It's like reading the Wigan boards from a year or so!

Very true!!! imo though if Mathers had been our fullback this season we woudn't be sitting at the top of the table. Not necesserily because of his defence and under the high ball, but the threat a quality fullback offers going forward.

I'll alaways love Richie Mathers for the comedy value of his attempt on Jon Wilkin at Cardiff the other year. Gettting laughed at by a fellow pro must be tough to take.

He isn't good enough for Warrington, just like he wasn't good enough for Wigan. Smith seems to like him though and long may that continue.

I am not a Mathers knocker and when he came on loan to us in 2002, he looked like ha could develop into a world beater and so did Leeds and the Gold Coast However, he does make at least one or two big mistakes per game, as well as dropping the ball on Friday, Eastmond went staraight past him for his first try, would expect more form our last line of defence.

I also agree that Rilley also makes mistakes but he is still a young lad and could be said to be still work in progress and their is alot about Rilleys game i do like.

I am beginning to loose confidence in Mathers

So why do we get all the young lads who make mistakes


Why do Saints have Eastmond and Wigan Tomkins who stand up yet our youngsters dont

Ben Harrison.

Genetic testing from an early age.

I'm quoting your comment to afford you the opportunity to review, and, consider what you have written.

Eastmond and Tomkins always look dangerous - our youngsters dont

he obviously isn't the fullback to take us forward as a team.. i think everyone can agree on that one (or maybe not)

Cant see him being first choice next season... only so far 'organisation' skills can get you.

Poor defence, poor handling of kicks.. and some poor/strange passes this season as well.

not really what you expect from a fullback.

Can we have a little perspective please? Bearing in mind at the time of his signing we didn't have a fullback who could actually play, who had a horrendous run of injuries, to acquiring an experienced player in this position, it was an absolute no-brainer.

Can we improve on him as a player? Definitely. Is it an absolute priority? No. We have his replacement already here, he just needs time.

Ask yourself this question: Is it more important to focus energies on signing a long term replacement for Mathers or Briers?

I agree totally... our next fullback will be promoted from the under 20's by next season hopefully.

a new number 6 has to be the priority.

Hate to say it but we told you so.

I can't see much improvement in him either. He was much better when he was smaller and wiry but since going to the NRL but on too much bulk and comes across on Twitter as obsessed with getting bigger.

Even if Richie Mathers decides to quit RL tomorrow and join a monastery, his role in the Wembley win, and his part of Operation Daylight Robbery (or the Gleeson sale as it's also known) will always make it an excellent signing.

There are better fullbacks but I like what he brings to the team overall. We're probably operating at close to the full cap so not sure where we have money to spare to upgrade him at this particular point in time.

You like the fact that he contributes absolutely nothing?

For such a lively runner his try scoring record is terrible, he never seems to score. I remember some old Wire fan in front of me moaning that he's scored 5 tries in 5 years. Is that true? He followed it up by saying "That's one for every ball he's caught".



And all this we got the best deal stuff is looking rather lame now. Wigan are very, very happy with Gleeson, Warrington didn't need the money they got, haven't improved the centres and now have a complete and utter liability at fullback. The money for Gleeson would have been a far better deal for Warrington.

Warrington DID get the money for Gleeson! Wiigan should be happy as they got a good centre. Warrington should be happy as Bridge has played as well there as Gleeson did for the last couple of years. Mathers was just an addition to the whole package. And even if he never played again, he gave us the best possible start in last year's Wembley final, so that's reason enough to be glad we got him.

Smith likes him because of how well he did under him at Leeds.

Saddened is just a WUM who sold his soul.

Mathers contributes plenty. He's prone to the odd mistake weirdly, often when he's under no pressure at all, but he contributes a lot to the way we defend, brings the ball back well and is clearly has an impact on the rest of the team, 7 thousand back slaps or not. It's crap to say he contributes nothing. Similarly, it's also a bit silly to describe him as 'an absolute liability'. As I've said, there are better fullbacks but not sure we'd get one for the salary he's probably on.

As for Gleeson's replacement, Bridge has been excellent at centre for us last (and this) season, certainly compared to Glesson's last few games before we sold him. Considering a) Gleeson wanted to go b) we got 100K for him c) we got a fullback when ours really was useless I think it was a great deal for us.

If Wigan are happy with Gleeson good luck to them, if you trawl through the posts at the time, I think both sides were happy from day one. Everyone's a winner.

Mathers is a quality player. the more people get on his back, the lower his confidence drops and the worse he plays like he did at Wigan.

Get off his back and he'll be fine, theres not many other fullbacks in SL that I'd have over him IMO.

I don't mean to sound awful but you really need to open your eyes if that's the case.
There's at least 8 fullbacks knocking around SL better than Mathers.

He's never really managed to get over the 2 knee reconstructions. He looked like developing into a class FB before he left Leeds, but now he seems a liability.

Fair enough, different opinions I guess. I just wish people would stop bashing him down all the time, its common sense that the more people do then the less confindence he's going to have and the worse he will play.

I like Mathers as a person but do you really believe the underlined? There's 3 better fullbacks at Wigan alone, and I'm not trying to be antagonistic. Warrington are a cut above the likes of Mathers these days.

While it can't be easy listening to constant abuse on the terraces I don't think professional players listen to what people have to say on messageboards an awful lot.
If they did, none of them would have any confidence

I would have Mathers above Phelps and Roberts is just as error prone as Mathers, I don't know about Pat Richards because I believe that he's best on the wing and I wouldn't move him. But as I said thats just my opinion.

Lol. Good point I guess but still, it can't help.