Hookers will always make the odd wrong call per game because they handle the ball far more then any other player on the pitch. In Danny's defence I would imagine he had been told to run more against a very big Catalans pack, they are the kind of team that Houghton can cause all sorts of problems for and if the ref had clamped down on their third man into the tackle slowing the play the ball down I suspect he would have had more joy scooting.

Not disagreeing with your original point but suspect every game we could highlight a couple of times Houghton doesnt make the correct play.

I know where Berrigan played, loose forward. Are you saying I'm wrong in my statement of Houghton totally outclassing Berrigan then ?

Especially when the 'evidence critique' contains a lot of critique but very little evidence!

I'm just wondering why on earth you would be comparing how a hooker playing at LF performed as opposed to a hooker playing at .....well......hooker?

No he didnt, he played 6 and Washy moved to LF

Houghton imposed himself on a 50/50 game as was a standout player for us. Berrigan didn't and wasn't. If you'd attended that particular game not knowing either player and said one of the two had the far bigger reputation and salary, you'd be hard-pushed IMO to pick Berrigan out as said player. I'm not having a go at Berro, but Houghton took it upon himself to take the game to Catalans and did so with gusto. Good on him. Fans, unsurprisingly, respond positively to that sort of obvious attitude and effort.

No he didnt, Washy stayed at 6. You can tell by the defensive pattern. Washy stayed defending wide right and Berro defended down the middle like Fitz normally would. Berro may have gone in the middle to ball handle but that was as a 13.

Houghton was good but imo Manu was motm by a country mile.

I didnt have Manu in my top 3. Briscoe and Whiting were up there for me with Houghton.

Really? I actually thought Catalans had picked him out as our strike player and contained him fairly well compared to some other games he's rampaged his way through this season. He's the dog's bollox.

I must have watched a different game, he was immense.

He he stood up to their forwards but i wouldnt have said anywhere near immense. Our forwards were largely bullied imo without Fitz and O'Meley. It was only Briscoe's good work clearing our line that meant we weren't under huge pressure at times.

He constantly beat his opposing man and then another one. He constantly went forward and was our one attacking thread. I mean he must have made far more metres than Briscoe not to mention the amoutn of defence he went through.

I also think moa doesn't look the same player when fitz and particulalry o'meley aren't in the side. Must be much easier to come on and make an impact after ogre has softened them up for 20 minutes

But we are all well aware of the particular situation and conditions. Those being Berrigan has just returned from serious injury and was playing in a position that doesn't actually see all that much of the ball with which to impose himself on the game. Whereas Houghton has been playing lots of minutes and is in great "form" playing in a position where he touches the ball pretty much every single tackle.

Its not even a valid comparison.

Don`t disagree,but Houghton for me edged it.

Why would the stand off pack down as a 2nd rower in the scrum ? Berrigan came on for a prop and then swapped with Radford who was playing loose forward.

I was comparing recent weeks performances when both have played at hooker.

I guess the point is that Houghton, in 2 of his last 4 games has taken the game by the scruff of the neck. You're right in that hookers are in a good place to do this, but by this time next year we'll have paid Berro 600 grand and I'd like to see him do the same. He played at hooker for the first 11 rounds behind a strong pack and maybe I'm wrong but don't remember him being a major influence in those games. 4th game back from injury next week so should be back into his stride.

Shame we have no chance of signing mcshane. He looked very good tonight

He did didn't he, he was involved in the tackle that held a Wire player up over the line, some quality scoots, his passing off the floor is fantastic, and the effort for McGuire's try showed why Leeds have him tied to a long term deal.

When Berrigan has just come back from a serious injury you mean?

The evidence was right there in the game that you presumably watched. It doesn't surprise me that you apparently didn't notice.

Well then why use Fridays game to highlight the point?

I'm not convinced by this talk of Houghton taking the game by the scruff of the neck anyway TBH.

You presumed right that I watched it. You also apparently presumed an opinion rather than based one on fact. With this being a particular bugbear of mine, I payed more attention to the respective performances of both players than anything else in the match. You'll also notice that the majority opinion is that Danny outshone Shaun.