Do you think we need to try something different this week against Leeds Rhinos?

Part of the problem is not having a squad to rotate from. That means that the traditional method of dropping poor performing players can only apply if we are willing to take a punt at playing a youngster.

With Leeds the next game we either stick with the same guys, some of which should be dropped, and hope they have sufficient pride to rectify their own performance, or we actually drop those that deserve it and blood a young lad in a probable hiding. I'm no apologist for Macca but he's in a lose/lose situation coming up to the Leeds game.

Whilst I have no doubt that Macca is in some way failing to galvanise the squad he has to perform, I think his detractors need to acnowledge this key weapon in any coaches armoury (i.e. dropping players) is to some extent not at his disposal.

But we do have a squad to rotate them, we have 31 players in our first squad, that's as large as any in Super League. I personally think we should take a chance with some of the young players because quite clearly some of the more experienced players are not pulling their weight. I dont agree that it's a lose/lose situation here, In my own opinion I think that playing some of the young guns could help Macca and the team out a little. I personally wish to see some passion and I know that youngsters provide that, so if we play youngsters that have no fear in favour of some of the guys who I think are not playing with pride and passion then I could quite easily accept a loss, even if it's by a large margain.

Do you think that some of the astablished first teamers are complacent with their positions and think that they wont be dropped?

I'm not saying they actively consider the fact, more that at the back of their mind when Macca is shouting (or whatever he does when they play gash) they'll know they are likely to still get picked for the next game.

Whatever the theoretical size of the Bulls squad, you and I both know that there isn't the class to offer genuine competition. And as for the perfectly understandable notion of saying s0d it and playing kids, that's all well and good againt a lesser team but it can't do any youngster any good to come into a Bulls side that gets bent over by Leeds. It could set their development back.

Here ya go, one Squad for the rotation of. No good if you don't pick em though, or put them on the bench for 78 mins.

Sam Burgess
Squad No: 8
DOB: 14/12/1988
Height: 6ft 5in
Weight: 110kg
Position: Prop

Matt Cook
Squad No: 15
DOB: 14/11/1986
Height: 6ft
Weight: 97kg
Position: Utility Player

Jason Crookes
Squad No: 23
DOB: 21/04/1990
Height: 5ft 11
Weight: 86kg
Position: Centre/Wing

Steve Crossley
Squad No: 25
DOB: 28/11/1989
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 105kg
Position: Prop

Paul Deacon
Squad No: 7
DOB: 13/02/1979
Height: 5ft 8
Weight: 81kg
Position: Scrum Half

James Donaldson
Squad No: 30
DOB: 14/09/1991
Height: 5ft 11
Weight: 85kg
Position: Loose Forward

Wayne Godwin
Squad No: 14
DOB: 13/03/1982
Height: 5ft 9
Weight: 84kg
Position: Hooker

Dave Halley
Squad No: 20
DOB: 12/10/1986
Height: 5ft 9in
Weight: 81kg
Position: Wing

Kieran Hyde
Squad No: 27
DOB: 10/10/1989
Height: 5ft 11
Weight: 85kg
Position: Full Back

Matt James
Squad No: 22
DOB: 26/03/1987
Height: 6ft 0in
Weight: 95kg
Position: Prop

Ben Jeffries
Squad No: 6
DOB: 04/09/1980
Height: 5ft 9
Weight: 81kg
Position: Stand Off

Craig Kopczak
Squad No: 19
DOB: 20/12/1986
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 101kg
Position: Prop

Jamie Langley
Squad No: 13
DOB: 21/12/1983
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 98kg
Position: Loose Forward

Andy Lynch
Squad No: 10
DOB: 20/10/1979
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 105kg
Position: Prop

Steve Menzies
Squad No: 11
DOB: 04/12/1973
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 101kg
Position: Second Row

Glenn Morrison
Squad No: 12
DOB: 28/05/1976
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 99kg
Position: Second Row

Chris Nero
Squad No: 4
DOB: 14/02/1981
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 96kg
Position: Centre/Second Row

Terry Newton
Squad No: 9
DOB: 07/11/1979
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 96kg
Position: Hooker

Tom Olbison
Squad No: 29
DOB: 20/03/1991
Height: 6ft 1
Weight: 96kg
Position: Second Row

Michael Platt
Squad No: 1
DOB: 23/03/1984
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 93kg
Position: Full Back

Nick Scruton
Squad No: 17
DOB: 24/12/1984
Height: 6ft
Weight: 106kg
Position: Prop

Rikki Sheriffe
Squad No: 2
DOB: 05/05/1984
Height: 6ft
Weight: 91kg
Position: Wing

David Solomona
Squad No: 26
DOB: 26/01/1978
Height: 6ft
Weight: 110kg
Position: Second Row

Duane Straugheir
DOB: 28/09/1989
Height: 6ft 0
Weight: 90kg
Position: Centre

Paul Sykes
Squad No: 3
DOB: 11/08/1981
Height: 5ft 10
Weight: 92kg
Position: Centre

Semi Tadulala
Squad No: 5
DOB: 03/03/1978
Height: 6ft 1
Weight: 95kg
Position: Wing

Andy Tate
Squad No: 31
DOB: 07/09/1991
Height: 6ft 3
Weight: 84kg
Position: Second Row

Tame Tupou
Squad No: 18
DOB: 22/10/1982
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 110 kg
Position: Utility Player

Elliott Whitehead
Squad No: 28
DOB: 04/09/1989
Height: 6ft 2
Weight: 93kg
Position: Second Row

Michael Worrincy
Squad No: 16
DOB: 16/02/1986
Height: 6ft1in
Weight: 101kg
Position: Second Row

Like win the game perhaps ?

We've given 31 players a squad number, it isn't quite the same thing.

We have a crop of U18's internationals, if they cant provide competition to some of the first teamers, particularly the backs then they cant be all that good then and there's not much point of them being there except to make up the numbers. I also dont buy into the opinion that a tonking would set any youngsters back, it would be part and parcel of their development and if anything it would be a good experience for them, it would give them a good idea of what the level is that they are now part of and if they want to become established super league players then they have to get up to that standard. I'm not saying play all the academy team, but make a few little changes here and there.

I'd be careful. When Wigan were going through a spell like ours under Millward they played a lot of youngsters who took years to get over the experience.

If we do bring any in I'd restrict it to one or two at a time.

I think 30 of them train with the first team squad day in day out except Straughier, im not sure I spelt that right. That makes them first team squad members in my books.

That's what I am saying, 1 or 2 at a time, then they are surrounded by experienced players.

It doesn't mean the intention to use them as part of the squad on a regular basis was there though.

You'd have to be very careful blooding young players in this scenario, coming into struggling teams can set back, or ruin a promising player - it's not just a physical or performance thing, it can be a mental one too.

There's enough expectation being placed on these young players by the clubs approach as it is, throwing them into a struggling team losing more often than not could be very counter-productive.

Whitehead and Olbison have been named in the squad this season already so maybe they're first in the queue? Then there's Donaldson too.

I remember in 98 Matt Elliott was forced by injury and loss of form to give a few youngsters a shot. They were aged between 16 and 19. Their names were Paul Deacon, Stuart Fielden and Leon Pryce. Now I don't know if we have any prospects like that but it's worth a shot playing them at some stage soon.

I'd be more likely to play any youngsters at Wakey than give them their debuts this Friday.

Fact is that the present side isn't likely to start taking SL by storm and we all know we're too skint to buy players so the kids are going to get a game soon I think.

Pah. Glass palate, glass jaw and glass thrower. Set of wasters the lot of them.

Saints always seem to do it. Wigan did it with Tomkins...

If they are good enough then let some of them play. The "senior" players should not be untouchable.

Questions need to be asked, what does Halley have to do to get a starting spot? He was doing the business last year when Platt was either banned or injured, then we dropped him. He is a local lad and will always give 100%.

Indeed, but not on a wholesale basis that some seem to be favouring.

I'm sure they'll all get the McNamara treatment soon, a bench spot with five or six minutes playing time before being hauled off.

It means that they are there to be used if they need to be. Thats why they are there, because they are considered good enough to offer competition for places. You have to be careful, but you shouldn't be over cautious, holding them back can mean that they don't develop as fast as they would because they are not getting the chance to play alongside and against the top guys. Every youngster gets a smacking from an established player the come up against, it's part of their development - Even Steve Renouf got dominated by Big Mal on occasions, it didn't do him any harm, in fact look at how good he turned out to be. Good youngsters dont have their careers ruined or set back because they get knocked about every now and then, they just get up, dust themselves down and get on with it.

I'm not saying make wholesale changes but there needs to be something done, there needs to be an injection of enthusiasm in the team and playing a youngster or a couple of good youngsters for a few games would be a good start. The Aussies do it, Saints, Leeds and Wigan do it, it doesn't bother them.

Jason Crookes and Kieron Hyde should be seriously pushing for a 1st team place, these boys are boys that can make a difference and we should be using them.

totally agree. These younger players will be going elsewhere if they do not get an opportunity when the first team are playing crap week in week out.....

if you're going to bring in young players do you want to put them into pivotal positions (half backs for example) in their first game?

Especially not the crazy high-pressure scenario that Friday's game will be.

Absolute madness to throw young guys in off the cliff into this of all games IMO. Maybe subsequent games, but not this one.

So to change something you have to move someone out of position (where they don't normally train or play) and if that's one of the halves you are trying to create a partnership in a very short space of time. People keep suggesting Menzies/Jeffries for the halves but they've been team mates for only a few months and never played as a pair.
It's difficult to see how you can replace any of the key positions, especially given the current squad and injuries, so you end up looking at /winger combinations.

Having said that and given we started the season with only Deacon and Jeffries you'd hope there was plan for covering them in case of injuries.

Gleeson, Dallas, Aspinwall, Wild, Carney, Brown, Moran, Seuseu, Newton, Sculthorpe, Tickle, Allen, Beswick. Subs Godwin, Hargreaves, Guisett, Hansen.

Wigan's team for the 75-0 defeat by St Helens in 2005. Dont think that defeat did much for the development of the younger players.

not saying drop them all.... but why not give one or two a go off the bench and actually give them some game time. No point been 18th or 19th man in he squad, I am sure they know what match day is all about - give them a go if the senior players are not performing.

Reminding me of that derby result gives me an awful feeling about Friday!