I'd play him at wing or, if appropriate, give him a rest. I agree with SEB, I don't think it's a confidence thing. As a full back, by the nature of the position, he's often going to be running straight into the opposition's biggest players. For someone who is relatively small, he's bound to cough up possession more than we might expect.

As an aside, I hope people don't get on his back a la Kevin Penny and that any critcism is constructive.

Word of the week?

It has nothing to do with confidence, but the lad isn't up to the standard i want to see in a warrington shirt. I know people will come on and say he gives his best and i acknowledge that, but they can't keep saying he is a kid and he's learning his trade. He is twenty one years old with a season and a half nearly of first team rugby under his belt and i have yet to see enough to convince me he will be a good first team player.

happens almost every week and last season, it's costing us games.

Who Harry Houdini living it up on us!! I think if a player is injured & still getting paid which they all do nowadays anyway they should be made to come to the games END OF! They do in football

Why not? Promoting a young prospect seemed to do wonders for Wigan this week.

I already feel that a number of 'youngsters' have been promoted into the starting line up ahead of schedule due to injuries.

Surely if these younger youngsters were good enough they would already have had a chance in the side due to poor performances.

With Tony Smith now at the helm I am much more confident that the best 13 players will be out on the pitch and we will see a lot more fight (not fights in case L. Anderson is reading)

Not always; depends how much the first team coach spends time and shows interest in the reserve grades. I know for a fact Tony Smith has already been watching some of the other teams train so let us see what will happen.

Agreed.

He should be a (cheap) squad player to provide cover on the wing, nothing more.

I wish the club had given Varkulis this many chances, before offloading him.

Again we seem to be picking off one player to blame and put the blame on?
We cannot excuse we allowed 12 points in just 10 minutes.
Not denying that Riley was to blame for the dropped ball which lead to the winning try.
However, if we were ready from the go like we was in the second half and Clarke didn't go down the blindside in the last seconds, the 2 points should of been ours.
Back to the same argument though, 'if we did' or 'if he didn't'.
All in all, definite improvement. Seem to be getting our 'fight' back!

I'm not saying that it's all down to Riley, we had plenty of opportunities to win at the weekend.

All I'm saying is that he isn't good enough at full back, and we need to make a change.

I'm getting fed up of certain posters trying to claim he's been our best player so far this season

Of the 4 games so far, he has been ok in 1, poor in 2, and hopeless in 1.

i like chris riley but not as our fullback,
playin fullback for woolston rovers is one thing,
but a super league club no no sorry,

back on the wing will do,look at other clubs fullbacks,
briscoe hull kr,
brent webb (when fit) leeds,
pat richards (wigan)now they have naffed off mathers,
wellens(stains)

good solid quality safe players,
who you need as your last line of defence...

Your songs never rhyme mate.

if ayone can bring riley through surely its tony smith if its on the wing or at fullback, have a bit of patience with the lad and trust whatever smith decides to do with him and we may find that he becomes our star player in years to come if it's not working then im sure smith will look for the next prospect when the time is right

I think Riley looks quite a prospect there, he's certainly beat more defenders from there over the last four games than a few others we've had in recent years.
However, I think he could do with a 'rest' from that position for now. Put him on the wing or drop him for mine. Let him come back in in a few weeks/months when we don't desperately need points. Allow him to work on his game.

I think we should stick with Riley.

It's hobson's choice at the moment.

You are wrong!

"Hobsons choice" is where you have no choice at all - the only option being the one offered to you.

There are other options to playing Riley at fullback, Hicks, Bridge etc all of which have been covered above.

Personally I would rather see one of Thomas Hobsons carthorses (after whom the phrase originated - "You can have the horse in the end stable or none at all"icon_wink.gif playing at fullback at the moment.

Give him a chance.

I would like to give him a chance. But only on the wing. I think we need to start winning matches before we start playing players in positions for devolpment purposes

I can remember going to a game in the Anderson/Plange era where they decided to put Lee Briers at full back!!!!

And we think weve got it bad now!

Matt King for full-back!

Didn't stop Readon being left there and he made faaaar more mistakes than Riley. I was really heartened by Tony Smith's comments about supporting the youngsters (and Riley). That's how they will get better, not being dropped and forced to play reserve rugby.

hear hear

He's played a lot of full back in his career.