All the talk is about McIlorum, but what fans of other clubs don't want to talk about (and what we should be talking about) is the superb performance of our captain. A tackling machine with the distribution skills of a good half back, he is a great player and leader, a great role model for the young lads in the squad.

Wane's strategy of looking after his best player is now paying dividends. There isn't a player in SL and no more than a handful in the NRL I would swap Lockers for when he is in this kind of form.

If he can stay fit we will be in with a great chance of retaining the SL title.

He's been strangely below par for a while now Lockers but that last night was superb. He was back to his best wiry the ball and was incredible without it! Some of the hits he put on were shuddering and I'm sure he'll carry that through the play offs now.

On a side note Bateman surely must start next week. He's offering far more then Tomkins or Farrell at the moment.

Lockers hasn't looked fit and fully firing for a while but last night he was back to his best. I think Wane has been easing him back and last night he let the lead off



I think Bateman has been having a bit of a breather as he played loads earlier in the season. We will see the benefit in the playoffs I reckon.

Agree on Bateman. We've managed him pretty well after he's played a lot of game early in the season. I expect a huge play off series from him.

He was as good last week for me. Looking good for the play offs.

Farrell is criminally underrated. He went off injured today, hopefully just precautionary before the important games, but there is no way Bateman has been better than him. He was tireless against Leeds and started well today. He will almost always make good yards and get a quick PTB with his speed and footwork. He's good for a line break every game or so and nearly set up a try for Sarge tonight and Bowen last week.

For me Farrell's probably our best player behind O'Loughlin and McIlorum.

SOL was absolutely brilliant in every aspect of the game last night.

The whole team were immense but Lockers was the beacon.

For those who haven't seen the stats Lockers made 50 tackles and 2 try assists. Pretty much sums him up. How he doesn't get given man of the match every game is a mystery to me.

Agree with all of this . Sean has been quiet by his own high standards but he was back to his best last night. Dangerous with the ball and hurtful without it.

Agree about Bateman, should have been on earlier when our forwards were getting battered in the first half.

Tomkins looks well off the pace at the moment and it's looking like a mistake to play him this season. He looks unfit, off the pace and lacking in power. He needs a proper off season to get back to where he was before he left.

I think he might be on the bench for the playoffs while Bateman starts. Joel has covered a good gap while Bateman has had a rest and will benefit getting back up to speed a bit by playing the games.

He will be much better next season but I think we are best with Bateman starting for now while he is firing after a good season.

I would have to slightly disagree about Joel. I think he's ahead of where I would have expected him to be at this stage.

I think he looks fit and his workrate is high in attack and defence. Obviously he needs to work on his lines of running and does seem to be lacking in the upper body strength that was key to most of his success previously.

But I certainly didn't watch the game and think he stood out as someone way off the pace. I wouldn't have a problem with him continuing in the 17 in the playoffs - I don't see a better option currently anyway.

I don't think he is well off the pace. Just that Bateman should be playing more minutes than him as it stands.

We would be knackered without him. World Class.

Noy sure I agree with that, I think he's getting in some valuable match practice and will continue to improve over our next 3 games...

Tomkins doesn't look bad considering he's coming back from an injury, but he's nowhere near the player that left to go play Union.

Yet and how would he be to be fair?

A bad injury and three years playing a sport where he hardly touched the ball is bound to take some getting over.

It'll be next year before we see him anywhere near his previous best.

No, surely he should be "match fit" in a sport he hasn't played for nearly 3 years whilst recovering from an injury that surely he should get "match fit" from before we signed him?

I mean not expecting a player to be immediately the player he was 3 years ago taking into consideration these other factors would be sheer "Madness"!






He's doing well IMO, he's providing enough size and presence etc. to warrant his inclusion and more importantly it's allowing Bateman to recover and leave enough in the tank for "When it matters".
Bateman was looking jaded IMO 6/8 weeks ago and over the last couple of weeks from the bench he's started to show glimpses of his early season form.
Utilising Joel over this period is just one of the reasons IMO for this.

Suprised people are down on Joel, he's doing about as well as I expected, maybe slightly better given the amount of time he's had out and injured. If he carries on playing as he is then he's still a better option than Hughes. Then after a full pre-season he should improve plenty for next season