The game has changed so much. Second rows hardly seem to be used to take the ball up now. The difference between left second row and left centre ... is about 6 yards. Currie/Hughes/Bateman/J Tomkins/Farrell ... are second rows/centres in the modern game. Atkins steps in six yards and Currie moves out ... so what? It's not like moving from full back to prop.

Smiffy always a considered voice of reason.

A good centre will help create some good tries and get a few himself, a specialist centre will make even the most average winger look like Brian Bevan

Unfortunately at this time Atkins is neither.

Exactly. As ever RD attributes assertions to other posters that are not contained in the text. Currie could become the 'next Sculthorpe' if he's allowed to stay in the back row. Asking him to learn the centre's craft to the point that he becomes 'a specialist' ( which won't happen ) means we will have wasted this potential. Oh, and it doesn't hurt to be polite.

Why do we seem totally incapable of having differing views without resorting to insults or criticism of each other. Depressing.

It beggars belief that people on here continually want players to be played out of position. It should only be the case when other players are injured or drastically out of form.

totally agree mate..they would`nt have the guts to say it face to face..hard as nails behind a key board

THE HEAD NAIL ON (anag)

Why should we play Atkins at second row? Shirley we have much better second rowers than a centre, who's not even in any kind of form. STRANGE, to say the least.

As I've said before, (bar Asotasi and Currier) I don't slag down Wire players, and I'm not here to slag off Atkins. I couldn't get to Friday's game, but, as it seems on here, he's not had a stormer. The lad should not be near the starting XIII and maybe even the bench, as we have people playing in a good moment. Why should current players be dropped, in favour of Atkins, who's not exactly covered himself in glory since Wembley 2012. He's simply gone through the motions, at best. His good/great performances can be counted on ther fingers of two hands, since then.

His next appearance should only be as a result of a drop of a centre's performance, or (God forbid) an injury.

Absolutely agree with you 100%. I like Ryan Atkins and over his time with us has put in some decent shifts. The hard facts of the matter are that on current form he does not warrant a starting place, or even a place on the bench. Why on earth would anybody also want him to play in the second row. We have plenty of better options available in the back row.

For me if Kurt "Man of Steel" Gidley is not fit for Thursday, then Dec Patton must come into the halves and Ratchford goes into left centre. We do not have to play anyone out of position and Dec has just had a blinder for the U23 according to reports, so i think he deserves a go. I think Ratchfords best position in the current team will be at Centre.

Patton had a good game in the Wigan reserves game as well.

I think Atkins is being suggested as a second rower because he can be very effective when he does the simple things i.e. until he tries to pass the ball! He is an impressive athlete even if not a natural rugby player.

I believe he could be a very effective second rower if he makes the switch sonner rather than later.

Regarding playing people out of position, the coach's job is to put the most effective team of 13 on the pitch, if he feels that, for example, Currie is the best option to play centre in any given game then I'd support that. As a previous poster pointed out, depending on game plan, the difference between certain positions can be very subtle.

Atkins was poor to fair in the game, his first pace to Penny looked like we expect from a class centre. At present he is far from a class centre, he has the attributes but not the application at this time and to be fair he hasn't had the application for a while. Its about time some people on here faced facts winners do not put up with mediocrity. This year TS has an opportunity to spell the recovering injured, those coming off a ban and the mediocre performers in the Reserves with the reverse for the better Reserve players.

Absolutely correct.

Credit where credit is due. Good game from Atkins last night , hopefully this is he start of having him at his best.

Not sure of that Keef it was more like a good half game. He looked disinterested in the first half.

He was only interested once he scored, having said that the first half was shocking, for me the forwards won that game for us last night. They certainly manned up in the second half.

Ha ha i was trying o be positive . If Id have thrown on here you weren't as crap as the last two weeks this forum would have nailed me to a cross

He didn't have a scintillating game, but scored two key tries with bits of athleticism where he didn't really have the right to score. The first with strength, the second with pace and reactions. That is why he is always worth a shot.

Ryan Atkins lack of 'form' certainly seems to be helping to take the focus away from Rhys Evans. Other than a fantastic defensive performance against Leeds what has Rhys brought to the 'party' this season? At least Ryan is scoring trys!

Versus Leigh, i thought the Evans/Lineham edge was going to rip up SL, I'll be honest most of our attack isn't going that way, i don't think Evans is at fault, his defensive reads are fantastic, he has to stay for me, if we go doen that channel more i think we'll have more success.

Ryan Atkins made a good positive contribution in that game and scored tries that Evans would not. Lineham and Westerman were quiet. Also Penny is now cementing his place in the side.

As did the rest of our team for the first 50 mins - I think we can call the first half a write-off for everyone.

When the team finally switched on, and in a game where the conditions didn't suit our backs, Ryan was head and shoulders above Penny, Evans & Lineham.

Massive thumbs up to him this week and hope this carries forward for him now.

Evans and Atkins to me seem like similar players, except Atkins scores more tries. Both don't seem to be natural rugby league players, they're both athletic/strong which means they both tend to put good shots in defensively.

I don't see Evans being a long term centre, just doesn't have the awareness, passing ability or skill for that position, plus doesn't have Atkins ability to break tackles.

Atkins may 'score more tries' as he's made far more appearances than Evans. Atkins has strength and athleticism, but in terms of awareness, passing or positional skill Evans is well ahead.