Agreed - the players know where they stand too and the coach can't be accused of having favourites.

Do we really think Radders or any coach in SL will not play a squad member because he dont like them? or he picks a team on what he sees fit for the game?
would AP let this happen?

Actually yes I do, I think it clouds your judgement.

Miller will get his chance though because it will be a massive surprise if Rich Horne makes it through the season fit, I just hope Miller doesn't feel deflated not playing and can be up for it when he gets his chance.

We don't want another Seymour

Thirded. Some of the blinkers worn by the odd few on here towards their favourites can only lead to disappointment and frustration. Bit worrying, the extent of some of it. (Is there a masculine equivalent of the word 'sapphic'?) You'll always get these endless unresolved arguments if people cannot remain objective. Just hope Radford can.

I gave up having favourites in the Sharks days. I bought a shirt and had Glen Tomlinson's name put on the back of it thinking he would be the half back we so desperately needed (sound familiar?

). Went to Knowsley Road and watched him go down with no one anywhere near him - his leg had shattered and I don't think he played again for us. That was it for me no more names or favourites

Well you are wrong, it is nothing to do with personal vendetta & more on ability, Radders would play anyone who is good enough & i know this for sure, would he play a player he does not see capable of doing a job for his team? which would make his own job look like he is not doing right? he will get a chance possibly through injury to another pivot, or if he shows signs of the player he was hyped up to be.

I take solace in the fact you disagree with me which guarantees I'm right

I take solace in the fact you've broke out the smilies, guarantees you have no rebuttal.

You're right, I have no rebuttal for your nonsensical post. I admire your man love for miller and westerman, misplaced as it is

we have been crying out for a coach who picks players on form not reputation when radders picks horne over miller (on form) everyone shouts get rid of miller. the season before last everyone was saying horne was past it and should be moved out... talk about kneejerk reaction

Not everyone. At the end of last year I said I was looking forward to seeing Miller after a full pre season. When he gets his chance (which he will) it's up to him to take it and I hope he does. I would have no problem with Miller and Rankin or Miller and Horne provided they were creating and scoring tries. As it stands the coach has gone with Horne and Rankin so let's see how they go. They were both a bit mixed in what was the first game of the season but each scored a try and set up others so in general were doing exactly what they are paid for. The problem as you say is when people take a view and then try and defend it in the face of clear facts. Inevitably things will change during the season.

I agree Miller will get his chance on preseason form I think Radders has got selection right, miller will have to wait his turn and when he gets it like Shaul take it and make the coach keep him in the team its down to him my only worry is with miller not been able to get game time at Donny will he be rusty, loan perhaps, but he is not rubbish young and inexperienced and maybe over paid by a coach who was never a number one is my take on it

All depends on how you look at things, IMO. I posted on here at half time that Rankin needed to see more of the ball, as the reason he looked 'anonymous' (if you want to go that far) was because we mainly went down the other side (he did look pretty good when he did get his hands on the ball though, IMO). So yes, you could criticise Rankin for not getting involved enough, but I personally thought it was more disappointing/worrying that Horne saw much more of the ball yet created quite little. The try he bombed was also very poor play when we had 3-on-1 IIRC.

Horne also gave away more penalties than anyone else and was 2nd in missed tackles, so he was one of the main culprits in the two worst aspects of our play.

Whilst on the subject of missed tackles, a total of 15 from Horne, Crooks, and Lineham.

It does depend on how you look at it I agree. For example Catalans repeatedly came down Hull's right with their 70%+ possession in the first half. That meant that Horne was doing far more defensively than Rankin which wont have helped him on the rare occasions that we actually had the ball, and made him more likely to give away penalties. I don't really buy into the 'Horne created very little' scenario to be honest. He made a bad mess of the overlap for sure but we had very little field position in the Catalans 20 for either half to work with or create near their line. At the beginning of the second half together with Shaul he prevented Zeb Taia from crashing over the line for what would have been the first score of the half and quite possibly would have put a completely different complexion on the game had we gone behind by 10 points at that stage.

I wasn't criticising Rankin either - just pointing out that he did little in the first half. I remember a poor kick straight to their winger on one of the few times he had the ball. His try was superb and his kick was good for Lineham's try but the French winger will be very disappointed. All in all I thought it was a mixed bag from both halves with some highlights - not least their own tries - but with 8 tries notched up there's plenty to work on.

Rankin also put a try on a plate for Shaul with a superb kick thru, unfortunatly it wasn't scored.

The good thing is we've got 3 halfs and a good prospect coming through. At this moment in time Miller will have to wait and hope when the opportunity arises he takes it.

Precisely.

I agree in the main, but still think that Horne created little in the first half. I know what you mean about the halves not having a lot to work with, but I just thought of the 2 (in the first half at least) Rankin looked more dangerous on the occasions when he did get the ball and more likely to make something happen. Horne seemed to do a bit more of Holdsworth's speciality just moving the ball along the line almost aimlessly.

I'd be more worried if we had been heavily on top and he'd been like that, so let's just see how he does next week.

My personal opinion is that Horne was the best half back we had at the club last year so for me it's his place to lose. He made mistakes on Friday night, sure, but on the other hand he scored a try and created one so I think he did enough to keep his place.

Miller is one for the future for me. Looked promising and full of potential last year but certainly not the finished article yet. His time will come and he will get his chance.

We scored 8 tries, 5 of which our halfs either scored or had the final pas/kick. I really don;t think half back was where had problems on Friday

dont shoot me down but heard miller could be on his way after a little dust up in wier bar.
not the greatest source though

The only flaw in this rumour is that the Wier bar has been closed for 2 months.

That's probably why I haven't said it was, then.

i just got told a bar in hessle and thought that lol

Your such a details person!