Sheens hinted they were looking to SL for halves - players:
My list to start with;
Pommy SL Halfbacks (all young)
Jordan Abdull. Pom - 1/2
Lewis Dodd Pom 1/2, best all-round game of those below
Mikey Lewis Pom - 1/2, quick, elusive, off the cuff stuff
Harry Smith Pom - 1/2, organiser, good kicker under pressure
Morgan Smithies Wigan-lock – 22 years, (Nov. 2000) At 6ft1 (185cm) and 106 kgs
4 yr. contract from 2019 (ends 2023)
Abdull has an absolutely LETHAL boot. He punts the ball as high and as accurately as Matt Burton and his short yardage kicks are a nightmare to deal with. He's a bit of a late developer but since he nailed down his shirt he's been nothing short of excellent. The only question is - how well does he handle pressure in big games because Hull KR hardly play in any.
Dodd is, IMO, the best of the crop. But he's still rehabbing a torn Achilles. His form (predictably) has been up and down since he returned for the WCC. But he appears back to his best in the last few weeks with no obvious issues with his Achilles.
Mikey Lewis is a crowd favourite. Plays to the fans. Naturally gifted footballer. Very quick and tough to tackle. Defence needs work as does his kicking game. But the raw materials are there. Same knock as Abdull, tho. No great experience in big-match football.
Harry Smith - oldest barring Abdull at 24. Above average kicking game both short and long. Appears to have the clutch gene and has iced several games in the final seconds via drop goal. Possibly the slowest of all of these candidates but I don't necessarily see this as a problem. Prone to occasionally misreads in defence. But this is fixable.
I should mention that Dodd is the best defensive scrum half in the competition - by a long way. Great technique.
Of the English halves it's worth pointing out that Will Pryce signed for Newcastle last season. He's the type of player who will either become one of the best players on the planet or sink without trace. Physically he has all the tools. Blistering acceleration. Devastating footwork (including a gorgeous body swerve). Great hands. If he turns out to be anything like his dad Newcastle will have some player on their hands.
Smithies - if you need someone to do the dirty work in midfield he's your guy. Capable of 65-70+ tackles per game. A bit of a nasty streak in him. Needs to make more yards going forward but I expect this will come as he reaches full physical maturity.
One final point - I'm pretty sure Sheens recruited Mikey Lewis and so I'm guessing he stands a better chance with him than possibly some of the others.
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