I've just realised the Hall you are referring to is Craig. I didn't know HKR had dropped him. I agree with Vasty, an outstanding talent. Why he doesn't produce consistently is a mystery. He doesn't strike me as the arrogant, unfit wayward genius. Just laziness I guess.

I'm not sure it's laziness but he certainly isn't producing what he should.
Laziness isn't very solvable so I hope there is more to it. If he isn't inspired by his own potential by now he isn't going to be, no matter how good Smith is.

He reminds me of a guy I used to play with. He was a stand off and pretty much if the ball didn't hit him in the chest he would just let it go. He'd then watch as some other mug got a kick in the head trying to fall on the loose ball and then blame the passer. He was the most skilful SO we had, but I'd rather have the guy who would break his neck trying to get the ball for the sake of the whole team. I think it was an ego thing where he thought someone else should take the hit instead of him.
Nice guy off the field too and he wasn't lazy. Just his style.
When you put him with a scrum half who could manage him and gave him crisp passes he was outstanding.

I'm not saying for certain he is lazy I was suggesting had he put that I'd have found it hard to argue against on the evidence of last season - even taking injuries into account. What I was saying was that IMHO his ability level is beyond doubt - sadly by itself that doesn't make you a great player.

I agree with you.
The evidence on field has shown sometimes that he just isn't bothered and it really bugs me to the point where I would n't pick him. But when you see him do it right, he needs to play.
It's a dilemma.

I think "enigmatic genius" is probably pushing it a bit. Very talented, yes, but I wouldn't go as far as that. He's a similar type of player to Stefan Ratchford, but Ratchford puts in a bit of extra fight, and even Ratchford wouldn't make the international side. In a side like ours, he has the chance to shine, because he's not competing for attention against superstars. I'm disappointed that he hasn't taken the opportunity to do so, because in recent years it wouldn't have taken much.

Come on Slugger I hope for better from you, it seems to be take it literally day today



I meant that's the title he might have got 20 years ago not now! Every team had one - easier pickings for that kind of player in those days when they could often dominate a low key game. Doesn't happen now hence my opinion it's a waste of time.

Doesn't however devalue his talent just his effectiveness.

You need to keep up, he Was a Wakefield player all of last season, having signed in the previous close season.
Had a decent pre season and went ok for our first couple of games but certainly didn't seem to want the FB role that was given to him.

I remember James Webster joking that he'd never seen Hall make a tackle, words that came back to haunt him and after several games of "turnstile" defence, Hall was dropped and remained out of the team for pretty much the rest of the season.
Again, he's showed up in a couple of the pre season games and hopefully he can give Smith some options.

My bad. I'll have to make a point to watch more of the lower teams......

When Hall arrived i thought he would be a very good signing, unfortunately things didnt pan out too well for him last season although there were still flashes of his potential prior to his disappearance from the team.
Perhaps we expected too much from him?,having generally played on the wing or centre we chose to try him at full back and stand off and he just didnt cut it there. Maybe trying him back in a more familiar role may bring out the best in Craig Hall.

I hope he can find some form as he is a genuinely exiting player who represents a danger from anywhere on the field, and there are not a lot of people like that around, let alone at the club.

Don't recall him playing stand off, which is a shame because that's might be where he belongs.

I always thought SO or LF were his natural positions. More of a classic LF, granted, than the current vogue.

Craig Hall is never a loose forward and has never played there. He's a wing/centre who can fill in the odd game at stand off at a push...

Hope he goes well this year as there is a lack of depth at stand off so if Jacob Miller gets injured we'll struggle.

I think he played SO against Salford at home. The game after Hull x2.
He ranged from good to lazy.

Craig Hall is a winger - I recall seeing him complain on Twitter several years ago that he was being played out of position by HKR, hence his poor form.

I live in hope that free from injuries and under the tutelage of BS, he'll deliver this season - it would be a crying shame if not, given his talent.

I can't say we are that blessed with wingers. I wonder why we have never played him there.

He played stand off against Huddersfield away, then went off injured. Don't think he featured at all after that.

I presume you have mixed him up with someone else

The bloke is 6'3" - 6'4" with silky running skills, rather than explosive pace. He reminds me of John Joyner who moved from wing, to centre, to stand off, to loose forward. He's a wasted talent on the wing.

The guy cant tackle in the backs why would we put him in the middle of the park with the real big boys running at him

Craig Hall would be OK at either FB, Centre or possibly SO but last year showed has such frailties in defence that he can't be carried in the team, certainly not one like ours. So unless he has got over whatever problems he had (be it mental or physical) the best place for him is in the stands.

I personally don't see him as a winger either but could play there if we are short.
Certainly can't see him playing 13 anytime soon - not tough enough, not busy enough and not physical enough to make an impact there. I could think of 20 players in our squad that I would put at 13 before him.

His only other plus point is that his goal-kicking is slightly less worse than some of the others we have.
Maybe his displays last season have affected my view of him but he has to show quite a bit before I believe in him as a regular in any position.

If he was to cement a regular place in the side, it is most likely to be in the centres I would imagine. We have a few of them available but all of them will need to step up somewhat.

The one thing he wont give you is 30+ tackles a game, so LF is just not possible.

Craig is a stand off in my opinion,cant tackle my wifes sunday dinner,but has the unpredictability to be an off half.Did ok for us at off half but was always behind travis burns in the pecking order.He didnt want to leave rovers but was released by us,always did ok for us,but always was frustrating in the fact you felt he had the skills to be a real star but never produced his best consistently.

Just about sums him up for us unfortunately as we were expecting big things from him last season

You have been one of those lower teams you talk of, for as far back as I can remember.......so shame on you.

Still reckon you will be OK after today's performance?
I reckon my comments about your half backs have been proved to be fairly accurate - but then, you and your over sensitive mates dont want to hear that.