Agree with B4C.

Sorry but Platt shouldn't be coming close to starting for us, I thought he looked poor against Wakey and while you can't knock his heart he isn't good enough to be playing for a club with top 8 ambitions. If he plays I expect to see his opposite number getting himself a few tries

Tbf though, whilst Whitehead puts decent hits in in defence, he still misses a fair few tackles, and shifting him to the centres would really weaken our second row.

Who else then?

Addy 13, Bateman 2nd row and Whitehead in the centre.

Not ideal obviously. I think Platt is a top bloke but he leaks trys and doesn't create a lot in attack either (though scooting up the centre of the field obviously doesn't help). I just think he sums up the below mediocre last 3 seasons.

But in general it won't make our defence any better. Addy hasn't proved himself as a good defender yet, and Whiteheads still not on a great missed tackle percentage in his natural position.

I agree on your last part, although tbh I dont think Whitehead offers anything at centre either. I'd rather play the guy that plays in that position there than moving a backrower out there. I liked Addy previously but he didnt really kick on last season and Im not sure where he stands in the squad this year. Can't see Addy playing much at all though.

It's a shame for Addy as he hasn't played in his favoured position for any decent run. Needs a chance for a decent run at 13 to find out whether he's good enough or not.

The only sensible way to not have Platt at centre is to move Crookes into the centre and put either Pryce or Ainscough on the wing.

But I imagine that Potter doesn't want to move Crookes when he is really starting to make the wing position his own

Anyway, Purtell will be back in 3-4 weeks or so, then Platt won't be in the team

Crookes shouldn't be moved. It's clear he's more suited to the wing now, and I hope he'll stay there all season tbh.

wonder if burgess is going to feature given he played for u20s tonight.

Addy playing tonight too, so Burgess and Addy the ones to miss on out Saturday?
Would leave us looking like this:

Kearney
Crookes
Lulia
Platt
Kear
Sammut
Jeffries
Kopczak
Diskin
Hargreaves
Witehead
Bateman
Langley

L'Estrange
Scruton
Joseph
Nas

Would say wire will line up something like

Hodgson

Riley
Atkins
Bridge
J monas

Briers
Myler

Moz
Higham
Carvell
Waterhouse
Westwood
Grix

Wood
Hill
cooper
Ratchford


With no m monas will be intetesting to see our go forward

Burgess had his best game of the season last week, would be a shame to see him miss out just because our overseas big man is fit again. They should both be on the park IMO.

Agreed.

I can't fault his effort, but it should be Joseph to drop out for me. Puts 100% in but doesn't have the quality that Burgess can show.

The feeling, message I got from Mick Potter tonight was that he doesn't want Tom to go down the Stuart Fielden route.

Hence why a weeks rest could prolong burn out.

But when he had his best game so far this season last week, seems silly to drop him.

Not to mention we're only 5 games in

Seems like a poor analogy to me

Fielden was playing 80 minutes week in week out. Burgess is usually on the field for 15-20 minutes

That said, I don't mind a bit of prop rotation, so long as it isn't always going to be Burgess that misses out

having tom play full 80 in u20s as opposed to 10-15mins in 1st team seems an odd way off giving hima weeks rest.

I just said the exact same thing in another thread. Seems a bit illogical to say the least.

You were obviously watching a different game as burgess was poor hence why he's been dropped for the u20's and championship player Joseph has made the squad in front of him. Bulls can't have someone on the pitch who can't catch the ball or even keep hold of it

<<< What he said! Squad players have to be played

I didn't think Tom was particularly outstanding last week. He didn't do a great deal 'wrong', to be fair, though he just looks to have lost a little bit of the dynamism he showed at the end of last season, but in any case, Nas has to come into the rotation now he is fit. I'm sure Tom will be back.

mnm has played a number of games at 2nd row, which is an option for Potter with Elima Sibbit Olbison all out. and from the match bullseye it looks as if Potter is aiming to play it simpe and tight, so another reason for Tom to miss out apart from the burnout, joseph is no frills no errors. and I would rather tom was fresh to play against a must beat team and make a lot of ground for us.

Joseph is no frills, no errors, and most likely no yards.