He is where he should have been last season in that he will play a handful of games that we should win and where he can just play his game.

Unfortunately he ended up playing all last season behind a pack that got stuffed.

The big one for him will be what we choose to do with a fit French and Field as one may move to the halves which would move him down the order again.

I’d probably just consider splitting what looks to be two more impactful props on the bench and go Ellis and Byrne and Singleton and Mago in pairs. One reason for that would be that I always think you should earn a start and look to push people by offering that carrot. I think Byrne did that last week and Singleton not so much. I also think Singleton playing off the bench with Mago could help him. If you’ve got that impact Mago is bringing, you’ve got good go forward and good attacking options and then just to have a steady player like Singleton at the side of him (low errors, good defender, good talker etc) makes sense to me.

I absolutely agree on Havard by the way, bar maybe he’s a man to start with Ellis if you want a couple of long spells and then Byrne takes a bench spot again with Mago. The long and short is that Singleton will need to produce more than these first two weeks to hold a spot in the 17.

Because he doesn’t work as an impact player.

What's the call if we go four forwards on the bench when Havards back?
Start with Ellis Havard, ..bench ..Mago Smithies, Byrne and Singleton.
Obviously when French is back and fully fit do we go Cust 7, Field at 6, and carry an extra 9 in Tommy off the bench? Also that does give the option of playing Powell Tommy Cust then run Field and French like two full backs. If you could do that with Mago Bateman and KPP off-load games it would be hard to defend.
Whatever they decide that leaves plenty lads pushing outside the 17 Miski Thornley Partington Shorrocks looks so much stronger now.

When was the last time Tommy played 9? 2019?

I don’t think he has the engine to defend in the middle anymore.

We’ve gone with Shorrocks and Hastings at 9 in the last few years rather than Tommy going there.

I personally wouldn't be moving Tommy anywhere at the moment. I think he has had an excellent start to the season and probably gets on the team sheet on merit at 7 regardless of who is fit and who isn't.

There may be a dip in form at some point but for now he has to start at 7 with Cust at 6. I'm comfortable with him having a rest and trying Field at 7 but only when the game is won.

Agreed. Tommy, Cust and Field need game time together as that's our strongest spine imo. Let them get a level of comfortability (in prep for the business end) and then look at switching.

Pointless having Singleton as a bench forward - he offers nowt in that respect, it would only ever be a steady the ship introduction. I've said elsewhere that for me he starts or isn't in the 17. FWIW I think he will be lucky to stay in the 17 if Havard can produce the type of form from before his first injury - Ellis, Byrne, Havard, and Mago would be up there with the best prop rotation in the league IMO if they can stay in relatively good form.

Weather looking pretty grim for tonight, any win will be a good win

Would have said that before the weather forecast.

Just about winning games at this stage and building on partnerships, working on little things etc.

Nah SkySportsLeedsRhinos don’t put our games on.

Just every single Leeds match until April!

In Cornwall visiting the missus family, so missed the game and sadly I thought it was on tv..doh.

Sounded a grinding win on the wireless and one that will probably do us a lot of good.

We didn’t play particularly well but Huddersfield pressed us really hard and for me played the game with a slightly faster tempo.
I expected a tough game and we got one.
I’m generally happy but we are a work in progress so not totally unexpected that we stuttered a bit.

Positives for me were Tommy, Farrell, Bateman slowly improving and KPP showed a couple of touches that were top class. Singleton worked particularly hard in his first stint.
One soft try but our defence again within our 20 metre area was strong and dogged.
Field was obviously well watched by a fast Huddersfield defence.

Very happy with 3 from 3 with Toulouse next.
Room for improvement but still a million miles away from last year.
I still think we need to increase our speed at ptb but I’m pretty confident that will improve as the season progresses.

Horrible conditions in the second half, proper winter rugby, happy to get the two points.
Maybe someone's had a word in Singleton's ear because to me that seemed a real step up from him on the two previous games, was worried when Cust went off in the first minute so glad to see him come back on.
On to next week when hopefully the weather will be a bit better

It’s really positive to win a game with Field nit hugely involved. I’ve just seen the try’s and Tommy looked really strong. The radio said Singleton had a very good game and that’s pleasing. He’s had a slow start but I was really happy with him last season. Those 30 metre games aren’t acceptable but he went up to 80,90,100 metres plus per game on a regular basis last season and that’s what we need. He cannot think his work is done now Ellis and Mago have come in.

Singleton had a better game, Ellis was strong , Isa had some errors with the ball, I thought Tommy was
MOM. The back line still a bit clunky but should improve. I agree with the ptb we were second best , we seemed to be dominated in a lot of tackles but we do seem to have a fitness edge.

Wigan v Huddersfield historically has rarely been pretty to watch and this was no different really.

Loved Farrell's first try from the flat ball by Leuluai and the KPP offload. It's been reported that NRL scouts were in the stands supposedly looking at Will Pryce but I imagine Kai would have caught the eye as well (fingers crossed we can keep hold).

Tommy Leuluai is having a hell of a start to the year - Toulouse might not be a bad time to give him a week off but then again that might be a shame given how well he's playing.

Tommy has looked like a different player so far this year. It's amazing what having a few options and runners can make to a half back.

Was impressed with Huddersfield, defended really well and with Fages/Levi could have caused us trouble.

Feared the worst when Cust when off, Field to 6, KPP to left Backrow, Bateman to right centre, Bibby to right wing, Farrell to right centre, Smithies to right back row, and Hardaker to FB.

What a mess, maybe Peet will consider Shorrocks/Smith on the bench next time for less changes.

Night and day from last year again, score line would have looked better if Faz and KPP hadn’t dropped it over the line.

Both of them had great games but Tommy was MoM for me.

We’re building, roll on next week.

I’m torn on a rest for Tommy. I was steadfast that Toulouse would be the game to rest him but when a lad is in top form it’s tough to change it up and rest him. I would ‘just’ give him the week off on balance, especially when you consider it’s
Catalans the following week but it’s close.

Smith, Miski and Shorrocks to get a chance for me in place of Tommy, Isa and Partington.

I appreciate Mago is going to be a fan favourite but for me Ellis is the kind of player we needed.

I’d rest Cust over Tommy to be honest, however I’d play them both.

Is that what we did? Wow! There has to be an easier answer than all that shuffling around.

That utility back on the bench is a very handy option. We used it after 10 mins at HKR and didn’t have it as an option after a couple of minutes tonight. He might not be a back but Shorrocks is extremely versatile and is surely a better bench option than Partington.

Having a player like Ellis allows us to have a player like Mago, if Havard comes back churning out 100m games then we're looking healthier than for quite a while prop wise

Definitely.

He's been good so far and seems to get better each week. Loved his dart for the line towards the end of the match.

When Havard returns & if Singleton can keep up tonight's performance, I'd love to see Ellis do more mins at 13. He seems to have a decent engine on him.