[quote="karetaker":2xww2fb0]Jury is still out for me with Russell.[/quote:2xww2fb0] Yeah, I’m still on the ‘waste of a quota spot’ side of the fence, but I’m not writing him off - needs a good game to keep Holroyd out once Fitz is back next week, hopefully!

[quote="Alffi_7":27nilgys]Yeah, I’m still on the ‘waste of a quota spot’ side of the fence, but I’m not writing him off - needs a good game to keep Holroyd out once Fitz is back next week, hopefully![/quote:27nilgys] Agree with you about Russell, I just don’t want us to waste half a season picking him just because if he is not delivering. Then again the way Burgess has been with his squad picks and having the likes of Crowther, Holroyd and hopefully a fully fit Fitzgibbon Russell should know he is not an automatic shoe in and hopefully he ups his game.

[quote="karetaker":25to7ti3]Jury is still out for me with Russell.[/quote:25to7ti3] Same here. I have only seen brief highlights of our games so far, so I'm in no position to judge him yet. Plus, it's still very early days for him within the set-up. It will be interesting to see how he goes on Sunday, if selected.

[quote="The Speculator":o9nfzwk8]Same here. I have only seen brief highlights of our games so far, so I'm in no position to judge him yet. Plus, it's still very early days for him within the set-up. It will be interesting to see how he goes on Sunday, if selected.[/quote:o9nfzwk8] I thought he was better against Leigh than he was against Widnes - has has some size and is pretty quick for a forward. Possibly seems a little bit slow laterally in defence but worked hard in both games. For me, Holroyd is still ahead of him in terms of selection when Fitzgibbon is fit so this weekend will be a big one for him if selected. I'll be interested to see how he goes. I actually thought Tom Whitehead did well preseason and will be putting pressure on all the back row positions if people are out of form. Nice to have young players pushing for places in the 17 rather than making up the numbers.

[quote="karetaker":2m0gtv5b]Jury is still out for me with Russell.[/quote:2m0gtv5b] Definitely, he's not a like for like replacement for Nicholson. He did little against Leigh and again against Whitehaven imo. Just hope Sam and Co can get more out of him as the season progresses. It's hard to teach an appetite for work though.

I think we’re going to miss Bateman and Nicholson a lot.

[quote="ratticusfinch":2w9pibwu]I think we’re going to miss Bateman and Nicholson a lot.[/quote:2w9pibwu] Agreed. I think we will miss the workrate of those two. Our defensive workrate was excellent for most of 2024. I hope Russell steps up as well as Holroyd.

Hope lindop has an absolute stormer and makes himself undroppable. We're crying out for pace in the centres.

[quote="Moe syslak":2ioxpb7a]Hope lindop has an absolute stormer and makes himself undroppable. We're crying out for pace in the centres.[/quote:2ioxpb7a] How far off is Wrench? I don't think Tai is going to improve much more and he's still selfish with the ball.

[quote="matt_wire":3555p1bb]How far off is Wrench? I don't think Tai is going to improve much more and he's still selfish with the ball.[/quote:3555p1bb] Wrench isn't back til Easter according to burgess.

[quote="matt_wire":18ujeb58]How far off is Wrench? I don't think Tai is going to improve much more and he's still selfish with the ball.[/quote:18ujeb58] I wouldn’t say he is selfish he just can’t pass the ball.

I'll give russell 3-4 games before i stick him in the bin. I'd have crowther every day of the week over Musgrove, but i agree he'll more than like pick musgrove. Dufty Thewlis Tai King Ashton Williams Leyland Vaughan Walker Harrison Currie Russell Yates Powell Philbin Musgrove Crowther I would love Holroyd to start but i think Burgess will go with experience, and Crother covers, Prop/ 2nd row & Loose so i think he will get the bench spot

[quote="Or thane":1nsklay8]I'll give russell 3-4 games before i stick him in the bin. I'd have crowther every day of the week over Musgrove, but i agree he'll more than like pick musgrove. Dufty Thewlis Tai King Ashton Williams Leyland Vaughan Walker Harrison Currie Russell Yates Powell Philbin Musgrove Crowther I would love Holroyd to start but i think Burgess will go with experience, and Crother covers, Prop/ 2nd row & Loose so i think he will get the bench spot [/quote:1nsklay8] You don’t see Currie playing 13?

[quote="Or thane":fd5ornbe]I'll give russell 3-4 games before i stick him in the bin. I'd have crowther every day of the week over Musgrove, but i agree he'll more than like pick musgrove. Dufty Thewlis Tai King Ashton Williams Leyland Vaughan Walker Harrison Currie Russell Yates Powell Philbin Musgrove Crowther I would love Holroyd to start but i think Burgess will go with experience, and Crother covers, Prop/ 2nd row & Loose so i think he will get the bench spot [/quote:fd5ornbe] I don't get how Musgrove keeps making the 17. I dearly hope we do not extend his contract. A deeply forgettable signing.

[quote="The Speculator":33of2kv9]To me, Russell/Holroyd/Crowther seems like the most interesting selection conundrum there, in terms of who starts, who (if any of them) is on the bench, and who misses out on the 17 altogether.[/quote:33of2kv9] Well Powell and Thewlis will not play. Burgess himself said they’ll be in contention for Catalan.

Even Matt King an established Aussie international took time to settle so very early to pan Russell just yet. His signing is a bit like Tai’s who did tend to be the Dementor of attacking rugby but still contributed reasonably to our season.

[quote="rubber duckie":1nkwg6cf]Well Powell and Thewlis will not play. Burgess himself said they’ll be in contention for Catalan.[/quote:1nkwg6cf] Seeing as though Thewlis played last week, unless he's suffered an adverse reaction, I'd expect him to play today. I think that King is the backline player least likely to be fit. If Powell isn't ready then I expect that either Ratchford or Crowther will need cover dummy half with Walker doing big minutes.

[quote="St Helens Wolf":p3yfbxkq]Seeing as though Thewlis played last week, unless he's suffered an adverse reaction, I'd expect him to play today. I think that King is the backline player least likely to be fit. If Powell isn't ready then I expect that either Ratchford or Crowther will need cover dummy half with Walker doing big minutes.[/quote:p3yfbxkq] Thanks, wrong about Thewlis. But but Powell and Fitzgibbon were ruled out. For sure he said Catalan about Powell. Can’t find the video he said it on the refer back too.

[quote="Captain Hook":26st0o4x]Even Matt King an established Aussie international took time to settle so very early to pan Russell just yet. His signing is a bit like Tai’s who did tend to be the Dementor of attacking rugby but still contributed reasonably to our season.[/quote:26st0o4x] I would think that Russell will get a chance today. Big lad who looks as though he can shift. Probably needs to involve himself a bit more to please our doubters.

Interesting that no-ones including Ratchford in the 17.

I'll rephrase. "Probably needs to involve himself a bit more to justify a place in the 17 in doing so displacing players who have earnt their place".

Anyone know why Leyland has missed out? Has he picked up a knock or has Burgess just gone with experience, BUZZING Holroyd is starting and Lindop must have really impressed to start over Rodrick. Excited to see how he goes

[quote="Or thane":1wwetdh1]Anyone know why Leyland has missed out?[/quote:1wwetdh1] Yes. As it stands Ratchford is top of SB's list / hierarchy of potential half back partners to Williams. Leyland is new to the club and still learning the play structure etc. I don't think it will take too long for Ratch to pick up injury niggles, so Leyland will get his chance with Hayes still not fully fit. But that also depends on CTW starting games with Dufty also a potential half back option.

[quote="Abe Froman":1nn1h8su]Yes. As it stands Ratchford is top of SB's list / hierarchy of potential half back partners to Williams. Leyland is new to the club and still learning the play structure etc. I don't think it will take too long for Ratch to pick up injury niggles, so Leyland will get his chance with Hayes still not fully fit. But that also depends on CTW starting games with Dufty also a potential half back option.[/quote:1nn1h8su] Interesting. Yesterday's game has gone some way to persuading me that going with CTW at full-back and Dufty in the halves is actually worth trying at some point. Basically, we need to get CTW on the field - he's far too good a player to be sitting in the stands - and we also need Dufty's dithering under high kicks to stop being a problem, so maybe it's a way of solving both those challenges at the same time? It might work, it might not, but I reckon it's worth trying.

[quote="The Speculator":6kvv5k67]Interesting. Yesterday's game has gone some way to persuading me that going with CTW at full-back and Dufty in the halves is actually worth trying at some point. Basically, we need to get CTW on the field - he's far too good a player to be sitting in the stands - and we also need Dufty's dithering under high kicks to stop being a problem, so maybe it's a way of solving both those challenges at the same time? It might work, it might not, but I reckon it's worth trying.[/quote:6kvv5k67] Possibly worth a shot, though Dufty defending in the line doesn’t fill me with optimism…