Wesser, Rooney and Lewis

[Munky]

What does the future hold for these three players at our club. In recent weeks we have seen Daniella, Jennings and Blair all put down extremely strong claims for a first choice spot in our backline every week. Gordon I rank above Rooney to have the other spot on the wing.

Tonight Sammut made his debut and played the role Wesser has been attempting for years and actually succeeding as a second five-eighth and I noticed he followed the ball all over the park Wade McKinnon style. While Sammut undoubtably has the skills to play as a full time 5/8th IMO he should be kept a full-back due to his lack of size. By playing him there he will last more than a season in first grade.

Who would you have as your first choice outside backs next year and beyond?

My side

1) Sammut
2) Gordon
3) Blair
4) Jennings
5) Daniella

6) Whoever
7) Whoever

8) Woolnough
9) Priddo (back in my good books)
10) F puletua
11) Pritchard
12) Waterhouse
13) Rodney (I pray he comes back better than ever)

14) T Puletua
15) Moors
16) Grant
17) Aiton

I find it hard to find a place for Lewis, Rooney and Wesser. Lewis and Wesser could perhaps fill in at 5/8th but Rooney may just not be upto the standard of our young backs anymore. Rooney is amazingly solid but offers little these days.

 

[thommo4pm]

You wouldn't have Civonoceva in there anywhere?
We'll take him over at Saints then if you don't want him already. ;-)

 

[Munky]

I knew I forgot someone...

Woolnough to the bench with Aiton dropping off.

EDIT: Civ can play half and five eighth at the same time. Will be better than Williams. Jeffries or Firman or the other nuffies we have.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Rooney's in the most trouble , he does a lot of things very well ( dummy half running , catching the high ball) but he doesnt have the one commodity wingers need is spades , PACE! Daniela , sammut , jennings , blair etc, etc make him look so slow. Although i must admit he was playing with a bit more pace earlier this season.

Wesser is a really hard one , he really doesnt fit it anywhere other than fullback and if Sammut can cenemt a spot he really might be in trouble. he's still only 28 though!

Lewis i still think has a lot to offer , he's been out of form this year but i really feeld he's the sort of player you want out there helping out the young backs, He may even play some time in the back row.

 

[brandell]

I think out of them all Lewis is the player under the most trouble. After all Jennings and Blair are both playing in the centres. I think they will bulk him up in the off season and turn him into a ball running second rower.

Rooney should get a spot when he comes back. He was one of the better players earlier in the season. He will take Youngquests spot.

And Wesser? Well he'll come straight back in too...No way that Sammut would cement a spot yet. I mean he was good but not goof enough to bump Rhys.

 

[Sheilas, Wogs and Poofter]

Lets see how they go in their 2nd season.They have shown plenty of promise but have hardly been faultless.

 

[flash]

Something yet to be mentioned..

I think the panthers have a major problem with backs and will need to offload a few next year, which unfortunately will probably be one of the young juniors.

Mick Leary seriously screwed up signing Brad Tighe, for three years!! I think they got worried that they werent going to sign anyone at that stage.

On current form he will be spending three years at Windsor Wolves developing his Owen Cragie physique and getting paid good money to do it.

Yes, he might come good and prove me wrong, but I just dont see him ahead on any of the current backs, his only benefit is if there are mass injuries again in 2008.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Something yet to be mentioned..

I think the panthers have a major problem with backs and will need to offload a few next year, which unfortunately will probably be one of the young juniors.

Mick Leary seriously screwed up signing Brad Tighe, for three years!! I think they got worried that they werent going to sign anyone at that stage.

On current form he will be spending three years at Windsor Wolves developing his Owen Cragie physique and getting paid good money to do it.

Yes, he might come good and prove me wrong, but I just dont see him ahead on any of the current backs, his only benefit is if there are mass injuries again in 2008.

one saving grace on Brad Tighe is that players that leave Brian Smith often improve ten fold.

from memory his contract isnt too bad , was it 150K a season?

also come the end of next year there are a few players off contract that probably wont be re-signed. Rooney and Priddis come to mind and i think Tony Puletua too. If thats the case there should be some money for the youngsters.

 

[Big Mick]

I think you'll find Brad Tighe may be used at Five-eight next year where he played junior reps...also maybe Lock.

 

[Fibroman]

Key word is injuries. Penrith will have some tremendous depth and will be sweet if we have some bad luck with injuries. Ps. I think Jennings and Blair will cement a centre pairing. Lewis will bulk up and move to lock, with house pushing up to the 2nd row. 5/8th will be a battle between Tighe, Williams and Firman. Masada Iosefa is my tip as a bolter for the half back possy.

 

[Panthers_God]

Key word is injuries. Penrith will have some tremendous depth and will be sweet if we have some bad luck with injuries. Ps. I think Jennings and Blair will cement a centre pairing. Lewis will bulk up and move to lock, with house pushing up to the 2nd row. 5/8th will be a battle between Tighe, Williams and Firman. Masada Iosefa is my tip as a bolter for the half back possy.

Totally agree with you. I like the way our centres look now. And I was liking the way Lewis was playing closer to the ruck.

I can't see Wesser losing his spot in first grade yet. Unless he gets in Matt Elliott's bad books.

Depending on our halves combination next season I still think Rooney will get a run on the wing. He's still one of the best leapers in the game and he is very strong out of dummy half.

 

[Big Mick]

I can't believe people want Rooney gone totally...

He was our best back prior to being injured and i've seen nothing to suggest Youngquest should be there.

Sorry...but the love affair people have over him,...makes me think he is the most over-rated Panther we have.

Often gets caught out on kicks and in defence. Makes pathetic reads at times...despite the fact he can do brilliant things as well.

Rooney is solid under the high ball, brilliant in defence positionally and backtracking. He is one of the best finishers in the world when on his game, and despite what people say...he aint slow. He should be in the #5...with either Gordon or Blair in the centre spot next to him.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I can't believe people want Rooney gone totally...

He was our best back prior to being injured and i've seen nothing to suggest Youngquest should be there.

Sorry...but the love affair people have over him,...makes me think he is the most over-rated Panther we have.

Often gets caught out on kicks and in defence. Makes pathetic reads at times...despite the fact he can do brilliant things as well.

Rooney is solid under the high ball, brilliant in defence positionally and backtracking. He is one of the best finishers in the world when on his game, and despite what people say...he aint slow. He should be in the #5...with either Gordon or Blair in the centre spot next to him.

Im a big fan of Rooney but you have to counter the good games he had at the start of this season with the poor 2 years before that. A handful of games doesnt bring him back to 2003 form.

though i agree he is very good at dummy half running and under the high ball , possibly in the top 3 wingers for both in the game. But to be honset i cant beleive anyone would think he isnt slow ( at least as far as wingers go) when was the last time rooney beat his man? surely Pace has to be the most important criteria in judging a winger.

Im not saying i want him gone , but the pace of our other young backs , jennings , daniela , gordon , blair , sammut leaves him for dead.

Anyway if he can produce his form from earlier this season he should be safe, afterall i think a team mixture of youth and experience is the best thing for the panthers next year. Were going to need lewis , rooney and wesser to step up to the challenge.

 

[Munky]

Rooney is better than Youngquest but is he better than Gordan and Daniella.

Both look likely to break the line on every run.

 

[Big Mick]

true.

But I still think Gordon should be in the #4..with Rooney outside him.

Blair has done nothing wrong...but I still think we need to have Rooney in the backline, otherwise it is very very inexperienced