Does anyone actually think he should be our starting winger? I'm asking this in the mindset that i want to be converted because in the last couple of years i dread seeing his name on the team sheet.

Watching other teams they have wingers who are a threat from a kick to the corner or have great pace (not just acceleration) or great finishing. If you're aiming to win things ideally you have all 3.

I don't see Russell offering anything but defensive frailty and the inability to chase back. I must be missing something as he keeps getting a gig.

I'll counter the obvious argument about getting us out of our 20 with the fact that this is only beneficial if we know what to do when we get in the opponent's half. Because we don't have a clue in that department we nullify that threat ourselves.

What am i not seeing?

Been saying it for ages, he was brought here as a full back, since he got hammered he as never been the same under a high ball.

To early to point a finger at one player while the whole team is questionable. I'll cut Ratty Muscle some slack because of that.

Talking about last couple of years tho RD, not just these last 2 games, as stated in my first paragraph.

I'm genuinely mystified as to how he keeps getting 80 mins so need someone to tell me why i shouldn't sigh when i see him in the 19 and 17

We had an unwritten common understanding on the forum to give everyone a clean slate. Ratty Muscle hasn't been so bad as to warrant a thread bashing yet.
So I'm out.

No clean slate for me, we have wingers in the squad they should of been given a chance by now, if I remember someone saying he gets in because of his wage, if that’s true it doesn’t make sense to me.

He wouldn't get in any other Super League teams back line. Don't think he would even get in at top Championship clubs back line. Terrible decision when they gave him a contract until 2019.

9 tries in 2016, and only 6 in regular season last year, so he clearly lets in far more than he scores. He's 5' 9" which wouldn't matter as much if he could jump well, but he can't. The QE2 can also turn quicker than he can. When he does make tackle attempts he misses well over 20% of them.

If we play him against Wigan then they will have a winger that will score far more than 4 this time.

I'd be annoyed if I was Mitch Brown and Jack Johnson.

Marry Russell has some fantastic positives. It’s just that the negatives outweigh them and have been exploited for a couple of years now.

M Brown looked okay pre-season and it wouldn’t do any harm to try him.

I did say on another thread pre-match that we looked weak defending kicks, especially Russell and grubbers behind him. Nothing against him personally but we need to act now, and for me that means Brown on the right, at the expense of missing out on the odd strong finish which Russell can sometimes be good at.

Marry Russell has some fantastic positives. It’s just that the negatives outweigh them and have been exploited for a couple of years now.

M Brown looked okay pre-season and it wouldn’t do any harm to try him.

I did say on another thread pre-match that we looked weak defending kicks, especially Russell and grubbers behind him. Nothing against him personally but we need to act now, and for me that means Brown on the right, at the expense of missing out on the odd strong finish which Russell can sometimes be good at.

Biimey it's deja vu all over again! I think we may have discussed this topic once or twice before.

I suppose Price doesn’t yet know his own, or the opposition players very well. I certainly don’t expect him to pick favourites who ‘train well’.

When you think Burgess and Manfredi aren’t even playing for Wigan this morning, all four Wigan wingers would get straight into our team. Wakefield’s and Leeds’ two would n’all.

I've said it until I'm sick of saying it...a Winger is as good as his last pass.
If they ain't getting any or next to naught, they ain't going to look very good.
The last decent player in a centre position was Bridge...and count in one hand off Hiku.

For years we've been saying beef and biff up the front row and get us some passing 3/4's...alas the board don't read our forum.

True for Lineham, false for Russell.

For me I'd go with the following back line for Widnes

1 - Johnson - a full back playing at full back
2 -Lineham
3 - Goodwin
4 - Atkins
5 - Brown - better for defending kicks

Ratchford can be what he is - a utility player, but starting from the bench

I think I’d keep Goodwin and Lineham on the left where they’ve been training, unless that’s what you meant and wrote it down wrong...

Russell in plain and utter e. End of.
He has no endearing qualities, whatsoever.
A waste of time, money and squad number.

I'd rather have Mr Tumble

Yes a good centre can make even an average winger look good. I think that a top quality centre is often overlooked. How many times did Keith senior drag Leeds over the line or put in a big hit to get their defence firing saints, how many times did saints go to Lyons when things were tough in a game?

Russell outside a god wingers centre will do well but never do enough to please everyone.

We can complain about out halves but what options are they being given one option a play, the ball will go to Hughes atkins bmm and currie and majority of the time that will end in play the ball. Hoping bmm and currie can improve in moving the ball on this year.

It would be interesting to know how many times Tom lineham n matt Russell got the ball on the wing rather than taking first run or scooting from dummy half will be alarmingly low. So would a replacement for atkins be better than finding a replacement for Russell in the short term and let Russells contract run out.?

That's it Dezzie....

Constant calling of Brown and now and Ratchford...all trying their best behind a lightweight pack.
Wingers constantly ripped for not getting the ball in a good attacking position.

We are desperate for a heavy prop...we've too many 2nd rowers, prop coverts. We need a man that'll drag the attention of 3 or 4 defenders like a Morley or Carvell, who can get himself into a quick ptb situation. Then Clark and the backs with have a field day.

What woyld I do?...
I'd ship out a backrower on loan, thanks Ben but Leigh need you more than we do and bring in Taylor.

Westwood as opposed to Currie I presume?

Westwood as opposed to Currie & Ben Murdoch-Masila I presume?

My criticism of Russell is

1) Lack of pace.
2) Defensive brain farts.
3) Inability to cope with a moving ball.

He’s a championship player at best, and we have a few of them at the moment, see Tom Lineham also.

I started this thread to be convinced that he has a place. It's clear I'm not alone in my thoughts towards his selection, which poses another question. Why does he keep getting a game? Prell and Brown are both options yet Russell keeps getting picked

I think it's because he makes yards when driving the ball out of our 25 for dummy half. He's good at that as he doesnt need to pass, receive or turn.