I really do hope we get to see Mr Sheedy soon. I rate him better than Mr Searle. It's time he had his chance. If he goes it will bite us in the ass

He played at Bedford, did OK but I would say Searle has done well so far. Maybe Billy's , attacking/passing game suits Lam's game plan better than Sheedy's more all round game. Think we could have a Ford/Farrell situation in their different styles, which I hope the coaches make the most of.

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Graham

C'mon Bris,



Stand out in a crowd, wear the Hoops!

It seems a shame that we risk losing Sheedy, or at least fully seeing what we have through giving him an extended run...but the hard facts are that Searle is getting better and better each week, and he is the horse to back with game-time right now.

Sheedy is also hampered by his lack of versatility....to get an extra forward on the bench, Protheroe can cover 10, so a specialist 10 isnt needed.

it always surprised me that after sheedy's excellent performances at the end of the 15/16 campaign that he slipped away and was even loaned away the subsequent season, and now seems pretty out of the contention for the starting 10 jersey. I know he sustained an injury at the start of that campaign but I still would have expected him to play a larger role.

Its a shame because in my head a few season of Madigan starting and sheedy and Searle developing along side would be perfect - hopefully leading to one of the latter becoming a top flight success, but both are very talented and you8ng and im sure one of them (probably sheedy) will begin to look for another opportunity fairly soon if faced with 2/3 years of fighting for a spot on the bench.

I do hope im wrong and that they're both improving and enjoying themselves so much they decide to stay.

I rate both but think that, given how Billy did last year (after being pretty much left to carry a struggling side), his experience has him as no 2 behind Madigan. Also, he appears to have been working hard over the summer and has taken his chances when given and was very composed last week V Ealing. However, it’s a long season and I think we’ll see much more of Sheedy in the coming weeks, especially the B&I cup, and hope he makes the most of his chances.
A good problem to have at present....

I rate both but think that, given how Billy did last year (after being pretty much left to carry a struggling side), his experience has him as no 2 behind Madigan. Also, he appears to have been working hard over the summer and has taken his chances when given and was very composed last week V Ealing. However, it’s a long season and I think we’ll see much more of Sheedy in the coming weeks, especially the B&I cup, and hope he makes the most of his chances.
A good problem to have at present....

I'd really like to see a Searle 10 Sheedy 12 combination tried maybe in the B&I. The pair of them together could do some real damage unlocking defences - with some big runners back on the inside, and speed on the outside, it could be proper tasty!!

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Supporting Bristol since... since... Oh, not enough fingers.

Ok, tin hat on...

I'm not altogether convinced about Sheedy's ability to unlock defences.
Pretty sure that in his breakout season (15/16) most of our tries in the games he played were through the forwards.
In the pre-season games that I saw, he looked a lot steadier than Searle. By that I mean he did the possession/territory thing very well.
Searle has always looked more likely to break the line, or put others over the line.

Not to say that I don't rate Sheedy, I guess I mean that to my mind, Searle is the more dangerous player. But of course, both are 21. Lot of time yet.

Not sure you're correct there robtheh, my recollection is that CS was making a few clean breaks towards the end of that promotion season, as he settled in.

Generally he is appeared more controlled than BS who, from time to time, seems to do something to make me feel he's more impulsive.

Both are extremely good prospects and if we could, as someone suggested, develop a Ford/Farrell type of combination, that would be wonderful. I do hope we can hang on to both (them down the road were monitoring CS at one time as their boy Hastings wasn't making progress as they'd hoped).

Hope to see Sheedy featuring soon in the B&I games.

I think Searle actually has more potential - they way he stood up last season with no experience and is performing at the moment it would be unfair to drop him

Quote:

Hercules Spoons
Not sure you're correct there robtheh, my recollection is that CS was making a few clean breaks towards the end of that promotion season, as he settled in.
Generally he is appeared more controlled than BS who, from time to time, seems to do something to make me feel he's more impulsive.

Both are extremely good prospects and if we could, as someone suggested, develop a Ford/Farrell type of combination, that would be wonderful. I do hope we can hang on to both (them down the road were monitoring CS at one time as their boy Hastings wasn't making progress as they'd hoped).

Hope to see Sheedy featuring soon in the B&I games.

For sure, my opinion is absolutely not to get rid. If they could be developed into a 10/12 axis, that would be absolutely fantastic.
Be sure the future’s bright!

Another one for the 10/12 axis. Hope to see it tried in the B&I but also want to see bedlow get some game time.

Not sure either are big enough for 12. I think Sheedy has the ability to turn a game on it's head/x factor more than Searle who seems to be becoming a class act in every way and able to do his stuff whilst receiving poor ball.

I think both should be used depending on opposition, say Callum on at 60 for a tiring side and Searle starting. Or Sheedy making breaks and doing his magic to get a lead and Searle on to close the game out with his game management.

I haven't seen Sheedy much since his injury so hope it still applies. Both are extremely valuable and it's been a long time since we had a situation like this, never mind both coming through our academy.

Not sure we can take much credit for Billy Rinkadink. I think we brought him in from Plymouth?
We gave him his chance though.

Interesting Rinky as I see it the other way round, think Billy is more of the break maker when he is playing flat to line, and Callum more of the controller, although I think the control side of Billy's game is improving this season, maybe as Pat has him lying so deep.

That injury at the start of last season was substantial and really killed Callum's progress with us, whilst Billy got thrown in in the Prem, and did OK in more games at that level in a poor team than the handful of games Callum played in the winning team in a poor champ for us. I suspect had he stayed fit we would have seen a lot more of him by now, and know if he is going to make it.

An interesting consideration is whether Pat is looking to recruit another experienced FH for next season? We have reasonable part time cover at FH like Pisi, JWilliams, Protherow, but will he take a risk on only one proven 10 (if you discount Pisi)? So I guess the performance of the two lads over the first few months will have an impact on that decision, but if we do get another one in then at least one of the lad must go for their own sake.

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Graham

C'mon Bris,



Stand out in a crowd, wear the Hoops!

I dont think size at 12 is as much of an issue as it seems. Providing whichever of them playing 12 has the Wilkinson/Farrell attitude to tackling, then I think youre fine. What you lose in attack through having a small playmaking 12 is made up for in their ability together to put the 11-15 in to space. With leiua, hurrell, morahan, protheroe etc outside it could be lethal. I cant honestly vouch for either of their defensive prowess' but I feel like that would be the crucial factor to the potential success of the combination.

I watched the match again last night and Searle's performance was a revelation. His all round game has certainly come on since last season. Also, no worries about his defence. Unlike Ford, he's not afraid to face up to the big men running in his challenge and, from what I saw, he's more than capable of bringing them down.

As a previous poster has said, it's difficult to make an assessment of Sheedy because of his bad luck with injury. I'd need to see a bit more of him before judging.... not that Mr Lam's going to lose sleep over my silence!