I'm sure Tony Smith will be aware of all the pitfalls & have something up his sleeve to fool the opposition. We went up against Leeds at Wembley as underdogs & looking like a bunch of demics till kick off then the Wire showed them how to play.

I haven't been this concerned about our backline since the magic weekend.

Quote ="Builth Wells Wire"Westerman doubtful for final www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... 10547962/-'" No different news from after the game on Saturday. Joe will be sat in the Cryo Chamber as we speak. Lots of Icing and rest and if all that fails inject him with whatever it is they inject. Confident Joe will be available for Saturday.

Quote ="Builth Wells Wire"Westerman doubtful for final www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... 10547962/-'" No different news from after the game on Saturday. Joe will be sat in the Cryo Chamber as we speak. Lots of Icing and rest and if all that fails inject him with whatever it is they inject. Confident Joe will be available for Saturday.

George King cited for a grade a dangerous throw. How close is Cox to being available? We may need him and Westwood may have to do big minutes at loose forward if Westerman is injured. Confident that Westwood could do big minutes he has been spelled well this season.

I havent been this concerned about our back line since we had Rhys Williams in it........

I have zero belief we can win this Final as it stands....its been an unbalanced squad for weeks...and we aren't troubled by major injuries but the team never "feels" right.....

Russel for me is Fullback or nothing I'd prefer Ratchford in the centres and I'd just like two wingers playing on the wing........ if we go into the final with Atkins being the only player playing in the correct position in the backline it will be a right mess for us.......

I Fancy Minichello will waltz the Lance Todd trophy.......

but hey ho its Wembley and the Pies Saint's and Widnes wont be there......

You say untroubled by major injuries, but how many games have Mitch Dodds, James Laithwaite, Ben Harrison, Ben Evans and Gary Wheeler (who played a good centre on the rare occasion he could walk) played between them this season? We should be coping better with the squad we have, especially as its forwards we have out and backs we have problems with, but it's not like we are untouched by the current plague of long-term injuries this season.

I think I agree with Russell at full-back, especially as one of his main weaknesses - catching - is still a weakness on the wing! He seemed to do a pretty good job there in our 7-game winning run at the start of the season too, while Ratchford has everything you want in a centre, assuming he is happy to play there. That's the main problem I think, our players want to play in a different position to where we think they're suited! Evans doesn't look comfortable on the wing anyway, and it sounds like King is out of his depth.

Do we know anything for certain about Penny being injured in that reserves game? 'Bad form' or not, it'll be an improvement on what we have now.

I can't believe people are talking about wholesale changes.

I would be tempted to move Evans back into the centre and put Penny on the wing but that is it.

Shame Lineham has been such an idiot because a game like this could have been ideal for him.

Top idea that. Take a young lad whose only had a handful of first team games and put him in one of the most pivotal positions on the field on the biggest stage in the country. Unbelievable.

As mentioned above I would make one change. Rhys back at centre and Penny on the wing. I like King and see a lot of potential but this isn't his time I'm afraid. other than that, same team as last week, Bailey will offer us much needed pack aggression and will get under the skin of the Hull forwards. Dwyer coming on will be the difference between the two teams.

Like he was in the league game at the Halliwell Jones?

You're going to have to specify... who is 'he' and what was he doing?

I tend to agree with the first part of you post but I'm not sure Russell stays for me and that's the conundrum that we have been playing with recently can we shuffle to cover Wings and hence there is opinion and speculation over the back line particularly.

People have been very quick to bag T King but Castleford were up for it and as far as mistakes go, their ONE try was a consequence of Russell's error not King's, he also had an easy ball steal second half I think that turned over possession. I think that Russell will be getting a lot of kicked ball on Saturday and I'm not confident that he will cope.

As far as Lineham is concerned, I think Hull FC would be equally delighted to see his name on the team sheet and not just because he may, or may not have been an idiot here. They would be confident of handling him offensively and as far as defence goes say no more, especially on that pitch kicked to death. We may be in any event but Lineham would openly invite that play....there aren't too many wingers that can fill Rhys Williams's shorts if you pardon the expression

Fitness being equal the idea of Johnson and Penny on the wings isn't so daft IMO at least they have pace and can catch, Evans back to centre with Atkins, Ratchford stays at FB

I thought both Russell and TKing did everything they could on Saturday to play themselves out of contention. Although Russell is great when we get a quick ruck.

I am one for the underdog story and it would be great to see Lineham get redemption at Wembley and score the winning try. I won't hold my breath lol

This

It is amusing to see how many Hull fans are lurking on this board this week, waiting for an opportunity to jump in if anyone questions their brilliance.

I'd make the Penny-King switch: I cant see there bring any others though.

One other [ipotential[/i solution, and not one I'd rule out, is that Currie goes to centre. As well as taking a potentially fragile T.King out of the equation it will stiffen up the defence outwide. So that would be Ratchford, Evans, Atkins, Currie, Russell.

This would obviously depend on Westerman's fitness, and would mean Westwood slotting in at LF and playing big game time.

Westwood looking spent. 80mins from him risky.

Good shout. We'd be going back to the Tony Smith favourite of using the LF position as an extra prop. Could come in handy against the big Hull pack. tiredness and Fatigue from big minutes would surely see us open up and allow Sneyy'snip'd to do whatever he wants and run the show. closing him down is vital. fast line speed and close him down, just like we used to do to Tomkins.

I'd put Atkins on Snyde

I can see Currie being moved to centre in place of T King with Westwood at LF.
Clark to do the big minutes (maybe even full 80) covering LF when Westwood is spelled with Dwyer.

Bit of a risk but I can't see Smith will making more than 2/3 changes to last weekend's 17.

Doesn't matter who it is. I'd take a Yellow card. Two men need to get in his face [Sneyd and bend him in half. if he takes a ball in, let him have it. Don't give him an inch of room and scare him out the game.
Line speed has to be mega. too many times we stay back and allow teams to run at us. we need to get up and hit them before any momentum is gained. Win the collision, win the floor and have to ruck played at our speed.
I don't think trying to complete sets and settle into the game will help up. I think going back to trying to blow teams away in the first 20 then dictate the play will suit us and playing against a side like Hull will win it for us.
Hull are used to teams trying to calm the game down before dominating the middle and running over them. If we rattle them early doors then they're in uncharted territory and the occasion will get to them.

I think a lot of our problems may be helped at Wembley by giving Clark & Dwyer more time on the pitch together to make ,hopefully,big yards through the Hull defence.. We need to front up more in defence too & stop Hull making too many yards on their sets which has been a problem with most opponents this year.

The elements around the kicking game are vital. We need to put pressure on their kickers to make sure the ball stays in play. I would guess that the number of touch finding kicks that Hull put in is higher than most teams. Pressure on the kicker may result in the odd charge down going astray but puts doubt in the kickers mind. The markers need to be wary of Houghton kicking out of DH also. Ratchford needs to show more urgency than he ever has in making sure the ball does not go into touch. We can't give their forwards a 30 second break at the end of every set. I would also be happy for us to kick early and turn their big backs (and forwards round)
In a way I would be happier to concede 2-3 yards per drive but dominate the tackle so the line is set better for pressure on the kicker.
I may be doing Hull a bit of a disservice here but Sneyd reminds me of Deacon at Bradford. Does a good job but not the most naturally gifted ballplayer ever. They are a good team though but we just have to wear them out. No penalties and a low error count and our dummy half running will start to work.

you wish

I'd be wary of playing Dwyer against the Hull pack.During the game down here he looked a real lightweight when tackling and was tossed around like a rag doll when attacking.

Or alternatively we'll kick 7 bells out sandow and our forwards will trample all over yours and the occasion will get to your team.

Who knows? Should be a belter though