How will they go this year? : player by player

The big year is upon us and how will the individual players go?  I figure the first to be analyzed is the Captain Josh McCrone:

Well he took a pay cut and is getting on a bit but the fire is still in him.   With Sonny Bill running on the edges this will be like bait for McCrone to run off of his hip...McCrone is very good when moving forward.  I see his offensive game improving.

On defence he is very good and likes to hit...not afraid to get his nose in there and make some big hits.  The odd time he gets caught out a bit because of his better line speed on third and fourth tackles in broken play.

I think he likes the role of Captain...he will have a good year and, possibly, an outstanding year.

Agreed K-Man McCrone is very solid. Having some better players around him will make him more dangerous.

Number 2:  Sonny Bill Williams

Well I'm expecting big things....we all know the pedigree.  I'm assuming him at second/loose forward.  Can see him making some big hits...on offence getting it out at the fringe of the ruck.  Moving and grooving....beats one tackler, second tackler comes in to take him down...now the famous controlled offload.

If he can do that then all of the others will want to run off his hip...moving forward...running forward.   Everyone likes to run forward...all wolves.

I think he might just sort of rip the league apart...big draw...he is the real deal.  

I am expecting BIG things.

Number 3: Springer

I like Gadwin...big and physical.  He knows his role and will always make a few yards the hard way...good tackler too.   Last year, in the first half of the season, he had quite a few ball spills after the second tackler would come in....he improved this and has better ball control now....nice offload too.

He is a battering ram so will need some rest throughout the season.  This could be his break out year.

16 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Number 2:  Sonny Bill Williams

Well I'm expecting big things....we all know the pedigree.  I'm assuming him at second/loose forward.  Can see him making some big hits...on offence getting it out at the fringe of the ruck.  Moving and grooving....beats one tackler, second tackler comes in to take him down...now the famous controlled offload.

If he can do that then all of the others will want to run off his hip...moving forward...running forward.   Everyone likes to run forward...all wolves.

I think he might just sort of rip the league apart...big draw...he is the real deal.  

I expecting BIG things.

He is going to distract the opposition, they will be focused on stopping him so freeing up our attack

Number 4 : Miloudi

The oddest running style I have seen in RL but it works for him...a mulit position player in the backs and I think we will need him.....Miloudi is fast becoming a fan favourite at Lamport.  He is a good tackler and fully dedicates himself to the contact....not one to shy away even against a much larger man.  

He loves playing for Toronto and knows this is his big chance.  I think he will see alot of game time as the season progresses.....great fill in guy....every club needs a couple.   I think he has great offensive promise (also can kick!).

4 minutes ago, RobertAM said:

He is going to distract the opposition, they will be focused on stopping him so freeing up our attack

Exactly but when he presents the offload there had better be someone there to lick up that gravy!

4 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Exactly but when he presents the offload there had better be someone there to lick up that gravy!

Leutele..Russell..Kay...

5 hours ago, RobertAM said:

Leutele..Russell..Kay...

Everyone will want a piece of the action; especially those three!

Adam Sidlow:  Well he has been there from the beginning.  We need him up the middle and he is a good tackler who will have to step up and take on their big forwards....I sure hope that shoulder injury is healed from last season!  We need a good season out of this proven workhorse...to have him injury free for the season would really help the Club out.....with Sidlow what you see is what you get.

Tom Olbison:  More free running than Sidlow but role will be sort of the same.   Must make his tackles and stuff them up the middle.   His running style is fluid and he has the potential to make a breakout if moving forward...has a nice lateral sidestep.  His role is as 'workhorse' this year...hopefully he can stay injury free and that would assure lots of playing time.

On 05/01/2020 at 07:49, Kayakman said:

Adam Sidlow:  Well he has been there from the beginning.  We need him up the middle and he is a good tackler who will have to step up and take on their big forwards....I sure hope that shoulder injury is healed from last season!  We need a good season out of this proven workhorse...to have him injury free for the season would really help the Club out.....with Sidlow what you see is what you get.

Big fan of big bad Sid. Never backs down and super reliable.

Been a stalwart player for us from day one. Gutted for him when he had the multiple injuries at the end of last season. Just getting over the torn pec and hit with another injury . We certainly missed his yards and offloads. If nothing else he should come back fresh as we will need him.

On 07/01/2020 at 04:56, Canis Lupus said:

Been a stalwart player for us from day one. Gutted for him when he had the multiple injuries at the end of last season. Just getting over the torn pec and hit with another injury . We certainly missed his yards and offloads. If nothing else he should come back fresh as we will need him.

Okay now Matty Russell....this will be interesting....many say he is just an average SL winger so we will see.

Hopefully he doesn't do any silly jumps after a try and hurt himself all year..he is not a gymnast Okay Matty!.

i like him...low to the ground and solid...quick acceleration...nice overall speed.   tackling is alright too....pretty short though.   How will he handle a much larger winger...has to go low every time methinks....put that strong shoulder into him.

If Matty has a big year (and he could) that would be a real bonus for the Pack.

Mellor:  Mellor is always up for it...he is a good proven halfback.  He takes an awful banging at times with his penetrating runs.   I think he will do just fine...can hardly wait for him to take on his brother!   Now that will be an interesting contact to watch.

Joe plays hard at standoff and takes the odd injury...you can't fault the effort.   Every team needs a guy like Joe Mellor.

Blake Wallace has been there from the beginning.  He just married a Canadian gal from Toronto.   Blake is a dedicated tackler and has a very good attacking side step....he is aleways hungry for the line and i think that is why McDermott likes him so.

Wallace is a fine young standoff.  He can also kick conversions from medium distance.  We will need him in multiple roles this season since he can also play fullback (as can Miloiudi).   I figure Wallace will be seeing some long stretches as the season rolls on...he is up to it.

No one likes playing at Lamport more than Wallace...he is goer.

One player I am looking at is Dixon. He's 29 now, so approaching peak for a forward and has played in a GF.I've always been impressed by him in a non -flashy way. Was surprised when he went to Leigh and to Toronto. He'll have a big role if TWP are to do well.

I think a lot of your players need to step up, you seem to have kept a lot from last year and they seem to be top level championship low level super league it will be interesting to see how they go.

Where do you think you will end up in the table this year?

28 minutes ago, The Lad said:

I think a lot of your players need to step up, you seem to have kept a lot from last year and they seem to be top level championship low level super league it will be interesting to see how they go.

Where do you think you will end up in the table this year?

They do have to step up...this is their chance and we believe in them...if we can keep the injuries down, and all goes as planned, we will end up 5th.

2 hours ago, dixiedean said:

One player I am looking at is Dixon. He's 29 now, so approaching peak for a forward and has played in a GF.I've always been impressed by him in a non -flashy way. Was surprised when he went to Leigh and to Toronto. He'll have a big role if TWP are to do well.

Big fan of AD..will show his stuff in SL

My single biggest concern is Gareth O'Brien. Specifically his kicking. Points might be hard to come by this year and they can't afford to be leaving points on the field.

On 18/01/2020 at 19:03, dixiedean said:

One player I am looking at is Dixon. He's 29 now, so approaching peak for a forward and has played in a GF.I've always been impressed by him in a non -flashy way. Was surprised when he went to Leigh and to Toronto. He'll have a big role if TWP are to do well.

Dixon is a strange duck...he likes it at Toronto you can tell and has been getting lots of play time.  His defence is adequate and he has fantastic footwork...seems to do alot better when he can run across the grain...good wheels.  He is an opportunist and likes to score.  

I agree with you that he needs to have a great year...this is it!

On 19/01/2020 at 12:09, TIWIT said:

My single biggest concern is Gareth O'Brien. Specifically his kicking. Points might be hard to come by this year and they can't afford to be leaving points on the field.

Don't worry about him...he will be fine...read "The 100 Days That Shook Rugby League" and look at Day 100...he will be fine.

Watch a bunch of footage from the Castleford Exhibition.   Ref Miloudi:  Looks like he really upped his fitness levels and looks a lot more muscular.  Makes you wonder what the heck they were doing with him at Hull FC?

My big annoyance lately is this:

Last year we were called a super league squad playing in the championship (some even said mid table I think)

This year we don't have SL quality at <insert position here>. Which is it? Besides worry from injury the quality is there!