(A thread need for the halves issues.
They're all over the board at the moment.)

Could it be that Myler and Ratchford need structure?
Is it possible that their lacking at creating something comes down to not having the instinctive to play that role the TS wants of develop during attack play?

Too reliant on a kick to Joel that seems the only structure and everyone knows we do it.
So even that is becoming less effective to date.

I think they, and other areas of the team really need game time together in order
to start to blend.

Unfortunately though, TS seems set on experimenting with different partnerships for the
first half of the season.

How are they expected to blend ? Surely some of the basic options should be sorted
before the season starts.

Having watched Widnes-Salford last night, I must admit I did finish up wondering how Salford
finish up with a 19 rear old French kid standing-in for Chase, Theo Fage, who seems to
have a lot of the skills we are looking for. He was getting more and more confident and
adventurous as the game progressed. For me, he should keep the unpredictable Chase out.

Don't get me wrong, in Myler, O'Brien and Ratchford I think we have some outstanding talents
but with constant chopping and changing they will never reach full potential.

I agree Theo Fage did look impressive.
But both sets of teams were also light up front.
Perhaps that may have helped a little in the display of the backs?

The odd occasions i have seen Fage he looks quite useful , but i do wonder at times if our coaching staff have lost the plot .

I can believe you all watched that game and were raving about Theo Fages. When in my eyes Joe Mellor was the best half back by a country mile

i was saying to the wife last night.. i wonder if widnes would like to do a straight swap with Myler.

Both lads get to play for their hometown clubs again then... everyone's a winner

Ha Ha I was thinking exactly the same. He has a good kicking game and he can't half spot a gap

he is the anti-myler

We could give them myler and Atkins for Mellor and a tackle bag.. And £1000 cash in there favour. Id be happy with that

...and a pony?

Last night Mellor reminded me a bit of Nathan Wood

I liked Joe Mellor last night.
A throw back to Nat Wood style.

Still both teams lacked forward power last night. Would Mellor and Fage look so great against a big pack?

Wow yed and the duckie on a par

I thought Joe Mellor looked very, very good and to be fair so did a few of the Widnes backline - the real test of Mellor and the rest will come next week when they play Leeds, I think.

I also through Liam Finn looked good for Cas the other week against Hull KR.

Intelligent kicking, incisive handling, quick-thinking and organisation from a half-back - not much to ask is it?

Now with Russell in the team we left with Ratchford, GOB and Myler for 6/7.

Headache.
One is going have to be benched at least.

I've been thinking it would go back to 'plan A' of Ratch and Myler. But I just don't know anymore. Myler being the one to shift to hooker yesterday and being the least effective of the year so far may see him miss out on Friday.

All I can hope for is that Smith doesn't try and get them all in and put the 'other' one on the bench instead of a back rower.

I think we should have a back on the bench every week.
I cant see a better player for that role than Ratchford too.

Although Grix is more than handy on the bench when fit.

Ratchford should be at 1,6 or 7 for the full 80 not on the bench

...and is precisely why he is ideal off the bench!

Your missing the point. He is wasted on the bench. He is one of our best players, so why should we not play him all the time and let him watch from the bench?

Mellor was good against Huddersfield, and Salfords pack is big!

Mellor was probably another who John Bastion pushed out.
Mellor is Warrington through and through too.
He was Warrington crazy.

I'm not missing your point, I believe that the bench plays a more important role than I assume you do.
Having watch Ratchford as many times as anyone since he came to Warrington I feel he's more effective in the 2nd quarter of each half when defences tire.

So I reckon keeping him fresh would make him double the threat?.

The harsh fact is one of the main reasons we have been a good side in recent years, is that Briers was the best halfback in Super League and he delivered time and again.

Yes when he retired we all tried to be relaxed about it and said don't worry we won lots of games in recent years when Briers wasn't in the side, we've got lots of options for the halves, O'Brien, Ratchford and Myler plus Grix or Bridge could cover there so we'll be ok.

But over this season we're going to have a nice controlled experiment: get a great team, remove Briers from it, and see if its still a great team.