No not good enough, we have options available to cover Long, Agar just wont see them, Tansey is our most creative player even when Long plays and from what I have seen probabally a better kicking game which is the most important aspect in my opinion, I know he is definetely not a natural 7 but he is our best option for the short term, he just has something about him that others dont, Ben Hornby is a similar example of that it can be done, if anything bringing in another back for cover to free up Tansey would be more benificial, Houghton is also worth a shout in my opinion smart player with a good kicking game, just not Horne and Washy.

Not one of Tanseys biggest fans but as an oppo fan I'd rather see hi tied up in the middle of the park rather than coming into the line and attacking the fringes

Berrigan to scrum half he has played there before and can do a job alongside Horne. Tansey is our main danger man out wide I dont see the point in changing that.

Its not ideal, but Webster is not good enough in my opinion and you cannot underestimate how bad Horne and Washbrook playing together are, it needs to be done in.

I wouldn't be surprised to see agar split the half backs again.

Stick Horne and Washbrook together and our season is over. Tansey, although preferred at full back, is by far the most creative player left in the team and needs to play 7, Whiting can do a job for us at FB.

Definitely. Washy is just too ponderous at HB. We have a a decent enough option in what you've described - question is whether Agar will go for it.

When Long signed he mentioned that their were some good young half backs at the club , not sure who he was referring to though of course it is a big step up to SL level.

Washy should be nowhere near our 17 full stop.

Washbrook shouldn't be anywhere near our 17. He is simply not good enough. If he is our answer at HB for the rest of the season, we are finished and our season might aswell end now.

Another Graeme Horne who plays lots of positions and is ordinary at all of them.

If we have any chance at all without Longy, Agar needs to give his head a bang and put Tansey in there or find a way to bring in a SH, either from the lower leagues or a quota player from Oz with Berrigan or Cusack being released.

The most frustrating thing for me is both our h/backs are probably in the highest paid bracket in our squad...

Played 4/5 games together, and the odds of them playing together in the future are slim.

That is the point. Was saying to Mr B last night we have all our Scrum Half eggs in a soon to be 34-year-old basket. No one coming through that will be ready to step up in 2012 never mind 2011. Although having said that we're not alone in not developing internal options in the halves. The Mylers/Eastmonds of this world are the exception rather than the rule.

For this reason, would it be worth targeting Tansey as Sean Long's replacement and giving him the next year being coached intensively by Long and Webster as such? Full back is arguably a role that's easier to fill by others and where there are more options available. Just a thought.

The young uns have to be tested at SL level sooner or later so lets grow some balls and give one of them a game at SH and find out while the opportunity is there for them with Longy out,
other clubs do it with various degrees of success and its a gamble worth taking imo as the kid could start and play at least 50-60 minutes with one of the others mentioned for the role being around to spell him if needed.

just gonna post the same muddyboots, surely its tiime to bring thru one of the young guns in a problematic postition

I think James Webster does have a lot of craft that is lacking from our other half back options. Is he eligible to play if registered as a player ? Seem to remember him getting a UK passport

Tansey to 7 . Horne at 6 . Whiting FB . Calderwood back on wing.

That's my choice as well, Whitings runs well from deep and reads the game a good as anyone. Also with calders back it'll give us some much needed pace for kick chase and defencive cover.

would you be happy to give a young hb the slack he would need if you brought him in now. He'd be liable to make a few errors and in that position they would be costly. This isn't s dig a fc fans but rl fans in general. If agar threw a 17 yr old into the mix next week and you got turned over he'd get slaughtered, prob drop the lad and it would set him back massively.

I'd love to see teams take the chance on these lads but unfortunately it's us fans who are the main blocker

Alot of people were begging Justin to try Kristian Bell at 6 but we know he won't which is disappointing

See Reece Lyne.

I reckon most clubs are the same. We'd give him a game but stick him on the wing, so not only is it his debut but he's out if position as well, haynes got crucified last year because of that very situation. These lads need a run in the first team (maybe spelled) in their position to really give them a chance.

He has only played one game of under 20s. You cannot pick young players for the sake of it because unless they are physically and mentally ready for the step up it could be detrimental to their progress.

Who plays 7 for your U20's is he any good?

Sink or Swim i'd say, can't wrap them up in cotton wool forever.

Players handle it if they are good enough which is why we have 3 outstanding propects at half back for our country now

Dont get why everyone is so against Webster playing at 7. Granted he's not the best seven in the world but hes better than playing Tansey their imo who could be very hit and miss. Then we could keep Tansey at 1, Horne back at 6, Calders back in and Whiting as back up