If either of them have such fragile egos I'd be surprised and disappointed. We've operated with 3+ halfbacks in the squad for more than 10 years, it's common sense. To just have two leaves you massively exposed in the event of injury or loss of form as we can see.

We may have done, but Bird would obviously have been The Man if acquired, and on the most money. Not sure about "fragile egos", but at the start of the season both have seemed woefully short of confidence. Jeffries has definitely and markedly improved - Wigan game excluded - but Deacon seems a shadow of the player he's been. It must be down to something.

Is it possible that if we're looking at a player from overseas that we might be applying for a visa before making an announcement? Suppose we can live in hope, the Jeffries/Deacon combo is a depressing thought based on the season so far.

I am confident they will improve on what we've seen so far but surely if a halfback is available then we should be making some enquiries. I believe the NZ Warriors were willing to discuss releasing Witt, an old mate of Menzies perhaps?

Bird and Deacon would've probably remained first choice with Jeffries on the bench. However if Harris could put up with warming the bench last season and Robbie Paul before him then Jeffries and Deacon need to "man up" and accept the decision for the good of the team.

I wonder if Deacs is feeling the effects of a few injuries. I hope it's just form but it could be he's not able to do what he did a few years back.

Ok

I'm not making mischief (might have been in a mood last night though), just think great is an overstatement

Maybe we are missing him but I also think the fact he turned down a superleague contract shows he'd physically had enough so thats not an option.

I also can't help but think Jeffries has more to offer us than we are seeing from him- is it the players or is it the plays ? again I'm not sure

That was said on the terraces around us on Sun, a couple of times it almost looked like he was focusing on avoiding any potential collisions rather than focusing on where he and the ball were going next.

Could be reading too much into it mind as that has never struck me as a problem with him in previous seasons - so it could just be the general maliase and lack of confidence that the whole team seem to be suffering from. He does need to challenge the line with ball in hand more effectively more often though as the Hull defence didnt seem too worried by his threat and could focus their attention elsewhere it seemed to me.

I dont see dropping him for no adequate replacement would help either, or taking the captaincy off him.

"Apparently" Harris was offered a one year extension by the Bulls but wanted a 2 year contract. I think its a shame he has gone, just for the Bulls fans to point fingers in other directions (Deacon, Jefferies, Platt etc) Last year Iestyn was your scape goat, whose it gonna be this year? I hope Not Deacon because he's been a good servant to your club. But in the 4 games ive seen him play this year, he's not cutting it. If Bradford we're aware of frailties at 6 or 7 (Greg Bird being approach) but havent done anything about it, maybe its not Deacon that needs dropping but a non playing member of staff???

Harris was never a scapegoat, but as a player he did polarise opinions and neither side would ever compromise.

You ask who's the 'scapegoat' and "hope" it's not Deacon - but you immediately say "he's not cutting it". So are you making him the scapegoat, then? It isn't scapegaoting to point out when someone's form is very poor, and it is true that if we'd swopped No.7 s against Hull then we would have won. Not just because Deacon was poor, but because Thorman was superb, and had a hand in every try Hull scored. To say that is not scapegoating, it is just rational discussion of what we saw.

Thorman won't be superb every week, and many years of form suggests that Deacon will not be poor every week. For now, though, he is poor.

My thoughts always return to Dobson. Not because of him specifically but because he proves there are incredibly talented Australians over in the NRL being kept out by the clubs superstars. I just wish there was someway of finding these guys that we know exist.

Deacons structured and rather safe style needs a very very nippy stand-off imo.

Our best half back pairing IMO was Henry and Robbie but either of them worked well within Deacon. Same applied to Leon and even Karl Pratt.

So basically are you saying Deacon never gels with any of our other quality half-backs? That points only one way surely.

Useful really seen as you havent got another one for him to attempt to gel with. I think you need to bring someone in at your half back position. Bit of competition and a new face might help sort things out a little bit. Oh Yes!

Nope. I'm saying the opposite(though not doing a greta job of it obviously

). He gelled very well with almost all of the halfbacks we've had in the past 10 years.

One thing they all had in common (apart from Pratt) was that they were all very good players and better than Jeffries. They also all had better backs outside them and a better pack up front.

My fault. I read 'either' as 'neither'.

Thanks for that. We'd never have got there without your input

That's always been my view. He was the safe one who took very few risks & lived off the genius of the Pauls. FA would look good at the side of them providing he was a good kicker who knew his limitations.

His safeness and structure have won us a lot more games than they've lost. But in Jeffries we just aren't getting the sparky foil (I like that phrase so I'm going to patent it) that Deacs needs.

I've some KitKat wrapper on my desk, the club could probably afford that.

That's where we differ. I'd argue you'd have won them with virtually any any half who could kick.

Look at the Records & Stats Tigs - Deacon deserves better respect than this topic - hang you heads in shame all you knockers

Maybe but they do say......damn lies and statistics

Well jus look at the FACTS Northy - Deacs is a legend & deserves better respect that many people are giving him.

We are not playing well, but perhaps Team Spirit is not where it should be

Calm down

I like Deacon but stats are sometimes miss-leading is all I'm saying.

They're still facts, therefore you can't argue with them.

They say he can kick. No sh/t Sherlock.