1. Jake Mullaney
2. Danny Williams
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Junior Sau
7. Tim Smith
8. Adrian Morley
9. Tommy Lee
10.Lama Tasi
11.Tony Puletua
13.Harrison Hanson
14.Theo Fages
16.Andrew Dixon
17.Shannon Mcpherson
19. Matty Ashurst
20. Adam Walne
21. Jordan Walne
22. Jason Walton
23.Greg Johnson
34. Dom Manfredi

No Howarth? Wow.

Hope the Walnes get a run. Williams to drop out for Manfredi would be my choice.

Lee to play 80 minutes then?

No spare hooker or halfback is a strange one, especially given our recent luck with injuries.

If Lee is happy to play 80 minutes, I'd rather that than Howarth interchanging...but not having any kind of backup for the spine seems a little out there.

Looks like 4 forwards on the bench, unless he puts a winger there.

Hope Sau makes the game.

No Howarth - who are we going to blame for defeat this week???

What if we win?

Cross that bridge when we come to it

Don't get me wrong, I want a Salford win as much as anyone on here, just don't care much for the scapegoating that goes on.

I don't think he's first team material, he's a squad hooker who's been playing first team and struggling in my opinion...But I wouldn't blame any of the defeats on him alone, it's a team game after all. He does work hard just isn't quite making the grade at the moment.

Back on topic though, really hoping we can pull off a win on Friday, could do with a bit of momentum & are surely due some good fortune this season.

If push comes to show Gleeson to move into the halves and Walton into the centres. That said think he looked a much better second row than he has done at .

I meant to say that about Walton actually, I'd like to see him start at second row. He was impressive against Widnes.

I think Hock, HH and Walton @ 13 would be a very potent back 3.

You really do need to watch the games or is the coach also making him a scapegoat?

Our two defeats thus far haven’t been Howarth’s fault, but that doesn’t excuse how poor he has been during those and the Wakefield game. I like how people get defensive and suddenly shout “scapegoat” when in reality it’s just the majority of us (and evidently Noble now too) agreeing that the lad just isn’t good enough to be a Super League hooker.

I agree with Walton, thought he was brilliant against Widnes. I would like to see him brought on from the bench again though, I thought his impact was enthusiastic, strong and gave us a real lift going forward. I hope someone sticks to his shoulder too, because many of times he would have off loaded to a supporting runner.

That's why I say above stick him at #13, looks powerful going forward and get into position to create for others which is what we've been lacking in a number 13 for a good while now.

Just a tad unfair! If the coach chooses to drop a player then that's what we pay him for - if there is a criticism then shouldn't it be aimed towards the coaching staff for playing him in a position where slow distribution will get punished?

Yes I agree, some blame should lie with the coaching staff for continuing to play him.

It just makes me laugh how he’s being branded as a scapegoat when he’s clearly just not good enough and everyone can see it. He has made just 52 meters forward so far this season with an average gain of just over 3 meters from 15 carries (Walne has made more and he only played 30 minutes against London) – I’m not usually one for stats, but an average gain of 3 meters for a hooker is outrageously poor and so is only 15 carries, couple that with his painfully slow distribution and his shoddy defence means he’s never in a million years a super league player. I don’t think the OPTA stats show how bad his defence really is either as to my knowledge they don’t count it as a missed tackle when someone gets bumped then they join the same tackle again after someone has hold of him. Howarth does it all the time, goes up high for the big hit and just bounces off the player then dives in at 3rd man therefore doesn’t count as a miss.

I would love for him to make me eat my words, but unfortunately he lacks the talent so I doubt that’s going to happen.

52 metres is the worst in the team so far this season (barring Rangi Chase who has only played 25 minutes). In contrast Tommy Lee has made four times that amount with 200 metres.

With 2 experienced,successsful,hookers in the opposition team,Higham and Monaghan,it does seem a strange decision to omit Howarth - unless he is injured or his confidence shot.
It is strange that 2 ex-hookers have selected him if he really is as bad as has been made out on here.

On a coaching note it seems a good idea that a specialist full back has been recruited to assist a young full back at Hull FC.( The same fella who has been helping the last side to defeat us ) [url=http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-FC-recruit-Brett-Hodgson-mentor-Jamie-Shaul/story-20793779-detail/story.htmlSTORY[/url

On a more worrying level,is it possible for coaching consultants to be used by more than one club?
Can we retain Sean Long?

It should be good on here from Friday night.

And that’s still on the low side for a modern day hooker, I know the mans a freak, but James Roby makes nearly 200 meters a game!

"It just makes me laugh how he’s being branded as a scapegoat when he’s clearly just not good enough and everyone can see it."
Please explain this sentence
and advise me of how you know everyone sees him as being not good enough.
There have been several favourable comments on here.

Frankly, it beats me how some like to get on a player's back and loudly and repeatedy criticise. I did not like this when I first joined the board in 2002 and it still annoys me.

I agree,it has always annoyed me as well.
Having said that,Howarth isn't good enough !

I don't think anyone has blamed Howarth for any defeats.

He's highlighted himself through poor performance to gain the criticism of fans. That's not scapegoating, it's highlighting a player out of his depth. As far as I've read, nobody has blamed the defeats on anything but the team and not individuals.

If players put in sub-par performances they will be called out. Nobody is laying sole responsibility for a loss on their shoulders. You need to be a little less sensitive.

Agreed. I don't think I've seen anyone blaming Howarth for defeats. They've simply said he's not good enough. There's been a bit of criticism of Danny Williams as well with people questioning whether he's good enough but no one seems to have mentioned that - it's not just Howarth.

What are peoples thoughts on the game? Interesting to see Wire post a similar scoreline to us down in London at the weekend. Could be an interesting night although I can see Wire winning by about 10 points.

As we lost by 2 tries and a penalty, I think this quote from page 6 of the Widnes thread does put blame on him:
"Thought howarth had another stinker tonight costing us two tries"
and on page 7: "Got to say, you can see a visible difference whenever Howarth is on the pitch, the whole structure falls apart."

As one who almost always agrees with you, Butcher, on the point no one is blaming him for the defeat, we have to differ.

I am aware of the short comings shown by him AND [uother[/u players in every match I've seen this season (I missed London).