Thought the game at Sheffield was a bit of a farce, talk about blowing hot and cold from both teams. Ref was pretty dire also. Anywhow that Barnet and Yere looked very dangerous, anyone else think Phelps looked a bit out of his depth at FB? Barnet left him for dead first time and the second time his step left Phelps stood still. Though Fecka and Tomkins pulled us through thankfully but I have reservations over Phelps after that performance.

I don't think Phelps had a good game but:-

For the two tries he let in v Barnett, one he had been pole axed off the ball and for the second he had just had a seventy metre run beating about six would be tacklers and the referee to disallow a try for a knock on that only he saw. (He gave a scrum when Gleeson was tackled over the line, so if he had lost the ball it should have been a 20 metre tap)

Phelps was playing superb at the start of the season and I'm sure he will return to form.

Phelps is a good player he s proved it time and time again before he got injured prob still a bit un fit but hopefully he ll get back to his best

That disallowed try was definitely not a knock on! Dunno where the ref dreamt that one up! Yeah it was a good break Phelps made but I still think he looked a bit weak on those 1 on 1's. Richards or Amos might of caught him.. EDIT Yep probably still getting back to fitness..

bit worried about his form tbh. The sooner Roberts is back the better!

Maybe with a few more games his good form will return.

I thought Karl Pryce was this season's nominated scapegoat?

People need to calm down a bit. Yes he didn't look at his best, but who did during that performance. The reason I didn't vote in the MOM thread was because I was struggling to pick three of our 17 that warranted a vote. He like all the others that underperformed will get better.

We don't have anyone in our team who is faster than Barnett, so the fact that Phelps got beat doesn't mean he's now a bad player. One on one the attacking player has an advantage over the fullback anyway, and a player with such pace is always dangerous when put through a gap.
Phelps will just be trying to get back into the swing of things. He was a bit iffy in the friendly matches before he found his feet and I suspect it's the same thing this time as he's coming back from injury and a couple of games left out of the squad.

Here Here

Absolute garbage, Richie Barnett was absolutely flying and the first try came from a breakdown in play and give Yare credit the play came when Gleeson went to wing and Bailey was centre after Goulding went off. Sorry guys everyone was below par yesterday it was too easy and we were always just going to have enough. Not my preference but that's how it was

We've all been spoilt by seeing Amos playing at FB, and now that he's injured and Phelps has returned it's perhaps showing Cameron up a little. It's a no brainier that when both are fit Amos would get the FB role every time.

We all new that Phelps would have to play well to be resigned, and with Amos doing such a great job at FB, and us having such depth in are backline Phelps may struggle for a new contract next year.

Same here - But only so that he can get back out on the wing.

Phelps is still the best FB at the club IMO, but is clearly lacking match fitness.

I'm sure that I saw him retching during the Salford match.
That tells me that he's asking his body to do far more than it's capable of right now.

He still looked a little out-of-shape at sheffield, but given another match or so, I think he'll be fine.

Let's be honest.
None of our players really got out of second gear at Sheffield (because they - mistakenly - thought they didn't need to).

Hopefully, Cam will get himself sorted soon, and Amos can slot back in to the wing position, as with Cam, Amos and Pat all on the field simultaneously we have a formidable back-line

I disagree, Phelps was just as good linking up as Roberts has been at the start of the season.

would like to see phelps given a try at 6 with tomkins 7

Ok maybe I was a little harsh on Phelps, both when playing FB play there with a different style, Amos has a superb running game and provides lot's of offloads for his team mates. Phelps on the other hand has a good kicking and passing game when chiming in to the attack. However Amos is the more dangerous player than Phelps, so it's only right you want to get the ball in his hands and much as possible.

For me Phelps plays as more of a distributor of the ball where was Amos tends to play on the fringes when both are attacking. It's just down to personal choice that I'd go with Amos at 1, but Phelps has now got an opportunity to show Madge he should be are FB even when Amos is fit.

I'd like to see Phelps given a go at 6, when he'd be given the chance I don't know, after all we don't want to weaken are attack in games just to try new out combinations and possibly lose the match because of it. Plus as we all know it can take multiple games for a halfback pairing to find some kind of rapport with each other.

I agree with this.

I can't help worrying on Phelps's behalf.

He needed a big season this year to get himself a new contract, and though he started very well, his injuries and the time it's taking him to rediscover his form are not helping at all.

As a fan, I like him. But if I was the chairman, having to think about the cap, overseas quota, etc, I'd be contemplating a difficult decision.

He needs a big second half to the season.

I agree. I think he will be gone at the end of this season. MM will have some ideas of players to bring in so somebody will have to be sacrificed for this to happen. Id say him and Feka are the two likeliest to get the bullet at the moment but theres still time for them to turn it around.

Agreed, he's been sluggish since returning from injury. Hopefully starting on Friday he can rediscover the form that had him right up there amoungst our best performers at the start of the year.

I wasn't at the Sheffield game so don't know how Phepls ended up in a one on one v a fast player like Barnett on two occaisons but I'd hazard a guess it's the first time this has happened to whoever has been playing full back this season.

Our defensive pattern has been so good I can't really remember any time we have had to rely on the full back to pull off a Radlinski type cover tackle.

That's both a positive and a negative. It's positive because when the team concentrates (and it doesn't seem like it did at Sheffield) our defence is so good we don't find ourselves in this position often. It's a negative that when we did the full back missed the tackles.

I take the point he was seeing stars for one of them but I have had my reservations about his defence for some time. So benefit of the doubt for Phepls on the Sheffield game but I wonder if other coaches will start to see him as a weak link defensively and what MM will do when Roberts returns?

Dave

Everyone should not forget he has been out for a few games and it takes time to get back to match fitness

Exactly. Before he was injured there was nothing but praise for the lad, his attitude and commitment!!

I'd say he deserves a bit of that in return for now.

1 game does not = form.

For my money it's not match fitness, it's defensive full back play. He didn't have to be faster than Barnett, just had to come in and close him down rather than being indecisive. I really don't think that Phelps has the defensive capabilities of a full back, can anyone honestly remember the last time he made a one on one tackle? Richards to full back for me with Phelps and Tomkins pairing at half back if Leuluai's still out, if he returns then Phelps should probably be dropped, even if under the guise of getting him match fit.

p.s just realised I've slated him a fair bit, I do of course really rate his attacking play and you can tell he's got a good attitude and I think he could make it as a stand off for sure if given a run there.