One major issue for us yesterday and i can only see this being the same all season or until Noble makes the change. With Riddell off the pitch and Tommy taking over the hooking role (which i thought he did a great job of) we have no option but to play Locky at 6 and switch Tim to 7.

If this is the way we want to go this year we may as well write the year off now.

Noble talks of not rushing Sam into the side, but as far as i can see we simply have no choice!

Or McIllorum, the other Hooker in the squad, but either way Locky to 6 isn't acceptable and I see it being a continuing issue as he tries to accomodate all 5 of our back rowers, rather than dropping one.

It does seem pretty obvious Noble wants to add a quality 6 to his ranks, in fact I'd say the team need it.

The point about Sam/McIlorum is sound, and should be acted upon. Unfortunately, should a quality 6 become available, the usual mob will be out in style.

Will this be the extra signing thst IL has been talking about, i cannot think who would be available who would fit the bill.

It's such an obvious thing that it's totally baffling that it hasn't happened yet. Surely it'll happen next weekend? There can't be any excuses after yesterday.

I think a 6 needs to be added to the squad, and if it is, Sam & McIllorum will be out on loan because they won't get a look in.

Sam T has become a victim of the IL / Noble feud

Explain.

Noble does not rate Sam anywhere near as highly. He has real hang ups about small players whomever they are. IL wants Sam in the team (IL in a sense does not help by making Sam 'his boy') So Sam becomes about more than the simple selection it should be and more about the power struggle between coach / owner.

I did say previously that at Leigh, Sam T could have been selected to play at 7 but had he done so and played well Noble would have been forced to select him v Wakey. By not selecting him to play many here agreed that he should at best be sub v Wakey. This is how pathetic selection politics has got at the club. Ironically, Noble talks about the players having their own agendas.

V Hull, Noble cannot not select Sam

However, if Noble had his way the Lockers to 6 ploy would be how he prefers to go. Lockers to 6 is crazy BTW and threatens to damage the good start to 2009 that Lockers had.

Our club is embroilled in a pathetic power struggle between owner / coach.

deffo need a proper 6, because smith cant play there.
is we play sam, where does that leave tommy? arguably the best player yesterday, and wasted at 9 imo.

as someones said, there are no quality 6's available, so how about trying out my theory (dont rubbish it till youve thought about it).

KARL PRYCE at 6.

his bro never played 6 at bradford, he played sinilar roles to karl, wing, centre, full back, but never (or maybe the odd one off) at 6.
bradford fans used to rubbish my suggestions that he was a 6....now look at him..........gb no 6.

so lets try the same switch with his bro, who is similar in style.

Jesus.



You can't be serious, no way.

i said think about it before rubbishing it........you havnt had time to think

For once I agree with Alex

I didn't need to.

It's probably the worst suggestion I've ever heard on these forums. Seriously.

thats what the bradford fans used to post when i suggested leon pryce would make a good 6.

He played 7 in the WCC for Bradford against Wests and had a really good game.

Seriously, come on.

Its rank bad planning on the part of the club, we knew way back that Barrett was not signing for this year and despite all his protestations I would say that 6 months is long enough time to find a stand off better than O Loughlin.

In terms of Noble, knowing that Barrett was going and that a replacement was hard to come by, Sam Tomkins should have been given game time last year to get him ready for the first team from the word go this year.

If Noble believed that Tomkins was going to play a major part early season he would have played a lead role against Leigh - the fact that he didn't tells me all I need to know about his chances.

im being serious, and thought about it.
leon made the transition.
in my early days of watching , when dave bolton was injured, eric ashton went 6 and was good there.
centres make better 6's than 2nd rowers and 13's imo.

what is a 6?
someone who can tackle (barratt), and play like a 3rd centre.

in our present state its worth a try imo, and better than trying to play 2 scrum halves at half backs.

He wont play sam, he will play the same side as he did against wakey! Have you learned nothing from watching nobles wigan side!

If this is the case we have a potentially serious situation at hand. Personalities aside there have been cases in Wendyball when the Owner/Chairman has tried to pick the team and overrule/undermine the coach; sadly I can't recall an occasion where this has worked.

Assuming Charlie's statements to be true and again, personalities aside, should the owner/Chairman be dabbling? Even if it IS to bring the player most of us want into the 17? Personally I belive the owner/Chairman should leave team selection to the coach and stand by his appointment of the coach. If he doesn't agree with the coach he needs to butt out or fire the coach.

Oh well thats great. Chairman now wanting to pick the team. Noble is the coach not IL. Wether you agree with Noble not wanting to play Tomkins or not,it is Noble who should pick the team and IL should keep his nose out. Noble is the coach not IL. Maurice Lindsay got blasted for this.

Brian Noble has every right to not play Tomkins. Infact,well done to him for standing up to IL and not allowing him to interfere in team selction.

Leon played most of his junior rugby as a 6, and a bloody good one at that, he has always regarded himself as a 6 hence the reason he chose to leave Bradford.

When he first started first team he was promoted from playing 6 and introduced on the Wing, he occasionally got the chance to play 6 but only when Bradford picked up a knock.

Karl is a utility back, but he is a specialist outside back, never in a month of sundays is he a 6 unlike Leon who always has been despite a certain coach deciding a one paced Welsh boy from Union was a better option at 6, and in the bargin lost there best Prop/second row because the signing was made. Still we can only talk of the miracles he performed at Bradford.

Charlie, can you substantiate your claim of a rift in any way? I'm not doubting what you're saying as such but haven't read/heard this anywhere else and therefore would be grateful of something to add credence to this.

I believe that is part of the tension between the 2. IL as you say cannot interfere directly and he has to allow Noble to select whom he wants but in less direct ways and bhind closed doors IL expresses his views. If we accept that IL is a 'fan' then that gives him the mentality of a fan. we often pick the team hypothetically etc.