If everyone is actually fit, then it would be our strongest 17 since round 1. I think that's the only game we've had Amone, Mulhern and Asiata all playing.

I'd hold off on McIntosh and stick with the same backline as last week, and bring Asiata in for Holmes. Can't expect someone that's been playing wing for a while to come in at full back and cause problems to the top of the league team

I disagree about McIntosh. I think he goes straight in at Fullback, so Moylan can go to the halves. I would be running plays all week with Asiata at the heart of everything.

Lam said in his press conference that Asiata and Mulhern were possibles only. I really hope they are fit and play.
As for McIntosh, I would put him at 1 and bring Moylan back to 6. McNamara has done nothing wrong but also hasn’t lit it up at 6.
If Asiata is back and Moylan is at 6, we are a whole new animal.

After the performance last week, I'm not sure why we'd want to change too much. Asiata obviously comes back in, but given McIntosh was only signed on Tuesday, not sure it's wise to bring him into a spine position, and move Moylan (which will also weaken the defensive line).

If McIntosh had been playing full back regularly in the last couple of years there might be more of a case for it, but he's been playing on the wing. If he does come in, we'll have to play slightly differently because he won't do the job O'Brien or Moylan have done at full back. We've seen Hardaker trying to play like an extra half, and it never went well.

A great win and a great performance. What’s more pleasing is just the two points against. I know Catalans were poor, but I think that’s because we got into them, should really been nil only for giving a stupid penalty right on half time. Great to see Asiata back. Hopefully another good win next week.

I thought after the arm wrestle of the first 20-25 that Cats looked tired and unenthusiastic. Seemed to resort to a lot of niggle all night which was allowed but we didn't rise to.

Great discipline and resolve and it's sadly easier to pick the weaker players after a performance like that where I thought the vast majority were firing on all cylinders.

Honestly I thought Hanleys try was forward but I'll take that over all the missed calls and what went against us.

Highlight reel trys and beautiful play with solid defence like the team of last season.

Holmes really stood out as solid while the flair happened around him

Yes, it appeared to go forward, but it was intercepted by Cats, so the try was absolutely fine.

Amone breaks free, and Cats hold him down long enough to get their players back in line, and nothing said. today's penalties were 8 - 3 against us. Not the best officiating display tonight but, hey ho.

Yeh I agree, I thought they were allowed far more time in the tackle than us. We were quicker to clear the ruck than them all night, but still penalised. I thought O’Donnell played well tonight. A bit of a headache for Lammy next week regarding full back, but a good one for a change.

Well our novice FB didn’t do too bad did he. Outstanding performance and Holmes and Hughes who come in for some stick were outstanding.
Get a bit of a run together now with some very winnable games next 3 with hopefully a full complement of players to choose from .

Not sure what the headache is, Moylan without any shadow of a doubt - I see McIntosh as a squad strengthener, can’t see why a lot of people seem to think he has a place in the starting line up

Well that was fun


So many positives.
- Defence is back.
- Lockie playing his best game this season.
- My man Kia OD 80 minutes of unbelievable energy and quality. I’d love to see his stats and distance covered.
- Holmes showing his best.
- Halton, Trout and Norman all now showing the benefits of their extra SL exposure lately and great signs for the future.
- Amone just immense and I’m still shouting “Go Tom, GO !!”
- Asiata showing just what a difference he makes both ways. An extra halfback we have really missed.
- Davis very, very solid, Dwyer raising our attack to a whole different pace.
And then there’s Super Matty Moylan.
Put him back to 6 I said. Reform what is the best halfback combination in SL I said.
Well, between A Lam’s trust and vision of what he can allow Moylan do from the back, and Moylan’s ability to glide around the field and appear to be in two or more places in each attacking play, I now don’t see him moving from their for the foreseeable future. With McNamara doing nothing wrong, and Asiata playing like a 6 at the highest level, he is lethal. His ability to be so much involved in the attack from fullback was amazing to watch. I watch the game again today, and the play before looping pass to Hanley, he was literally on the left touch line at the point of the tackle. Next second he is gliding in the right side and giving that ball. His defensive positional play and coolness under a high ball complete the picture.
Once O’Brien is fit, A Lam has some thinking to do, but until then, if Asiata stays fit, Moylan stays at fullback for me.
Overall our game pace in attack and steel in defence bodes really well.
I can hardly wait to see us with Ipape back, Dwyer interchange, Mulherne back………
Top six, we will need to be very good from here but game on.

Any player who can play in a certain position is an option. Mcintosh is another option to allow Moylan to go back into the halves, if that is what Lammie wants him to do. The way he is playing at full back, it may not happen. I doubt we let a winger who was a regular in the team to leave, for is replacement to be sat in the stand every week.

In A Lam we trust Leyth NZ.
Happy days that we are now debating where we play people, not who we can play.
Up The Comics !

Well the winger he has replaced was going to be sat in the stands, we’ve got a younger, probably cheaper and certainly more versatile version who if he gets his chance may take it the same way Hanley has

It’s a squad game as we have had to prove this season, for me he waits his chance

I'll add some praise for Hughes too, who looks like someone has had a word saying, look you're a big tall lad, get some offloads into your game and so he has along with his positioning not getting in the way of others sometimes.

Interesting result between wire and Salford and kr Wigan, so be an good insight into where we are over the next few fixtures

Why on earth would we move Moylan back into the halves, after his recent performances. Moving him to 6 will not only limit the number of attacking plays he gets involved in, it also exposes the weakness of his one on one tackling. Could you see him making the try saving tackle that McNamara made just before the Amone break?

We let Briscoe go because he wasn't going to get into the team, likely taking up more cap space than McIntosh does and unlikely to be given a contract next year, so would be wrong to stand in his way. McIntosh will get a chance at some point, whether it is full back, wing or centre but he'll have to be patient.

Any unforced changes to our backline in the next week or so would be foolish.

I am not saying we should move anyone or am I saying Mcintosh should play, they are just options that we now have which we didn’t have before.

Another thing I forgot, I did appreciate the playing of ABBA's Waterloo at the end of the match too