Clearly opinion is divided but I think it is wrong to dismiss the statistics because they do not support your argument. If Clarke is genuinely superiour to Higham, I would have expected one of the statistics to support this.

Finally I thought this debate was what the forum was meant for, rather than it being indicative of going to the knackers yard. It appears that perhaps you have little time for people who do not share your view.

I'd have any of those ahead of Clarke, apart from maybe Newton because of his age.

If you like your stats compare Clarke like for like game for game against all those players mentioned.

you Watched Scott Moore I take it when he played for huddersfield a couple of weeks ago......?

it was one of the worst performances from a player i've seen in a long time he is clearly struggling to cope with his coaches instruction of the flat pass ...pulled for many forward passes from marker, and his defence and distribution piddle poor....

but hey its "slag off one of our own" time, so lets find some more $hit players to rank higher than one of ours......

like I say gone to the knackers yard this place and Steptoe and son are alive and well.....( and living in Latchford it would seem)

Congratulations.

Lefty, maybe your judgement aint what it used to be pal. For instance you were an ardent PC supporter up until he was outsted when it was clear to many he wasn't up to it.

Well said that man. The faith some on here showed in Cullen was so blind it was untrue.

Irrelevant, however I'll bite. Maybe the reason I stick up for these players/coaches is because of the amount of undeserved rubbish that is spouted on here. We all knew Cullen was at the end of his reign but I wasn't about to start joining the filistines on here slagging him off constantly.

Maybe your doing the same with Clarke then

I have my reservations about all(well other than Morley) players. I do for certain though rate Clarke as a better hooker than Higham.

I didn't think you would bite Lefty

Your loyalty is admirable, I salute you but do you think you may be doing the same now with respect to Clarke?

Anyhow, I am quite content with the Higham/Clarke interchange at present it's not a weak area for us when compared with our need for a centre, HB and LF for next season.

Thanks. What for?

So what I mean is, while Clarke maybe a slightly better hooker than Moore or McIlorum, both have shown great potential for the future and will almost certainly be better number 9's than Clarke has ever been. Therefore they would be ideal signings for us. Diskin is just genuinely a better player.

Clarke is a steady eddy IMO, he does evrything pretty well, i just think he lacks that X factor needed to be a top hooker.

His distribution from dummy half is accurate but a bit slow for me. and his dummy half running is a bit Embarassing.

Me too.

Having seen both players at Wigan & less fequently at Warrington, I'd say your correct.

However, an impact hooker is unofficially it's own position & Higham is one of the best in Super League.

I'm not defending him without reason. People are blinded by a couple of scoots here and there. When in regards to the whole game Clarke has more of an impact on it. He is a great communicator and passer of the ball. The reason why Carvell and Morley play so well is on the back of his distribution.

He gets an unfair amount of citicism on here and always has. He is a much better all round player than Higham as well. Slots in at loose and at half back when needed.

If I was given the choice to pick one or the other now I know who I would pick.

Diskin is not a better player. At all.

Agree Diskin is a decent first team hooker. Why Leeds signed Danny Budures I don't know???

Smith should try and get him at Wire if he can offload Clarke.

Newton is by far the most talented player on that list and by some margin. If he could have curbed his discipline problems he definately had the potential to be in the same bracket as Cunningham.

Clarke is on a similar level to Diskin IMO whilst both are streets ahead of Mcclorum and Moore

Fair enough, valid views. Why do you think he is the target for the criticism?

Because he isn't good enough that's why.

Because he is not Keiron Cunningham Or James Roby.

I agree Newton is the best of the bunch, but never in the same league as Cunningham. I was talking about ideally who we would have as hooker now. I would rather have Scott Moore or McIlorum than Clarke tied up until 2011, as TS could mould them into top quality hookers able to serve us for years to come.

Just continuing the debate, I think to dismiss Higham's contribution as "a couple of scoots here and there" do him a disservice. The statistics are impressive and I know we look more menacing in attack with Higham on the field. I would be interested to hear your views on which attributes you believe Higham to be stronger than Clarke.

Higham without doubt has an extra yard of pace on Clarke. Therefore when he spots a hole in the line he more often than not gets through it. He also is a better marker defender than Clarke. That seems to be an area we have improved this year and I put a lot of that down to him. Other than that I am struggling.