinking all that as I was writing but I thought I'd invite a response and say nowt.
I've said enough times his 3/4 period is numbered unless he moves to a lower rated team or tries a positional move.

Personally I'd chuck him back in the pond and find someone from our youth or bring in fresh blood.

Before that and because we are a bit depleted up front, I'd consider putting him in the second row near his passes.

Is that in the North Stand UR?

I too have considered putting Atkins in the forwards, particularly considering his passing for a Centre is deplorable. However he has pretty much just coasted for the past 2 and half seasons and I would now be more than happy to get rid of this lazy waste of space. Give our youngsters a chance and stop wasting any more time and money on Atkins.

May be.

I like watching Currie and Philbin and Wilde have been real positives this season, but, we don't know how/if/when Grix will return, the Laithwaite injury wasn't great news given our depleted pack and I think that Westwood's best days week in week out are numbered despite his legendary Wire status. An Atkins move to 2nd row might be just what's needed to give the younger lads another year.

With an apparent new attitude at Wire ,I can't see Ryan remaining here for long ,his best days are behind him and these are the players the club wants to cut

Lazier than a Scouser on dole day.

Get rid

I would have thought Scousers would be reasonably active on dole day? More active than Ryan anyway!

Atkins to second row? If ever there was a recurring theme on here that sends me groping for the Harvey's Bristol Cream that's it.

Let's suppose Richard Branson had a member of his cabin staff who persisted in dropping meals on passengers laps, giving the wrong drinks to the wrong people, pointing to the wrong emergency exits during the safety checks and insisted on singing "Always look on the bright side of life" every time they hit turbulence.

Would Mr Branson
a). Sack him?
b). Politely suggest he try a less demanding alternative career, such as a Build-a-bear Workshop model?
c). Let him have a crack at flying the plane or try engine maintenance to see if that worked out any better?

Please read my lips. If Atkins isn't good enough for centre, he isn't good enough for the team and should be escorted to the exit, and I mean escorted or he'll still be wandering round trying to get through the door in 2019.

Quite funny, but, as a matter of interest a change in position worked for Westwood and Monaghan in recent times and before you reach for that bottle of QC for solace, if Ryan was still wandering about in 2019 he would have done it with two years off contract

Westwood converted to second row early in his career, and his natural game was ideally suited to the second row - he wasn't particularly pacy, or had good hands but was a bustling type centre, similar to Gary Mercer.

Monaghan was playing predominantly as hooker in the NRL before he came here, not necessarily because it was a good fit but to accomodate others.

Atkins is lazy and apathetic. And we are trying to offload certain lazy, apathetic forwards not add to them thank-you.