Sal Paradise:
What has happened to Newman - where has all his pace gone - the last try he was nowhere.
Using his head in the tackle - not a good luck.
If Wane plays him against the Aussies it will be a bloodbath.
For all the talk about Gannon - he put a shift in.
Handley was unlucky - would not have gone if Sue hadn't already gone. Never make a centre.
Newman has lost pace, but last night he was playing injured from early in the 2nd half. Trainer was constantly on and off and it was obvious that they only kept him on because of Hall's injury. The game itself was terrific, if slightly marred by officiating which impacted both sides. In the age of play acting on a Rugby field I cannot believe we were reduced to 11 men because Connor was in intense pain having dislocated a finger! For all that, I thought KR deserved the win. Lewis and Litten bring a spark to their game which we simply don't have, especially without Croft. Thought Connor,Handley, Watkins and Miller (despite a couple of mistakes) were exceptional. Pack went well, but we need a hooker who can offer more cutting edge than O'Connor. Thought Lumb, who I thought needed a rest, was also very good. He's got some real character that lad! I was really hoping young Sinfield would take his opportunity, but hand on heart, I can't see what he offers that Frawley doesn't. His kicking was equally bad, his defence was worse, his discipline was poor, and he lacks the pace to be a real threat with ball in hand at the top level. Maybe I'm being too harsh, (unfortunately his fathers legacy will always skew my perception of him) but I struggle to see a scenario where he is a key part of a succession plan. On to next week,where despite injuries and possible suspensions we need nothing less than a win.
