I just don't see the point in playing Riddell and McIlorum in rotation.

Although both are decent hookers, neither provide noticable impact from off the bench and it's a total waste of a squad space.

I don't get that decision.

It's because it's the easiest option at the end of day.

Times running out for Noble with calls like these.

The reality is we can't have Sam, Tommy, Timmy, Piggy and Mickey Mac in the 17.

One will have to miss out.
Next week it would have to be Sam. Is that the reason Noble is going with the other four this week?

We need to win the game this week though and we have to play our best side regardless of what will be happening next week.

Our best side includes Sam Tomkins without a shadow of a doubt.

Why not go the full hog if thats the case and leave Lockers and Hock out.

With the depth of squad we have now Noble has to make very hard decisions and pick the team he thinks will beat the opposition we face. It might upset a lot of supporters but it is good for the club to have so much competition for places.

If it was my choice I would have had Sam on the bench and Micky Mac as 18th man.
We are leaving out a player with "pace" and a good defender to bring in an organiser in Smith.

But, I'm not the coach, and don't see what happens on a day by day basis.

If it was my choice I would drop Riddell. All the other 4 players have had some very good performances over the last few months where although Riddell has been no disgrace he has not really set the world alight.

Where as I would have Riddell as 18th man.

I really hope that any squad decisions made for tonight haven't been done so with next week in mind.

We're not in a position to risk not choosing our strongest side possible.

It's great to have competition for places and it's something that we've been crying out for years to have.

When you do have that though you must use it right to get the best out of all the players. If a player preforms he keeps his place whoever he is and the guy who's out of the side through injury/suspension or whatever must wait his chance whoever he may be.

We do have to get Smith back into the side tonight without question which meant dropping a player but if we look at it on form then more then likely Riddell should have been the man to make way or at a push McIlorum but that isn't as easy for Noble to do as it is for him to come up with excuses for dropping Sam Tomkins due to his old duty of care(a line i've no doubt he'll trot out).

Not good imo.

I dont see why people are so shocked? Since Smith left Sams only been in the team by default and if Smith hadn't gone Sam wouldnt have played since. I cant see him or Ainscough playing for a good few weeks now.

FACT - We play our best rugby when TL is at 9 with Tomkins and Smith in the halves.

This is why people are getting annoyed.

I'm not shocked, I just find the decision strange.

For me, the halfback headaches all revolve around the hooking role. It's not the fact he hasn't included Sam that has me questioning the decision, it's the fact he has two similar players interchanging at acting halfback and it's simply swapping one style of a hooker for another with the same attributes which offers little impact. The better option for me, would be to switch Leuluai to hooker who we know can make an impact, and putting Sam into the halves with Smith, as we know he can more than play above standard requirements and also make an impact.

Simple.

I understand what your saying but he has to pick a side he thinks will win and if the side has not got Sam in then thats the way it is he is with the players all week and knows how they have gone in training we only see the end result. It might also be a destabilizing job on Salford changing the team from last week its not often you get the same side 2 weeks on the bounce is it could be a bit of mix it up so they will not be able to anticipate the play.

There could be lots of reasons he has not picked him if that is the case he could have a knock been a bit under the weather or as said before just mix it up for Salford or even Tony Smith might have asked Noble not to play him you dont know. I would think it just to give Salford a different team to play from last week.

If you have the balls to either tell a senior australian he's dropped or a guy more senior then Tomkins who's in good form that he's dropped but Noble hasn't!

A complete waste us even having a youth setup whilst Nobles here.

If you want to win games, you pick the best players. Noble does not do that, so we are in a disgraceful league position and have won only two home league games out of 7.
I don't care about the excuses or the 'reasons'. Results speak for themselves. Noble must go.

Think you will find he did that earlier in the year with Smith dont think he is scared to tell players they are dropped.

Yeah, cos we had a Great one before he came in didn't we!

MY take in it, He has to decide 4 from 5 if all are fit!

He either picks 2 x HB's & 2 x Hookers

OR

As I would do, Play 3 HB's with 1 off the Bench (ST for me) and drop either Riddell or MM (I would play Riddell).

Put it this way, if i were sat in the Salford dressing room and heard that a lad that caused us no end of problems in the 2nd half last week wasn't playing i'd be more then happy!

I can't get away from the fact that it's the easiest option for Nobby to drop Sam Tomkins.

We can try and think of all sorts of other reasons why but that one just keeps coming to the front of the queue.

The only 2 people that know the reason is Noble and Sam not you not me nor any other person on here we dont even know for sure if he is not playing yet team line ups have been changed at the last min.
Could be Mind games

It would have been easier for him to drop McCollorum IMO but he hasn't??

Great minds think alike.

Or fools seldom differ.

Take your pick.

He had no other choice but to drop Smith after his horrible defensive display.

Noble only plays the kids when his hand is forced and he has no other options. When they perhaps do nothing spectacular or make a little mistake he is quick to drop them, Ainscough being the prime example. Fair enough drop them for a week or so but to leave him out of the team as long as he has is complete joke.

Reverse this and look at perhaps more senior imports he gives them plenty of chances will even go as far as to play them when they are not fully fit. e.g Carmont and Riddell.

Riddell HAS to be dropped this week IMO as he has not produced the goods. Its between him and Micky Mc for the last spot of the 4. As IMO TL, TS and ST all deserve to be in the 17.

Spot on.

It wouldn't be because he's playing better then the only other player in his position who Noble would have picked ahead of him.

Lets face facts Noble doesn't trust young players! It's always been the same during his time here and that won't change.

When we got battered against Saints at MM last year he blamed the defeat on the younger players after the game.............not the likes of Fielden who took 3 drives in all game(literally), Not Mathers who was a shambles at the back no he blamed the likes of O'Carroll and Goulding who'd actually done more then most senior players.

On recent performances I'd go for

Phelps
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Smith
Leuleui
Coley
Mcllorum
Fielden
Hock
Tomkins
Lockers

Bench
Prescott
Hansen
Tomkins
Feka

Riddell to miss out

Mcllourm playing really well the only thing riddell brings to us more than mcllorum is kicking option and when he does is token drive