I've missed your depressing monologues. Keep up the good work

Then away at Wire on April fools day

Reckon Smith has written this game off, look to the Leigh.

Sounds harsh, but I wouldn't be letting Mitch play in that RU army game.

Dont think we have a choice but its game time after injury and thats better than bringing players straight back into the first team rusty as we have seen with Savelio and Sao.
Should also get a game in the reserves at the weekend.

I dont agree with making mass changes for the Saints game. I believe that in the main the same team should be allowed to put right the wrongs that they served up against Salford. Obviously some changes will be made depending on availabaility but basicly same again

That's been done once too many times and with the end result being one 5h!t performance after another, they need to be and should be held accountable. The majority of the squad have served up those sort of performances far too often and quite honestly have used up all their chances to redeem themselves.

I understand TS had to defend or explain reasons for the latest hammering. However these are professional rugby players majority of which are on very good wages.
Yes, the defensive structure has been changed but rugby is such a simple game.
Think most of us agree on here we have the thickest players in SL but to not be able to understand how to tackle an opponent when it’s part of the weekly training programme.

Salford only had 19 fit players , so the team picked itself. Yet they can attack and defend.
I sincerely hope there’s a massive clear out of players end of the season.

Probably can't make mass changes, due to players out, but IMO Lane should and Evans should be dropped, both have probably had one good game in the last year.

Sao back in the middle, stand off is the odd one, I like what Lovodua brings attacking wise, but his defending was pitiful on saturday, don't thin Ben Mc is good enough either, not sure about moving Hoy there either.

Lets see what the squad brings later.,

I know McNamara tends to cop a lot of criticism and whilst I'd agree he won't likely be a top class player he is, as has been shown our best option at 6 (without moving Hoy) until Trueman is fit. He may not set the world on fire but he is steady and reliable, in fairness to the lad he is actually prepared to make a tackle, something that was in very short supply against Salford.

Same again then.....

Just one change - Barron in and Shaul out (playing for the Reserves).

If you're looking for minimal changes then Cator for Lane and maybe Gardiner for either Taylor or Evans.

If wholesale then something like
Litten
Barron
McIntosh
Scott
Swift
Hoy
Clifford
Fash
Houghton
Sao
Griffin
Savelio
Cator

Satae
Brown (well spotted Chris71)
Gardiner
Dwyer

Got to say whilst I appreciate there isn't a great number of players within the squad to be able to make a lot of changes I am disappointed to see pretty much all the same names again in the 21 man squad following the pitiful effort by the 17 that took the field against Salford.

I just hope that some of the ones that made the 17 last week will be sat in the stands this Friday.

Would you drop Brown? I'd have him in the 17 ahead of Taylor & Evans.

Ooops, I absolutely wouldn't!
In fact I'd go as far as to bring him on before the second half this week.

Its ok I'll let you off, thought it may have been a bit of a faux pas

Very gracious of you.

I get the feeling we are being very cautious with knocks so far this year, which is fair enough with it being early days but its leading some very disjointed teams.

Tongue in cheek. If we can keep the Saints winning marging to less than 44 points then its an improvement on last week. (But I'm not holding my breath).

Unfortunately I don't think my we can go with a Mcintosh Barron right hand side, we will get crucified.

Think we have to stick with Griffin, move cator into the backrow.

Yes certainly seems to be a very cautious approach being taken and the lack of any real reserve fixtures is hampering the return to fitness of injured players as like Ligi & Dre they came straight back in to SL action.

Truthfully, neither do I. I was just trying to come up with an alternative.

As Chris said, very frustrating theres zero accountability with regards to squad selection in the wake of another embaressing performance how long is this going to continue?

To be fair to Tony Smith we've fairly limited scope for wholesale changes bar playing half the academy side.
Lets see what the team actually ends up being before slating it too much.

Tony Smith could quite easily drop Lane and Evans, very easily and send a message out......no need for half the academy. I also thimk judging by academy results we have a promising group that could be phased on during the course of the season.

Laidlaw>Evans
Cator> Lane

Would be two easy changes for this next game.

Im guessing Staveley/Balmforth/Litten wont be a million miles away too.

On that basis Chris may as well play Houghton there
McNamara is one of a number of our younger players like Scott and Wynne who will end up in the Championship