Gidley and Sandow available next week, but do we want or need them?

In my opinion they haven't been really 'on' as a pair since game 7 and Gidley has underwhelmed me since then especially. We needed him in the last few big games (Challenge Cup and last week) and his game management and goal kicking let us down (his goal kicking has been an issue for me all year, but in fairness we have an issue with that across the board). Then we have Dec Patton who's game management and kicking tonight have been superb. I mostly rely on radio coverage and have only seen Sky games this year, but Patton has not put a foot wrong as far as I can see.

If I were TS I would play Sandow with Patton.



Oh, and wingers on the wing please Tony

.

Really difficult choice.

Everything was miles more balanced tonight
vs Saints I'd go

Russell
Lineham
Evans
Atkins
Penny
Ratchford
Sandow
Hill
Clark
Sims
Wilde (deserves a mention)
Hughes
Westerman

Gidley
hooker
prop1
prop2

If tonight's pair have come through unscathed, then they start for me.

Let's take off our "big names, so they must start" glasses.
Sandow has done little since his injury Wigan.
Gidley, for me, is another example of the Emporer's new clothes, for the last couple of months. Everyone's saying how good he is, and how he manages games. Well, I'm a bit underdone, by him.

Tonight's pair have done well. They should not be dropped l, for the sake of "name" players

I agree, Lefty

is bailey back?

Ratchford and Sandow for me...ONLY if Sandow is 100%

You're right about Sandow. I feel like I've hardly seen him play since Wigan where he was injured. I guess I'm reluctant to immediately just say "play Ratch in the halves" because for all the great performances he puts in there's a bad one to go with it (probably a little harsh). You're probably right about playing them based on current form, though.

I'd have ratchford and sandow and definitely have russell at fullback and keep lineham on!

If you compared the performance from the halves tonight with Gidley last week and you didn't know who was who, who looked like an experienced international who knew how to close a game out?

Quite frankly that's why Gidley was brought over in big money and he got off very lightly last week. Huge call to make, as is what happens on the wings.

Idear accommodate them both.
Sandow and Ratchet in the halves.
Gidleigh to fb.
Russell back to left wing and alas Penny drops out.
Kev made some errors that could have been costly. One wasn't entirely his fault, a poor offload from Atkns made him look bad.
Enough of a bolloc to drop him.
Can't drop Tom Lineham.

Penny's second drop was a blatant knock out by the Hull player. He went directly for the ball and it should have been a knock on against Hull.

If Dwyer is not fit have Gidley as reserve hooker on the bench.

Gidley is unfit due to hamstring problem. No brainer for me.....he doesnt play. Against Saints we will have to be 100% physically and mentally.

At the end of last nights game when the players were on the pitch I was watching Gidley intently and he was deffo limping.

Ratchet Gidleigh. That was some night.

Think we should remember Gidley was brought in as a full back , was circumstance that lead to him partnering Sandow. I would like to see him in that role, but Russell did a good job yesterday.

From what I hear, Gidley wont be fit for next week anyway and Sandow still not right either..

No good playing unfit players if we have perfectly capable reserves. Every player from last night deserves a start on Thursday.

It's hard to look to make changes for anyone who played last night..

Keep the same team for me. If Bailey is fit I'd have him on the bench.

Gidley to me just wants to organise fast direct play down the middle and kick the opposition into a corner and repeat. So basically... He wants us playing boring NRL style, scoring off other teams mistakes. Against Hull I saw the old Wire again. A bit of off the cuff, play what's in front of you style. Taking chances and throwing the ball about. It's what we do best.

Would that be the same Gidley that's been playing most of the season who playing boring NRL style got us in a position to win the LLS and who when he went off at Wembley we went on to get beat? Just saying!

Correct. We've also scraped a great deal of games that should have been put to bed.

He as a point though,or would you rather we lost them games to prove yours, end of day 2 points is 2 points and we are we're we are because of it.

Hats off to Tony Smith and all the coaches and players for Friday nights performance. Ate my words and a big helping of humble pie.
With regards to the team selection this week hopefully our choice of player will be giving the saints coaching staff a bigger headache than it will be for our coaching staff. The Hull game would be a big swerve ball for Saints. I could have a good go at naming the saints, Wigan and Hull line ups for this weekend but I wouldn't have a clue about ours. Must be difficult to prepare when you don't know who you will be lining up against. The only dead certs for positions will be 4.8.9.10,12 and 13. The rest is in Tony Smiths head or down to a game of rock, paper, scissors.