I hope Tommy isn’t a starting HB. For me he’s run his course there and should be switched to hooker with Powell

No one has picked up on my comparisons with Hampshire and Escare. Do we have a trend of signing agile guys who aren't quite full backs and aren't quite halves and not being able to make them work? FWIW I'd use him at full back whilst he's so good in space, but they're higher in Hardaker than I am, so don't think they will move him.

I think giving French the number 6 shirt is a massive indication of where he’ll be playing; or at least starting.

However...I think as good as Zak is as a defensive FB he’s gone as an attacking threat. Sorry but let’s take an honest look at Zak in 2019. Quality in defence; non-existent in attack. Lost his pace and movement during his ban. It’s the elephant in the room. Zak is no longer any good in attack.

Personally I’d start with Zak at 1, French at 6. But I think it’ll be only a matter of time before we’re crying out to play French at 1.

For many years now the recruitment has been off. We STILL need a quality half. A playmaker. Sammut has proven to be the wrong signing. We needed someone to partner Williams and now we need someone to partner Hastings.

I’ll say it now. I don’t rate Lam and will be gobsmacked if we win anything with him as a head coach. Hopefully I’m wrong. But I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.

Is it a case of us not playing in a style to suit Zak or having the players that can work in that kind of system rather than Zak losing his attacking prowess? I think it’s probably a bit of both.

I think your bang on with French starting at 6. If he wasn’t going to play there he wouldn’t have been given the shirt. I also don’t think he’ll be moved to FB but Lam will stick it out with him at 6. I am concerned at him playing 6, I wasn’t convinced at all last season when he played there but equally we have to remember he didn’t know our style or set up too well. Jury is still out for me on French at HB.

Regards to Lam, I don’t agree nor disagree at the moment. Last season I was on the “Lam out” bandwagon. I’ve climbed off for the time being just because I’m intrigued to see where this team goes next season. The players are there to win things IMO, it comes down to coaching and tactics now.

I can't see Lam not starting with TL and Powell.
Hastings won't be back until Jan 2020 so no time to develop a partnership with an inexperienced HB in French.
We may see French at FB but probably more than likely he will start on the bench.

Depends on whether we play split halves or use the halfbacks as a pair. Nothing I have seen from French indicates he has the organisational skills to play in a split halves system but he could be very dangerous running off Hastings as part of a pair. In my opinion this is how we should have used GW and Rocky as they were devastating at u15/16 level as a pair but less so when playing split halves at Academy level and even worse with Rocky at FB.

Zak barely broke the line all season. I think he’s body shape and general speed has changed. He’s not the same as he used to be. He was a great broken play runner; even when he had opportunities from broken play he didn’t show what he used to have.

This isn’t uncommon. Players lose their pace and movement. Especially with absences etc. I think it’s happened to Zak.

Lam seems to have signed French without a plan or designated position for him; which isn’t good; especially when there’s still holes in the team which need players; namely a play making half.

We have Hardaker at fb. I’ve pointed out my concerns with Zak, but he’s our FB.
The idea of playing French at 6 running off Hastings could work. But let’s be honest it’s a massive risk to take. Especially when Lam already confirmed he doesn’t know where to play French which suggests the idea of pairing French off Hastings wasn’t his plan from the get-go.

French was tried at 6 as a playmaker at the end of last season; it didn’t work at all. Furthermore it doesn’t play to French’s strengths as a player; another flag regarding Lams coaching.

I honestly don’t think Lam knows what he’s doing. Nothing from last season or what I’ve heard about his plans for 2020 make me think otherwise.

I think with a full preseason with the team and hb partner Hastings, he could be our number 6.

We can't use the 1 or 2 games we saw him chucked in to cover at half back as a fair judgement.

Leave Hastings at first receiver, and play French on the outside with a bit of space. He's so quick I think we'll see him leave many defenders flat footed whether it be through a step and a dart through a gap or fainting to do so and playing in our centres/sr's.

Wherever he plays, he's exciting to watch and love that he's at the club.

Big ask though to be realistic. Essentially you’re expecting French to play 6 in a brand new system with a brand new 7. And of course with Lam admitting he doesn’t know where to play French; such adjustments weren’t planned.

On one hand I’m excited by the players coming in. But I can’t ignore how part of me sees an iceberg coming.

Why?
I’ve watched George Burgess play last season. I don’t know if we’re getting the monster we expect.
Mitch Clark didn’t stand out at all in a lower league.
We’re expecting French to play 6 in a brand new ‘halves playing together’ system; alongside a new signing. The team hasn’t played that system since I can remember.
Our halves we’re very dependent on a FB who’s a second receiver. We don’t have that in Zak.
Zaks attack has gone. I’m sorry. But it has. It’s the elephant in the room.
I don’t think Lam has a clue.

I don't think it's fair to write him off at 6, he was being asked to lead an underperforming team around after being at the club for a matter of weeks.

Although I to share your doubts of Lam. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt as I feel he was somewhat dealt a dud hand. However my takes from post game interviews and his general ora is not one of a true leader. Prove me wrong Lammy.

I’m not writing him off. I’m sticking to facts...
-French isn’t a playmaker. Never has been. So to play him as a first receiver pivot wasn’t fair on him.
-Asking French to play as a second receiver 6 off Hastings in a system the team hasn’t play in for decades is a big ask. Surely anyone can see that.
-honest to god. Another poster claiming Lam inherited a dud hand when in reality he inherited a team of current and past internationals with a wealth of experience in big games. Many of which have already won major silverware in SL.

Jeeees! So Hardaker's passed it, Our new signings are underwhelming, French doesn't have a position and Lam should be sacked.



Do you at least like the new kit?

I actually do



I hope I'm wrong, but sometimes, even on here, you have to be honest.

I wish some people would see last season for what it was. We had a new (interim) coach coming in after years under the same regime. We had more off field issues than most club have in a decade. We had an unbelievably bad run of injuries.
Despite all that, we were able to unearth a few gems from the reserves, finish 2nd in the league and were 80 minutes away from a grand final. We’ve signed the current man of steel and a very experienced NRL / International prop who adds a huge amount of size to our pack. We’ve also signed in positions where we needed to strengthen.
Our season wasn’t great, but I’m prepared to accept that there were mitigating factors and I can’t wait for next season to start. I also quite like the new kit but I’m just a happy clapper!

Lam may be saying he’s not sure where players will play but there’s no doubt he’ll have a fair idea. I doubt he’ll just throw 17 names up in the air come Wire and run with the order he picks them up in. The guy isn’t going to want to publicly state his teams nailed down and put a pin in 15 other lads hopes of a place in the Wire game. He’s said already he is aware of the vast majority of his team but has said a couple of places are open. That is surely good management? Dangle that carrot to them all to go and rip it up in pre season. There’s guys like Jack Wells, Navarette, Harry Smith etc who currently you’d think may sit outside Lams team for that first game but if they smash it in the friendlies then things can change.

I don't think anyone, and not me, are saying it's '17 names up in the air' that's a massive extreme, but he did state he doesn't know where to play a new signing.
Again, no ones saying about having a time nailed down, but knowing your starting halves/fb again is different.
And not knowing where key signings/positions play isn't good management.

Agree with all of that.
If we don't know where to play him why sign him? Conversations surely took place at the club when we targeted his signature unless we took the word of agent on how good he was.
French could be a sensational signing let's hope we don't make a mess of it by not giving the guy a significant role at the club and be an 80 minute player rather than a cameo role to cover tiredness and a final play of the dice when plan A hasn't worked.

Exactly. Why sign a player if you don’t know what to do with him? We don’t have that luxury; we’re salary capped. Especially when we’re crying out for a play maker.

Was he signed as a FB? Probably not. We have Hardaker and other players who can cover. Not including youngsters coming through.
Was he signed as a winger? Doubt it. At the time of his signing we had an abundance; Davies, Marshall, Burgess, Manfredi plus others who can cover.

So, especially considering he’s squad number, he’s been signed as a half.
So...this either means he’s now expected to be a playmaker (which didn’t look like a good option from the back end of last season) or that Lam is literally going to change the way the entire team plays to compensate French as a strike 6 playing as a second pivot off Hastings.

Again I have to agree with you,I don’t think anyone doubts he has pace to burn but as a signing it didn’t make sense back in the summer nor now unless it is to play in the halves,which really he didn’t look that comfortable in that position,but it’s unfair to judge him to harshly.

Given the cover the club had in the wings surely if a player was to be brought in it perhaps should have been a prop given that the side was a little light there rather than a player that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere.

As I say an odd signing but as ever I hope he settles into whatever role Lam has planned for him

With French being given the 6 shirt then that does suggest he'll p[lay there. I'm not bothered about what happened last season when he went to 6 as that was after a team injury when players were swapped around.
French has a full pre season although Hastings won't return until the new year or so.
With our spine of the team being - Hardaker, French, Hastings, O'Loughlin & Powell then I do think there's a very good balance between ball players, strike players and high workrate players.
Lam has to get this right. He will leave himself options but a winning team is essential for Lam given the quality and cost of this squad.

That’s why I labelled him as a “problem signing”, nothing to do with his ability but more where does he play. It’s still creating issues now and I don’t expect those issues to be resolved next season either. It’s an issue that if Lam doesn’t get right, could well cost him his job

You're right to do so. If we didn't have a FB he'd be a great signing, or even if we were short on wingers; as it happens we're not.

I bet Lam plays him at 6 and doesn't split the halves. Even worse for French; Hastings likes to move in from the left; that's where French filled in for Williams last season.

We’ll find out the answer come pre season friendlies (of which there’s only one so far). As much as I’m excited for the new season, I’m also concerned.

That pretty much sums up how I feel. Interested to see what Lam does with our squad.