TBH i'd drop briscoe, ineffective and out of position a couple of times coupled with his mare last week, move Hall out to the left wing, Tansey back at FB and Whiting in the centres.

I think Hall showed tonight that he is much more effective in the centres. Briscoe does need to work on his positioning and dealing with high balls though.

Whiting back at centre (done nothing to lose his place)

Tansey back to full back (served his sentence)

Hall back on the wing for Briscoe who got did nothing tonight

Moa in for fitz who is not a member of the tongan mafia



and bring Morgan in for agar

Who do you drop? Everyone played well in the positions that Tansey can play in. I'd have him sit out another week. Shouldn't break the code of conduct. He shouldn't be guaranteed a place if everyone has played well.

A harsh lesson.

Tend to agree there our least effective back was Briscoe. Agar must play the form players and Whiting is certainly one of those after tonight. Can see Tansey replacing Turner mind.

Briscoe did hell of a lot of work in the first half , Ok he made couple of mistakes overall but not enough to lose his place

This is the point. There is no punitive element to being dropped if you know you'll walk straight back into the side regardless of how well others have played in your absence. Whiting was brilliant tonight and should keep his place in the starting line up. To drop a player following a MOM performance in favour of one who was out of the side for disciplinary reasons sends out entirely the wrong message.

He needs to sort out his weakness under the high ball. I'm sure he is working on it. Young lad with some issues to iron out another being positional sense. No problem with work rate as can be said for 1-17.

Whiting would never have scored the try Hall did though

Indeed, although I still think that centre position is a bit horses for courses. Hall is a better attacking option and Whiting is the better defensive (shame we can't meld them together!).

Tansey could go into the halves to replace Turner and leave the rest the same? Or he could play fb and Whiting could play 6 and Turner could go to the bench and replace Houghton. Think Turner might do well from Dummy half.

Lots of options and that's assuming Long is not back.

Whiting was superb in the first half and his ball to Manu was class.

Agreed, MOM from the sponsors and so would anyone drop the MOM from the position they achieved it in?

Fully agree, no chance Briscoe should be dropped.

Jeez, whats happening. We haven't had enough players in the last few seasons and now we've got to many!
This is another time when its tough to be a coach. How many different ideas and teams have we had put forward in this one thread!
Long may it continue.

Spot on. Tansey may be a more natural FB but he got punished for being out of line and he needs to fight to get his place back.

I wonder where Standee is after last night. Gave Whiting a luke warm reception after his first two (very good) games in the centre, called for him to be dropped after a below par performance last week when the whole team played badly, then saw him turn in a MOM performance in a different position last night.

Perhaps he's still 'average', had a 'reasonable' game and was 'just doing what was expected'.

Yes Tansey on the bench for Houghton and leave Whiting at 1 for now.

No, Standee is here, and quite happy to say Whiting had a very good game at fb last night and should, without doubt, keep the fb spot ahead of Tansey next week.

It will be interesting to see a Long/Turner combination at some point in the future, was impressed with Turner last night, he seemed to take the pressure off Horne which led to Rich having a fairly good game (and a well taken try) too.

Not sure it works like that in life. You drop a clanger you pay for it but, sometimes, outside influences (such as Whiting playing a blinder in the FB spot) have a bearing and make the puniushment harsher. It will be a good lesson for him if Whiting keeps his spot.

Absolutely. Not much of a punishment if you're guaranteed your place back the following week. Make him work for it.

How could you condone dropping Whiting? (other than an injury for someone else which necessitates a move), Tansey screwed up, someone else put their hand up and played very well, a lesson for everyone at the club, best behaviour at all times, or someone else will take your shirt.

Can't say fairer than that.

It's the way I've hoped we'd be run for years, and we're finally doing it.

Imagine what a career two bobs, King, Thacks, et al could have had under such rules, we've been too accepting (as a club and as fans) of unprofessional behaviour for too long, it isn't the 70's/80's anymore, we don't need to be greatful for people pulling on the shirt, they are well paid and well respected, the fans deserve some form of pay back in terms of respect.

But, equally, we don't chastise after the event, if (when) Tansey wins his place back then fair enough, no grudges.

We don't know if we are yet. He might come straight back into the side next week at the expense of someone who doesn't deserve to be dropped.

True, we'll see. But dropping him at all was a massive development over they way King was handled last season!