He's a huge threat from 1 but i'd play him at 6 for a while. He's getting so much flak from opposition defences taking the ball out from his line and i'd just move him away from that until it all dies down.

He's been kicking well the last couple of weeks aswell and he can do no worse then Tommy if he takes on more responsibility.

Appart from that he doesn't have the space. The leeds defence gave him the space, however that was the only time we were putting it wide so who knows.

He would be better used running from the same position in attack like you say but on kick returns and catching he is poor.

as a wire fan i think sam is wasted at FB for you guys, there is the potential for him to score an amazing try at FB after catching a kick if the chase isnt up to much and he is running at a broken line which is where he is best.

but if you consider internationally, he will never play FB for england, over widdop who impressed greatly in the internationals last season, without regular games at half back how could he be put in there over form players in the SL. at the moment, it only seems to be myler who is doing the job at HB out of the english players, but once robinson, brown and pryce hit form you couldnt really justify playing sam at HB

i think sam is more of an opportunity player, from what i have seen he doesnt seem to be able to organise an attack very well, i may be wrong.

a player of his talent needs to be played at his best position, for me FB is not that, however i do kind of hope he plays the rest of the season there lol

The main 2 things I picked out of that were-

1-Widdop didn't really impress for England last season. He had a good debut against France and then a few dodgby moments in the four nations and got dropped. He's also playing at 6 for Melbourne now so I don't see why he'd be swapped around with Sam on the international scene.

2- Myler is the inform English halfback? Really? I've seen Wire a few times and haven't really noticed him. He's supported a couple of breaks and against us bar an intercept try I hardly realised he was on the field. He'd be behind Brough, McGuire, Pryce, S Tomkins, Lomax, Gale, Brown and Robinson in my pecking order unless he adds some more qualities to his game outside of half decent support play.

I thought everyone was creaming themselves about Sam playing at 1? And the it was the right decision at the start of the season for him to be given the 1 shirt? And also at FB he can come into the attacking line whenever he wants? Or did I dream most people saying all this on here...

Now people are saying he is never a FB...

Dear me!

Myler is not the kind of player who can take a game by the scruff of the neck against the aussies and win games for us.

Long
Sculthorpe
Pryce

etc.

All quality half-backs struggled to do it and Myler wouldn't have a chance. Not that kind of player. Smith has found a job for him at wire and he is doing it.

Maybe 'Mr Wilkes' could play centre as well!

Roberts looks uninterested. I know he has had a bad injury, so play him in the u20's to get his confidence back. Finch is at a similar point but at least he has effort and desire(and he put in some big defence as well)

I think Sam could dominate the game from 6.

IMO he's already the best HB in SL and I've always said I'd rather see a world class 6 than fb in the side. I'd take a Trent, Edwards or Kenny over a Radders any day of the week as a 6 has more influence in the game. I also think a top class HB is a rarity in SL and that's what Sam is.

That's not to say I don't think he's far and away the best full back at the club or that's he's not been playing well there.

I just want to see him at FB with more time on the ball taking it by the scruff of the neck by kicking 40/20's or by skinning forwards down the middle of the pitch and going under the sticks.

I think Sam is being nullified because our back play has been so poor in the last few weeks. The ball isn't making it to 3rd reciever and if it is it's really slow and allowing defences to move up and smother him. He's our biggest threat with ball in hand and when our halfback combination is playing well and giving him the ball in space he will be devastating but at the moment that isn't what's happening

Edited for accuracy.

Agreed.

I think Sam was so effective from full back last season as well because he had more time and space as our team dominated the best part of every game. If you look at how many metres Warrington and Leeds have made against our defence in the past two games nearly every high bomb was pressured by attackers putting Sam under enormous pressure (which he dealt with quite well) but nullifying his attacking impetus.

Last season I think we kept sides away from our full back on last tackle kicks more often with sides getting less of a chase on Sam or whoever was at FB.

Sam was playing at stand off in the last 15 mins, joel had moved out to the wing and amos to full back.

It was moving sam to 6 that changed the game.

Glad you value my opinion, I do not value yours. Not sure why you have to bring me in to this either?


for what its worth I feel Roberts is the best option as he has more to his game than Pat that suits him to that position. Pat on return rarely troubles the defence and has a fairly average passing game.

At the moment If he were still here I would have Phelps at 1, but of the 2 we have Roberts has shown way better form that Pat could dream to achieve.

I would rather one of the u 20s play over Pat at 1. By utilizing him at 1 you take away much of what makes him a quality wing, bit like playing sam there.

I trust Micheal Maguire thank you very much. There's a reason why Sam got the 1 shirt and we signed a stand off, and thats because its his best position, he can chime into the line wherever he wants and he has the best effect running wide.

Your joking arent you? Pat is the best winger in SL, we scored a pan full of tries from kicks to pats corner last season.

Spot on Brian.

I dont think that Roberts was anywhere near as bad on Friday as some are trying to make out. I also think that he is much better suited to full back and if he gets his form back is the best full back at the club, he was outstanding last year there before his injury. Whether he can return to the form that he showed last year is the question for me, if he cant then I cant really see him having much of a future at the club.

But he isn't safe under the high ball, which is the primary job of a FB.

So why does the current best coach in SL pick him at FB then??

Nor is Roberts. Clearly this is an aspect that has to be worked on.

Nobody is infallible (except the Pope of course).

He also picked Goulding over Charnley!

Which was understandable, Charnley was poor against Wire, IMO Charnley is the better of the 2 and when Richards is back, he'd play on the other side for me.

Why is it understandable when as you say



Surely if that were true he would have picked Charnley this week?

Is everyone forgeting about Deacon, for me he is the who makes the team tic and the one to guide us round the park.It has shown this season how much we seem to strugle when he is off the field or not playing.I for one would sooner have finch at 6 and sam at 1 both working off deacon with tommy and micky mc rotating at 9,this is our best attacking option and would give the opposition defense a real headache.