It might be better...

No. What is this infatuation with playing players out of their best and natural position. I just don’t get it at all.

Johnstone is literally one of if not the best winger in SL and a current England winger. Even a suggestion of moving him to any other position is just ludicrous.

I mean he hasn’t even ever covered in any other position and is an out and out winger.

You might end up with an average centre after he beds in a new position after 12 months.

If we need a centre then we sign a centre.

Somewhere in the team we will have to go for solid SL players and you can’t have top quality all across the park. We will have to accept that. Pratt has a lot of work to do this year so he’s ready for SL next season, there will be a few positions like that where we will have to develop quality over a few years. That’s what the top teams do.

Well you could say the same about me playing centre as I've never played there either.
Maybe we should try him second row?

Or maybe we should just leave him where he is already excelling.

That's the 3rd game I've watched the Catalans in a row, where they don't seem to know how to make the best use of Johnstone, or Davies for that matter. No doubt Wire has been excellent but Catalans have really lacked that creative spark in attack in all the games recently, it's the same couple of moves every time. They've both been used as battering rams to start their sets from deep. It's as though they don't seem to practice set moves to set their wingers up, using clever dummy runners, players running better angles, short balls, better kicks etc.

Williams's kicking has been excellent and shows what a great kicking game can create. They've missed McMeeken and Mcllorum but tbh meters down the middle isn't what they lacked with Satae in particular having a big game. Maybe Mcllorum would have helped but they created next to nothing in Wire's 20-meter area.

Credit where it's due though, Wire has some proper steal about them this season.

I’ve also watched them a few times and I agree. Their halves aren’t firing lately but I think the biggest issue is their fullback Morgue. He’s very poor imo, doesn’t join the line or give the halves options and regularly runs out wide cutting any plays off.

Not long ago I suggested that Jowitt might successfully switch to SO!
Having seen him there I was wrong.
He let no-one down but he is far superior at FB and I feel the same applies to TJ - leave him where he's best - in fact where he's devastating!

Watched the Catalan match tonight and I don't think Tom received a decent pass,if at all.

Watched Catalan a few times this season and I don't think they are as good as last year. They seem to ignore Toms side in attack and give very few chances. Even when they go that way in order to create something, that French centre is terrible and totally ignores Tom. HIs role this season just seems to be a battering ram up the middle bring the ball away from deep.

Most players are right handed and their strongest pass is to the left so it’s weird he isn’t getting many tries. As said, Romano doesn’t look to pass so it’s a long season for him/them. Fages doesn’t seem to suit their style.

He certainly hasn't lost any speed. He must have given Thewlis 5 metres start and easily caught him.

I'm a numpty?
I'm not the idiot that's trying to move an International Winger to play at Centre......

I thought that he absolutely out paced him and thewlis has a reputation as a flyer

Anyone who’s watched TJ last year and this would know he hasn’t lost and speed. Not sure why anyone would think that in the first place. TJ should be hitting his best form over this next few years.

Did anyone watch the France game? How did TJ play ? I read that he scored two tries but nothing else

I watched it and him and Wellsby were the two standouts.

Didn’t make a single mistake

Defended a 2 v 1 successfully

Nothing got past him all game
Scored 2 try’s

Set up Wellsby for his try after a good run and offload

Carved through 6 players and sent a wonder pass to set up Handley try

He practically pulled England from 0-8 nil behind to being in the lead.

The left edge was potent. The right edge of Handley and Newman got targeted early by France and leaked yards and try. That edge made a few knock ons with plays breaking down etc too.

There were a few players that shouldn’t get in again for a while like Newman, Nicholson who are nowhere near ready. The pack was very poor all game and didn’t get on top hardly at all.

Between Wellsby, Johnstone and Lewis that’s where most of the damage was done.

But apart from that he did nothing else though.

Improvement needed. Guess we will still take him next season though.

I've heard that he also served tea at half time.

And he's already completed his Euro 2024 sticker book

He'd be an improvement on some of the England football team too !

Stand in England coach Andy last heaped special praise on Johnstone for the quality of his performance and the extras he did in the game

Special player.Unbelievable having Tom back next season and all to play for for the right wing spot.

Johnstone plays on the left wing spot ever since his debut.

But yes, he’s my favourite all time Trinity player so I’m very happy to see him back where he belongs.

Think you might have misread the post

Maybe so



Just read it again and its about TJ and the poster welcomes his return and all to play for for the right wing spot in the same sentence.

Unless they meant the other wingers can fight for the right wing spot but i thought with no sentence break or mention of other players they meant TJ so was just letting them know.