But if you need a well drilled mobile defence, surely a defensively sound FB is centre to that?

It'll be interesting next week to see if he puts Sam back to 6 and which back may come into the side. I don't think there's much wrong with Wigan's 1-5 but it's getting the combinations right and having the players in place to fill in on a match day.

If Sam goes to 6, then it should be a straight switch to FB.

No point messing with 2-5.

On another thread someones talking about putting Sam back to 6 with Phelps at 1 and Roberts at 2.

One player hasn't played all season, one player who's form hasn't recovered since nearly knocking the posts over six months ago.

And Darrell Goulding who's not done a lot wrong would have to be dropped to fit them in!

Surely the point is these skills are not mutually exclusive? Rads was, until Richards took the crown, the holder of the SL try scoring record. People seem to think they are mutually exclusive these days and I suspect its because all our full backs are a bit lacking in defence. Sam isn't big enough to have much of a chance one on one v a forward when he is on the line. In general play he is a fearless tackler and can chase people down when he is "hunting" if you like but full back defending is much more about being on the back foot rather than perusing a player if you get my drift.

Dave

I agree with you. He'll run and run after defenders to drag them down, but if you ran Eorl Crabtree at him 1 on 1 from 10 yards out I know who I'd put my money on.

I don't think we have to go mad - just play Sam at 6 and bring one player in. There are several possibilities such as bringing someone to play Richards wing so he could go to fb, or just Roberts into 1. Whatever, we only have two half backs fit so surely that ought to mean Sam at 6 and it's then up to Madge to sort out the full back slot as best he can. It may not be perfect but I can't see the alternatives at half back working and that is the bottom line for me.

Dave

Yes I gknoew you were of a similar view to me I just wanted to emphasise I think the defensive aspect is getting a bit brushed under the carpet IMO.

Dave

He's got loads more out of the squad he inherited from Noble and he still attracts criticism!

Given Deacon is likely to be injured do you not have an opinion as to who should play where?

Dave

Glad somebody said attacking vs defensive fullbacks are not mutually exclusive. Anyone who believes that has watched far too much Paul Wellens and not enough Billy Slater.

But you and I both know H isn't a prop. It was crying out for some grunt upfront with their injury problems.

Hansen was picked as a prop but run the lines of a second row(of which he is good at). Prescott was poor IMO and needs to improve to hold down a place. When we Had Fielden and Coley on the pitch we looked strong.With prescott and hansen on, we had no one to make the hard yards for the backs to play off. I know with Feka was injured but this should of meant Davies in. as much as i like tuson and farrell neither are very big and our pack as a whole was too light weight.

Deacon going off meant we lost our organiser and when this happens good teams look ordinary. Lockers can play 6 but needs an organiser next to him. Tommy/Lockers in the halves mean we wil always struggle with a kicking game.

I dont think we lost the game because of a lack of props , and i dont think feka would have offered much anyway. Stupid errors , tuson and tomkins knock ons , leuluai kicking it out from the kick off , tomkins penalty etc , things you just cant do against the champions in a play off match. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes and not get too giddy of we take a lead , and even though we dont have a week off , i think we'll be fresher than leeds , considering theyve played every week since late january. For once i have faith!

Why oh why did Sam not go to Stand off when Deacon went off, our shape along with our kicking game went to pot!does our coach not have plan B. But hey lets not despair surely we can win a game on our own ground even though we've played better away this season.

TAXI FOR MAGUIRE

I agree but I wonder if Feka had been fit if he would have picked him anyway. Wane picked him when Madge was away on personal business down under. Wane went with four real props IIRC but I am not sure Madge would and may still have picked Hansen there.

Dave

Mcguire has picked him in every game since. I think we would have gone with Feka on the bench.

Yes he would, Don't ask me tell you how I know, but he had until it was decided Feka was not fit to play.
At that point MM came in for Feka, HH was always on the bench.

Fair enough. I was very pleased to see HH back because when it was said his season was over I didn't think we had the pack to win it but just our luck when he comes back Feka is injured. I much prefer HH & JT in the back row with Farrell on the bench than JT, Farrell and Tuson. A very different look about it IMO.

We are even missing Bailey's experience in the back row as well I think.

Dave

I agree with this, if he was fit, id be tempted to bring him back in on friday as well. These games can't be won by kids alone, you need the players who know when to do the little things that get you an edge. Someone like Bailey would have kept calm last night when Leeds were sucking us in.

No we're not. We were well in control and as soon as Deacon went off our game collapsed.

I agree with Hogan (for once) in the other thread. TL is best off at hooker, not scrum half.

Look, it's one loss in a game that in the end could have gone either way. We'll be back.

That's a very good point.

We really missed the experience (and presence) when Coley + Fielden went off last night. These kind of games will set us in good stead in the years to come, with the likes of the Tomkins brother, Farrell, Tuson etc getting the experience. Bailey would be very useful in the next few weeks if he was fit though.

The turning point in the game was when Prescott came on. Two penalties and boom. were level. Add to this some shocking defence and go forward from our pack. Coley and Fielden were on top but as soon as they went off we got bossed.