You would think so, but when Scrutes first signed, he came off the bench and wasn't particularly great. As soon as he was moved into a starting berth, he came into his own.

that was my thinking. both scrutes and hargreaves are capable of starting but think scrutes would have a bigger impact off the bench than hargreves. Think kopczak is purely a bench interchange player at this stage.

What we want from a starting 13 + bench is Power Pace and Creativity and also the flexibility to change within the 13 during a game or off the bench. I'm sure that's what MP is looking to build on, it's a new team new systems and very much the unfinished article, my only concerns still, are that lack of creativity on the gain line and not covering the gaps in defence properly! I would expect to see a marked improvement game by game starting on Sunday, so by Easter we should have a good solid outfit with more plusses to come!

Sibbit played well against Halifax imo. On the basis that coaches always seem to pick (and keep on picking) an unexpected player I just have a feeling that he might be Potter's.

I agree. A couple of weeks ago I picked what I thought would be the 17 for the Leeds game and I had Sibbit on the bench.

I think we spoke about this before and Sibbit is as solid as they come! Good yards, strong defence! Don't have to be a world beater!

So after last nights game do we think that there will be any of the young kids in the bench for this game for Potter to have another look at? Maybe Burgess, Southernwood, Olbison, Crossley maybe Finnighan?

What's are peoples thoughts, I can't see us sticking to a 4 man bench

At this moment in time i am more worried about the frost. If this game is off we will be going into MM with most/all of our 17 having played 1 warm up game at best and in some cases none and others playing about 20 mins against Dewsbury

I know, it's really frosty this morning! Hope that it rises tomorrow a little! We need a strong first team outing before MM

The usual practice, IIRC is to play the final friendly like a league game with just the four subs and normal interchanges. It is a friendly though, so I guess they can agree to whatever they want and obviously I don't know what Potter's take on it is.

Lets hope the game goes ahead. Really looking forward to this.

so would I

I know! But with the Saints v Giants game today already cancelled this early it doesn't boad well!

I think we are very strong at loose and there are 4 or 5 players who you'd pick ahead of him at 13. i know positions merge thesedays too so its difficult to place someone in one role in the modern game. When Mat first suggested royston at loose didn't a fax fan come on and say he'd not played there. Its common practice now for a full back to pack down at loose in a defensive scrum so lets all not confuse that situation

IMO I don't like the suggestion of Royston at loose. I'd take Platt over him

Thank mate, well if we stick to a four man bench I would be happier. Easier to keep track of the subs on and off! Haha!

I dont think he would ever start at 13, because as you say we have good strength in depth in the backrow! Just that as you also said he may pack down there and run some of the moves as a loose and if he comes off the bench he could come on at 13.

Overall I think it would be more the later cases than the first.

friends?

That was when it was suggested he could play Stand Off I think. Which he never has for Fax. He's definitely played loose for them. That being said, I too would be disappointed if he was picked at Loose. Fullback is definitely his best position and we have other players more suited to loose forward than Royston (i.e. Addy, Donaldson, Langley). Only time Royston should be playing at 13 is if there's been an injury and we're short a backrower on the field, with a back on the bench.

As Mr. Flynn mentioned though, he could well run some moves as a Loose, even though he's actually playing fullback. Especially from scrums when a fullback often packs down at 13 anyway.

Haha! Just this once 

As far as the 4 subs things goes, if we were only going to play 4 subs, why would the remaining 3 players have not had a run out last night against Keighley?

I think we'll name 7, but it may be that 2 or 3 will only get a bit part.

Which 3 do you reckon? Burgess or Crossley, Batemen and Southernwood?

he meant 3 of players in squad for tomorrow would have played against keighley if we're using a 4 man bench tomorrow. not 3 from keighley game would play tomorrow.

Oh yeah sorry, been a long day already 

Score prediction:

Bradford 28 - Wakefield 10
Att. 4,567.

We doing a proper sub bench tomorrow, with proper interchanges.