What happened to tommy?

I’d like to see Cust coming off the bench next week. It’s a big game but could open the score up when there’s a few tired bodies.

I spoke with Darrell Goulding last week, after the Toulouse match, and he told me that Tommy was a week or two away. I wouldn't be surprised to see him play next week.

I feel French at fullback with Field in the halves is starting to tick, the acceleration Field brings is great for either standing a man up or pulling a man in and creating that extra yard for those outside him.

It'd be tough on anyone to be dropped next week, if only one of Tommy or Cust returns next week, Miski is the one to miss out, tough call after 6 tries in 2 games.

We also have Ellis and Smithies coming back in to the team. We are definitely looking good for this game

Big call chucking Cust back in against Saints after a month out, ease him back in the week after

Be bonkers to move French from fullback atm - Field will be able a make a big impact from 6 over time. Not sure how Cust gets back in just now although I'm sure a spot will open up in time. For Magic though I think we're probably better off going with four forwards on the bench.

I think we will go with one of TL or Cust off the bench as it gives us so many potential options across the backline and at 9.

Off today I would do with Shorocks to miss out with Bibby back in the centre and Isa on the bench and Ellis in for Partington.

7,003 fans on today .

Partington might find he is up on monday high shot.

Calf strain in training this week, be a few weeks.

I think French is a better fullback than Field, links into the line better providing try assists more often but I feel we’re a better team with Field 1 and french on the wing.

Not convinced with Field in the halves, he’s a big target in the defensively line and isn’t really a kick threat. It’s fine in the low intensity games to play him there (actually it’s exciting seeing french and field being around the middle of the field).

In the big games I’d like Cust/Tommy and Smith it the halves with field at FB and French on the wing (with license to roam).

Crazy that I now view Smith as the undroppable half back. Goal kicking helps.

That being said next week id stick with what French 1 Field 6 with Cust maybe bench then returning next week.

He’s done some job Harry Smith to get in to a position where very few people would leave him out their best 13. I sit and think about our best side and he always gets in it and then I start choosing between Cust and Leuluai. To think he’s done that under the pressure he was under coming in to this season is extremely impressive.

Agree Re. Smith, when Tommy and Cade are fully fit it will be interesting to see how we juggle those 3 and French and Field. Smith has been outstanding this year and has showed some very impressive mental resilience to maintain his confidence through a very difficult last year - and a tricky start to the year.

I think Smith has to stay in the team. I think Tommy on the bench swapping for Powell at 9.

Unfortunately i haven't see enough of Field at 6 to see how long term a prospect he is there - my assumption is Cade and Smith will be the preferred longer term pairing, Field back to FB and French back to the wing. Very difficult choice between these two but I think French better on the wing than Field. Possibly the French contract situation will determine who gets the preferred spot at FB.

It's a complicated decision that Peet has to make and I'm sure he'll have one eye on 2023's combinations too.

For me, I'd want Cust back at 6 and continuing to build that partnership with Smith. He's got another year + one (not sure in whose favour) and that's the long-term partnership imo.

Depending on French's future, Field at 1 makes long term sense. That being said, French is in rare form at the min and some weighting has to given to this season. Saints look strong, but it's not OTT to say that with an extra injury or two it's a wide open race.

Field on the wing could be an option. I'm not sure what his positioning is like, or how much time he's spent there tho? French has plenty of experience on the wing, so that might sway the decision.

We’ve got so many options. Field has done a pretty good job at six but it’s clear as day that fullback is his best position. The way French is playing though makes it a real possibility that Field could see some time on the wing himself. You’ve then got Miski in great form, absolutely smashing metres out from our end.

Great problems to have!

One thing you do need against Saints is to be able to make yards coming away from your line - and with Thornley out Miski is doing a job there......but French is pretty handy and making yards in tight spaces too so I think he'll be most likely to move over to the wing spot.

I'm going to disagree slightly here NK. I think Field has been excellent at 6. He might not be scoring as many tries himself (which is to be expected from that position as opposed to fullback) but the amount of tries he's creating is just crazy! He creates so much room for everyone else and his link up play with French in the middle is on another level to anything anyone else in Superleague has.

I like Cust a lot and he's developing really well but we're running riot at times with Field at 6. I'd be tempted to give him more time there. Smith controlling the game combined with the Field threat looks really strong to me.

Check out his pass for Miski's try yesterday. Do we score that with anyone else at 6? Or the interplay with French that was ultimately pulled back for the forward pass. No other combination gives us those options.

I don’t think French is as solid as Field is in defence, caught a couple of times yesterday was French with poor efforts.

Can’t afford those kind of slip up vs Saints.

There’s certainly two sides to it and I’m not saying he’s been poor by any stretch at 6, he is playing very well but his form at fullback was incredible and I don’t think it’s wrong to consider it his best position. It’s a bit like Sam Tomkins in his Wigan prime IMO. He would do a more than adequate job at 6 but the space the fullback role gives him and the opportunities it opens up to use his pace is invaluable. I think Jonh makes a good point about his defence as well. It was a side of his game we probably didn’t expect due to his size but he was terrific there. We won’t lose any sleep over his position though. It’s just brilliant to have the option to play him at 1 or 6 and know you have French, Cust, Tommy etc to fit in around him.

True although I would raise the question of whether his form at fullback was better than Bevan's current form there. Different, definitely, but better? They've both been fantastic there and I think Field has probably been better at 6 than French on the wing. Not that either option has been bad, of course!



We're in a great position at the moment. It's staggering to think that yesterday, if we include the non use of Bibby, we had 6 players from our start of the season first choice 17 not playing, including both halves and all 3 centres!

We're not allowed to mention injuries and playing players out of position.

To have a debate about the merits of Field or French at fullback and where to fit in Cust and Leuluai is something that just makes me smile. What a problem to have!

It’s staggering to compare that debate to last years debates of how we could possibly score 10+ points a game. There’s plenty of improvements to be made yet but we’ve come so far already.

No disciplinary issues from the game, Lees has picked up a 1 match ban for Saints, (awaits the conspiracy thread to begin on RV)

He’s done well to make it this far without a ban. His technique tackling and running the ball is pretty dodgy. To say shoulder charges are apparently banned, he’s done well to avoid too much trouble.

Funny how they finally pull him against Wigan. Typical RFL giving Wigan a chance.

With him banned and Dodd injured it’s pretty much a selection crisis. I just saw a Saints fan bemoaning their luck on Twitter, strong how tough they’re doing it and asking if they’ll ever be able to field a full strength team. When does anybody get to do that? It’s so so rare for every other side.