Looks a giant on the pitch ! Saw enough of him last night to to see potential - if he's coached well enough (as I'm sure he will be) he could be a real asset to us this season.

I agree but I also see that he isn't the finished article yet. As you say good coaching could make him very good.

I think most players on their debut just don't want to make mistake so job done - he will open up later on.

That said big as he is SL is a big step up. Most Championship players can manage to look good in the odd cup game but week in week out is where you're usually found out.

There were plenty of interchanges going on at the time but, the whole tempo of the team lifted while Keegan was on.
He showed in the pre season game at Leeds that he has decent defence and an off load game, which is exactly what we want from our forwards.
Was surprised how few minutes he was given over the 80.

Slowly slowly catchee monkey as they say...

Yes, I think he had a promising super league debut for us.

Will certainly provide competition for places in the front row.

Very good debut, he should rightly hold his head high for that performance. It's always nice to see players step up from lower leagues as they often have more drive and passion as they've arguably had to work harder to make it. He still needs a good polish but the basics were there and I'm sure he'll be an asset to the club

I thought he looked good. He doesn't necessarily run his size - but I think he sacrifices pell-mell destructive running, for more control in the tackle. He was noted for offloads at Batley - but I guess in his first game, his main aim was to be mistake free, which he achieved. Take a look at Hock for what happens when a forward tries to force the offload - I'm glad he didn't go down that route.

There'll be more to come, I'm sure.

I reckon if he changed his running technique slightly he would be very damaging, he left himself open which allowed them to pick him up; good debut and looking forward to seeing improvements from the big fella.

I called for him 2 weeks ago i saw enough in the friendlies we can really work on him to be a absolute monster. Great debut

I said to TRB and Belly at half time that we needed Hirst on the pitch to give us some "go-forward"...he comes on 7 minutes later and we never looked back. (Admittedly the rest of the team stepped up as well) but I was very impressed with Hirst

A steady debut in a tight game. Had we of being winning or losing by a few then he could be forgiven for taking a few more chances.
If he'd of dropped a clanger and they go on an score he would have been scapegoat for the rest of the season.


Actually I bet he is sick of the sight of Leigh over the last few seasons.
So he will be more pleased than most to come away with a win.

I wouldn't get that excited,,when he was at fev he was terrible only stayed a season.
Iv never seen such a big lad run in so soft and don't think he every broke a tackle.
Hope Chester can get the best out of him though.

Yep, we have heard it all before

I didn't see him at Fev, but I saw him plenty of times when Batley played us and he was always a handful. One of the best Championship forwards. Hope he kicks on in SL. Hill, Walmsley, Amor have all been successful, no reason why Hirst can't do the same

I remember that conversation. I was lamenting the fact that we didn't have a Mikael Simon, who would run straight at the defence as Belly was, quite rightly, saying that we were being too lateral. Up steps Keegan and does exactly that job. Changed the game IMO. Good debut!

I am happy from what I have seen from him so far.

Also when you look at the record of John Kear over the years I would say there is no one finer in the game than having the 'eye' to spot a good prop that no one else has seen the true potential.

Hirst doesn't seem to sprint into the opposition as quickly as what Simon did but neither does he seem to bounce back and lose the collision which Simon often did. Not slating Simon who unlike Hirst is not about 6 foot 5" tall and over 18 stone which helps when he runs the ball in albeit slower but seems to keep driving his legs carrying 3/4 players with him every time.

Really feel that Trinity should play their big uns in the 17 every week if they can....it will start and change the perception of a 'soft' set of forwards which I believe some old fat 'has been' said in a RL studio.

Yep that was Simons big problem - amazes me how many Trin fans are blinded to that on, Korky was the same. That why i like Fifita, good leg drive, makes yards and a quick PTB. Both players need working on but both look good yardage makers which is IMHO the main job of any prop in attack.