We have been for the last two seasons.

Well they managed to win without Roberts, Phelps, Mcciloram, O' Carroll, Bailey and their coach so they must be doing something right

It's not really the same as having arguably your 6 most important players out though is it?

Funny how it just happens to be your 6 most important players when Whiting wouldn't even get in your coaches 13 if everyone was fit and Tickle isn't your best back rower

You haven't seen Whiting play this year then?

You miss the difference between best and most important.

Long, O'Meley and Fitz enough said.
Calderwood arguably our only natural winger and as we only have 2 at most his fitness is very important to the team.
Whiting's versatility makes him a very important player to our team.
Tickle playing 80 minutes and his goal kicking (although obviously not an issue on Friday) is important to us, him being out the team affects the whole balance of our second row.

So it doesn't matter if your best players are missing just as long as your most important aren't? Hahaha you couldn't make it up

Aren't youre best players the most important?

Yes and what i said was when everyone is fit he wouldn't make the starting 13, a jack of all trades master of none


or Would he??

I said at the start of the year he wouldnt. However on this years form it would be difficult to not play him. He'd probably have to be our right centre.

Not neccessarily. I'd say O'Meley is the best player in our team however I'd say Long is the most important player in our team.

Can you point me to where I said that it doesn't matter if your best players are missing?

Broadly speaking the best players for me are more important. Isolating 1 vs 1 like that doesnt really tell the story.

Long
O'Meley
Fitz
Manu

Our best 4 players for me are definately our most important 4. Look at how poor we are with the top 3 missing.

Quite. He's been one of our best/most consistent players all year, and there's no way he wouldn't make the starting 13 on current form (unless he had a broken arm or summat). He'd be my first choice for fullback. Tansey at 6 or 7.

I would agree in a broad sense. I think losing Calderwood is more detrimental to our team as a whole than losing say Manu because although I think Manu is a much better player we are much better covered to replace him then we are Calderwood.

Not sure i agree.

If Calderwood goes injured we have plenty of cover for me. (with a fully fit squad) Manu on the other hand gives us something that no one else in the side does.

Fair enough it's all about opinions. Though Whiting has done an ok job on the wing i think against the better teams (Wigan/Leeds) they've really shown up our lack of wingers on the edge IMO and resulted in a lot of tries.

Think that's more down to our poor sliding defence, myself. We've conceded so many tries where the winger is left isolated with 3 or 4 men to defend against.

Agree. It's been a problem since week 1. Briscoe was exposed a number of times early in the season due to inside defenders not working hard enough and our desire to condense down the middle to win the wrestle.

Yes it's hard to pinpoint exactly where it goes wrong, some would suggest the middle. I just feel that not having a winger has cost us quite a few tries both in attack and in defence.

Not too much difference in my opinion, while we are enjoying better fortunes at the moment on the field, we are both two clubs that overall just seem very happy to "exist" rather then compete.

You would have beat Bradford what I saw the other day even with your players out.

I thought our defence was bad but then watched the hull kr v bradford game. Could have ended up 50 all

Simon Moran is not as wealthy as people make out but he is a very good businessman. If it wasnt for Take That reforming he would have gone bankrupt. I have some friends who work for him that say he is on top of everything with regards to property and the recent success of the Academy venues in which he is a shareholder has helped but he is definitly not in a position to invest in a rugby club. I like Rule for what its worth but you cant compare his or Hetheringtons success to Morans.

The salary cap has had a few years to take effect and the clubs will be finding other ways to utilise the money. Can somebody honestly say they would be equally motivated at work if a company down the road had much better facilities? Or a much bigger management team to ensure they get the best out of you?

I don't know how endorsements fit under the salary cap but if I was a club I would spend considerable time building relationships with key staff at large corporations.