Heck of a blow for him and the team.

So what it the half back combo now? Must be sutty and lilley for me, or
Are we gonna go for brierly?

Gonna be a tricky start to the season.

Lilley has to have a place in starting lineup and goalkicker. Starting with widnes

That is a blow.That said, great chance to give Lilley an extended run and that is what i would like to see.Obviously we could go with Burrow at 7 if Faloon is fit for the next game.Will be interesting to see who we go with.

I would be playing Lilley at 7 and Sutty at 6 and Burrow and Falloon to share time at 9. Burrow also could play 7 with Lilley at 6 and Sutty at 13. We also have the outstanding prospect of Golding as a reserve 7. However if we get further injuries at halfback we may need to recruit.

If the club see sutty as the long term 6 then he has to keep playing him there.

If he does keep playing him he needs an organiser with him which has to be lilley.

It's a big risk given their ages/experience but you have to give them a chance.

That's perhaps harsh on burrow who I still think is a very valuable squad member but he is better off the bench.

Obviously a huge blow re the WCC and the tough run of games weve got.
On the plus side its early in the season and we will hopefully get to see abit of the future if Lilly and Sutcliffe are played together, with burrow to come on nd kick out of dummy half if we look like we need direction.
Have they played in the academy together or did they just miss each other?
Also I would like to see Hardaker made temporary captain, looked to be lacking a little confidence especially re kicking and the captaincy could be the boost he needs

missed each other i think - Sutcliffe is 21 and came into the first team in 2013, and Lilley is only just 19.
its only 2 years in age difference but when Sutcliffe was playing age groups they had under 18s then u21s/u23s, so although they have played together i dont think it happened that often.

They've played together briefly when Sutty stepped back down to u19's.
For me it's a no brainer Sutty at 6 Lilley at 7 Burrow on the bench/rotating 9 with Falloon.

Bluddy hell.....could be a very difficult start to the season with so many tough fixtures. Injuries always have such a bearing on the success or non-success of a team: and so it will come to bear.

I would agree with all you have written here. Sutcliffe and Lilley for me with Burrow off the bench (we need an organising halfback). Lets hope Faloon IS fit for the Widnes match.

Maybe Golding is getting closer to a run a halfback too.

It's clear that Mac doesn't totally trust Lilley. He's in the same boat that Singo was in 2 years ago. If Falloon is fit, then Mac will play Burrow at 7. If Falloon is out then Mac will be forced to play Lilley.

This is the acid test now. Sutcliffe has got 2 months to show whether he is a halfback. Personally, I think it'll be a disaster.

Not quite sure it'll be a disaster.....Sutcliffe does have some real qualities about his play: remember his kick at Langtree Park for Handley's try.

You might be right about McDermott preferring to partner Sutcliffe with Burrow, but at least (hopefully) Lilley will be on the bench to be brought on to mix things up a bit.
To be honest Burrow lost his 1st replacement status IMO after bombing the try that would have won Leeds the game. Lillley to start; Burrow on the bench please.

Either way with either Lilley or Burrow on from the start I know what I would be doing with regards to making the decision as to who should be taking the place kicks (and it wouldn't be Hardaker...or Sutcliffe)

I really like the look of Lilley, got an Andy Gregory look about him, seems quite happy to boss the game, on current form he has to start, let's see what he can do over next couple of months, some players you just have to let the shackles off and let them go for it, Lilley is one of them for me.

maybe we can sign a guy from Yorkshire Carnegie , that would probably go a long way to winning us the world club challenge

I was thinking the same thing. Kev has only played about 9 times so far but will want to finish the RU season to give it a fair chance. But I would not be surprised if, after an end of season break, that he feels an urge to rejoin the Rhinos for the business end of the season, especially if there is another injury crisis.

That's all well and good but at some point everyone has to accept kev is not a rhino.

Maybe we could get him back after the union season. Maybe even he might realise the union thing isn't for him and come back on a 1 or 2 year deal. But at some point we have to accept we need to figure out how we move on without him.

Sutty and lilley are the future and the future is now.

Feel like I am following you around agreeing with you!!! But once again I agree. Liley looked good. Sutty looked very rusty but needs to be given some time.

I would hate to see Kev back. An absolute legend who retired on the highest stage which he deserved would like to remember him going out at old Trafford. I think he is an intelligent man and won't come back to play. He had the fairy tail ending the club now needs to move forward

Totally agree

hopefully sutcliffe was playing with himself 1st game and him and lilley can be the future

I don't see how you can claim Mac doesn't trust Lilley because he selected more experienced players to start. I would have selected Lilley to start myself as Sutty was not going to be match fit but I fully acknowledge why Sutty got the call as Mac will have one eye on the WCC

no wonder Sutcliffe had a poor game if thats what he was doing

Sutcliffe did not play v wakey on Boxing Day. He is only just fit enough to play, he would have gone off after the knock he took but McGuire went. One fierce game in after horrific injury with captain and main half going off injured meant he was on a one leg hiding to nothing.

He gave some poor passes but he put in a fine tackle after a Leeds kick and the wire player lost the ball. This resulted in set where burrow was wrongly penalised for playing ball when child judged he had not been tackled. if play had gone on and we had scored which was quite possible after a rare quick PTB - the sky pundits would have said Sutcliffe turned the game. Give him 2 injury free years.

If Sutty is our 6, he is our 6 now. He isnt necessarily at the sink or swim time, but he is definitely at the learn by doing stage. Sutty needs to given a couple of years to make mistakes, he will have off games, will lose a bit of form, blow a bit hot and cold, thats young players for you. There is no point picking him week to week, he needs to be given faith and he needs to repay that faith.

Lilley looked good, but he looks a player developing in to a hooker rather than half to me, definitely played himself in to a position next week and one of the great things Burrow gives us is the ability to switch between hooker and half even in the same set which takes some pressure off him.

Golding coming through gives us another option too. With where we are as a club and a team developing, and where we are in the season, i think we go with what we have. Whoever we could get in would at best be very temporary, and would be available for a reason. Id rather Golding, Lilley, Sutcliffe got some time and experience than we looked for some short term option.

If Sutty is our 6, he is our 6 now. He isnt necessarily at the sink or swim time, but he is definitely at the learn by doing stage. Sutty needs to given a couple of years to make mistakes, he will have off games, will lose a bit of form, blow a bit hot and cold, thats young players for you. There is no point picking him week to week, he needs to be given faith and he needs to repay that faith.

Lilley looked good, but he looks a player developing in to a hooker rather than half to me, definitely played himself in to a position next week and one of the great things Burrow gives us is the ability to switch between hooker and half even in the same set which takes some pressure off him.

Golding coming through gives us another option too. With where we are as a club and a team developing, and where we are in the season, i think we go with what we have. Whoever we could get in would at best be very temporary, and would be available for a reason. Id rather Golding, Lilley, Sutcliffe got some time and experience than we looked for some short term option.

I hope we go with Sutty and Lilley at HB, lets show some faith in them. We will hopefully have Falloon back and Burrow on the bench if one of the HBs are struggling?.

Totally agree with 'your selections' ...but Rob is now acting captain, so I doubt he will start on the bench. At least Lilley should make that bench spot. ......

You don't know how happy it makes me to eventually see - at long last - everybody joining me in advocating the fearless promotion of youth