This is the area we a lacking this season... Aside from the fact there is not enough pace down the right hand side and not enough communication and attacking play down the left we need to start putting pressure in these areas to perform ... We need to do away with putting Martin at Stand Off, Grix on the wing and just accepting this including putting Atkins in the centres just because hes an england international - they have to earn there stripes... So the centres in no particular order consist of Gleeson, Atkins, Martin and even JD... 4 players for 2 shirts - best performers play... On the Wing we have Murphy and Peterson for the wings with Blanch injured (theres not much depth here) we may have t look at the academy set up... Get Grix at Loose Forward competing with Fergusson who can also play in the second row but if you wanna be picky - one of them plays and one of them is dropped... The Stand Off issue ... Well we dont have 1 !!! But its gonnna have to be rotated between Obst, Lautu or Drew (we simply dont have another choice in my opinion) - its not ideal at all but we may as well have a ball handler(s) in that position - not someone who isnt a stand off thats one dimensional... With troubles we have with injuries and no specialised players for key positions i would like to see Obst, Latu and Drew rotate the hooking and S/O role between them during the course of the game... Sound risky and a little disorganised but this can be practiced in training... I havnt mentioned the FB role... Well to be quite truthful Matty is one our more consistant players of late - hes not doing much in attack but is cleaning up and bringing the ball back well in a disfunctional side... Some of you may think im going crackers or ive lost the plot plus ive done a couple of night shifts !!

but i dont think we have much to lose at present as we are playing players out of position week after week and some know they are playing regardless of there performance...

So an example of the team for Leeds (ruthlessness involved !!)

Blaymire, Murphy, Gleeson, Atkins, Peterson, Obst, Brough, Moore, Latu, Korki, Fergusson, Snitch, Grix ... Bench JD, Drew, Stotic, Bibey

On the this occasion Martin and Wilkes would miss out...

Wilkes to miss out? Are you crazy?

Grix in Wilkes out?

i'd agree with all that mate apart from wilkes in , bibey out.

wilkes in grix out, ferg to loose. drew to start and play 60 mins latu for cover at hooker and forwards if need be. obst and grix to fight it out for 6 until we get a proper one, martin in centre not as 6.

bibey must play on recent form (shudds i missed as abroad)

Amen to that reverend!

As i said - its ruthless... He drops a lot of ball in the tackle and in play... However hes a trier and enjoys a tackle... Bibey for me is more versitile and could play second row or prop with ball handling skills - he gets the nod this time... It was a tough choice between Gleeson and Martin but keeps his place for me on recent performances and Atkins would be the more likely to lose his spot of the 2 at present on ''centre'' performance... But all tho we are lacking in certain key area i.e Wing and Stand Off currently there are stil options and differs of opinion on this kind of line up... Its up to the players to keep there shirt and the non selected to get back in !!

Why is it between Bibey and Wilkes? The strongest pack line-up was the one that faced Hull and I can't see any reason why we shouldn't return to it. It certainly doesn't need to be messed about with by having two (or even three) hookers on the pitch at the same time. If Obst is needed at stand off he should play at stand off.

no way should bibey be played as a back rower he's an out and out prop, his handling may be good but he;s never gonna be a runner out wide and is not mobile enough. his strength is solid drives, tacking the tackle and winning the battle at the ruck.

cant agree about atkins he played very well against quins and would be my first choice centre every time. he needs to improve in areas i accept that.
we must sign a stand off its probably the most pressing position imo

Wing is not a key area. Stand off definitely, but wing, no. Not saying a good winger is not an advantage, but there's no use having one if he rarely sees the ball.

you have lost the plot.

Not strictly between them 2 ... Its just Wilkes name was mentioned in a previous post ... I think the pack is going well and it has been proven against 2 big packs in Hull and Shudds last week...

Yeah i agree Bibey is a prop but i said id have him in the side i picked on his ability to off load the ball and if an injury occured in the game could slot into the second as cover...

Pace wins you matches and thats a fact... Had Grix had or Gleeson that extra yard of pace that David Hodgson had last week against Shudds we would have scored 2 tries and a lot of our attack is focused on the right hand side... The wingers are not seeing a lot of the ball buts its the brand of rugby we are playing and the lack of ability in our ''centre play'' to put the winger away... You only need to look at Cas... We are a better defensive unit but they have a lot more pace in there back division and score a lot of points because of it... Owen and Dixon aint the greatest of players but there pace gets them out of trouble and over the line whilst Shenton is another with plenty of pace to burn...

Fair enough but at the moment i dont think we have much to lose especally in the next 2 matches might be worth trying out a few new combinations...

Balony!

It can help but it is deffo not the be all and end all as you suggest.

I agree with the orignial poster about our problems at 6 but not with the solution.

For me we have played our most controlled and effective (if not most attractive) rugby with Martin and Drew playing 6 and 7 - often rotating.

It literally is ... Without the pace you will loose the games you could have won such as Shudds ... Pace is used in attack and defence and all the top teams have it ... Even the poorer teams such as Cas who cant defend for the life in them use it to get out of trouble and score more points than there opposition...

Bump - they were shocking tonight especially down the right hand side - tbh honest id keep only Gleeson and Blaymire on current performances... A major clear out is needed !!