He has a good game, I think he should keep his place next week.

As for Vea..... words can't described how disappointed I am in him!!

Brown was my mom

As for vea 3 on 1 and we don't score

as my son said "you taught us that at under 6"

Ah well hopefully we live and learn

Reminds me SOOO much of another muppet we had in the 2005 S/L season!

AKA...Mr Leafa by any chance ? Only said the same myself at the game . Lost us 2 points Vea .Sorry but the guy is just not cutting it at the moment and doubt he ever will .

Mitch Brown is very solid and talented player, a MUST to stay at full back all season even when we have a fully fit squad, the lad has everything, I'm not worried when players run at him he will tackle them and is very solid under the high ball,well done Mitch.

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As for Vea ?I said last week he is Leafa mark 2 , but I thought he didn't do that bad last night , granted he should have passed or try to pass the ball I'm sure we would have scored , but that's life,I still think Ben Crooks will be a star this season,pity Hock got injured early, finally I was a bit disappointed with the crowd , maybe about a 1000 from Leeds , cmon you armchair Leythers get to the LSV,hopefully more there next week.

Keith I agree about Vea, he was terrible against Cas , but did improve last night , and he did play the full 80 ,again I agree he should have passed the ball ,big mistake.Again I have said Mitch Brown is a MUST to stay at full back,his ball returns were very good , solid under the high balls,all in all a game we could and maybe should have won , but it is a BIG improvement from the last time in SL.

Well for one the coaching team is vital and I think we have a very good set up there - as a qualified coach yourself could you not see improvements from last week

As for the squad - I don't think we have recruited too badly personally (can't get them all right of course), and whilst you have your teeth into Tickle bear in mind he was given a contract LAST season and he more than helped us get us to where we are. If he bothers you that much you pay his contract up - will be a very good squad player for me in the bottom half of SL

The lack of pivots is the only downfall of Brown at full back. McNally and Hampshire give better link up options, even act as an extra H/B. But Brown made more yards last night than McNally would make in a season (assuming he played every game), and gives you confidence at the back you need at this level.
Know what you mean about Tonga, but if he was the player he was he would be in a top 4 team or NRL and playing for Aus - will do a very good job for us if he stays fit, the guy looks class

Think we also need to learn offensively at the PTB, people scream offside all game but most of it was because we were so slow Leeds were out of the blocks - lots of lessons to be learned in playing 'Super League' rugby

Roby will have a field day unless we improve the covering at the play the ball,and our line speed needs uping as warmsley and co are big units to stop when they get a roll on

Well done to Mitch Brown for last nights' excellent performance at Full Back. We have waited quite some time as loyal Leythers to see a Leigh Full Back return the ball like he did, and take up good positions when in defence.
I understand what people are saying re Atelea Vea. I was watching him after the game as the players approached the North Stand and he looked gutted because he more than anyone knows that he should have given that pass near the end. However, I don't think it helps when fans be negative towards him. People are entitled to their opinions, they pay their money and say what they see. But everyone makes mistakes and if you made an equivalent mistake at work then a verbal bashing isn't always the answer or beneficial. Having been a Leigh fan for many years I am sure other fans like me will remember other players who got singled out for negative treatment from certain fans. They became like the team scapegoat for basically everything that was going wrong at the time. I won't name any of them here because what's done is done, and to be honest I am glad that those players at least put on the Leigh shirt and tried. The negative comments re Atelea Vea began during the close season when some Saints fans gave their negative opinion.
It's at times like these that we, the fans of Leigh Centurions, need not only to stick together and keep supporting the team as a whole, but also to get behind individual players when things are not going well. We all knew this was going to be a tough season, despite what the pundits may have predicted in certain papers. If we stick with the team, give the lads confidence off the terraces, and not 'the bird', so to speak, then the performances will get better.
The performance from the team against Leeds was a significant improvement from the Cas game. I am sure Neil, his coaching team, and the players are trying hard to make this season a success for us all. Things will get better over time this season as long as we keep supporting the team in a positive way.

Mitch Brown most definitely is a full back, he looked comfortable, returned the ball with purpose and linked well in attack. I was impressed with him.

I was also impressed with Willie Tonga who I think is still a top SL class centre with plenty to offer. Leeds got no joy down his flank all night and he was a threat to their defence each time he touched the ball.

The question for me now would be is Mitch Brown still a full back if Tonga or indeed Crooks is ruled out?

I am inclined to say yes but it does pose us a big dillema.

Harold ,needs must every time, don't forget we have Curtis Naughton to choose as well , it seems Curtis can play full back, wing ,or centre and has pace to burn, why bring him on season long loan if we don't intend playing him, I've heard nowt but good reports about him.Charlie knows.

I'd be inclined to switch Higson to if called upon and Naughton to wing.

Who would you leave out at centre? Tonga or Crooks?

As I said Cokey,if called upon! Is an option if either is unavailable.

Reynolds and Drinkwater play as individuals when together.We are missing a combination. Brown has his position, Hampshire requires his.

Higson would get mullard at this level at centre, very good on the wing but would get crucified inside that defensively.

I think he's stepped up to the level required very easily, would promote his game.Only an opinion.

I think the team is settling down a bit, we know the back 5 they are quiet settled. Drinkwater is cemented at 7, there is a lot of competition at 6 with Ridyard, Hampshire & Reynolds.

There's good competition in the forwards, so all in all I'm not worried. Even if we finish bottom, its not the end of the word as we restart in the middle 8s and hopefully fight for survival.

Hopefully we will not finish bottom but, as you point out (and as HRJnr so sagely did on another thread a couple of days ago) we now have the beginnings of an SL squad - NJ just needs to find his preferred starting combos. A settled SL team that are clued in to one another should waltz through the M8s if need be.

Another game or two in pre-season might have helped but this opening set of fixtures was always likely to be a write-off ( 'though there's a big what if 5 mins from the end of the Leeds game) and with the butcher's bill mounting already in a smallish squad, Neil might be found to have been quite prescient.

Speaking of him, he sent a quick thanks PM to Bongser yesterday agreeing with B's bold statement of last week. Yes, folks, Mitch Brown is a full back

Mitch Brown is a full back, no doubt there ,and a very good potential Rugby Pundit,I thought he did well on Sky when interviewed at the Wigan V Cronulla game, give the Pies some competition on Sky.

Brown was excellent on Friday and showed his experience by staying deep and covering breaks something which a lot of full backs don't do today, preferring to be in the line and scoring tries.

Does anyone know how Hock is, he only did a 20 minute spell and never came back on.

Think I've seen it somewhere that Hock had a dead leg so I would think he'll be good to go Friday.

Without doubt Mitch Brown at fullback is a major positive to surface from the first two games.
Before the Cas game I had said on here,(along with others) that I thought FB would be Mitch's best position! against Leeds Mitch proved that he is indeed a FB and, a good one too! He had shown some bad defensive flaws at centre and, I suggested he had his bottom smacked for that so, whoever took on that task, it worked a treat




Regardless of what other coaches have said about Hampshire, in the halves, I do think that is where he can play/cover for us he is very lively and enthusiastic on the pitch, all the ingredients required from a half back!