Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:23 am  

The only other option would be to look at bringing in a prop that hasn't played in a while. You'd essentially be looking at either Mitch Clark or Liam Byrne (assuming Lam won't be daft enough to consider G.Burgess).

If George had been fit and firing this year we'd have looked a pretty complete team at times this year. As it is its still a weakness that is holding us back a little and may end up being an area we struggle in next week.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:28 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Who have you got at prop if Singleton is on the bench. Greenwood? I prefer him going wider at the smaller guys to be honest. Not sure he's cut out to start at prop against a big pack, we could find ourselves on the back foot early. I'd put Smithies at loose for his aggressive defence and put Partington into the prop rotation to replace Flower. It makes us a bit smaller but that's bound to happen when we're bringing in a second rower for a prop.

FB 6 French
RW 23 Bibby
RC 1 Hardaker
LC 4 Gildart
LW 5 J.Burgess
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 17 Partington
H 9 Powell
P 38 Singleton
SR 11 Isa
SR 12 Farrell
LF 16 Smithies

S 8 Clubb
S 13 O'Loughlin
S 15 Greenwood
S 19 Bullock

Sorry meant Greenwood - With obviously Singleton starting

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:28 am  

Presuming Flower is out:

French
Bibby
Hardaker
Gildart
Burgess
Hastings
Leuluai
Singleton
Powell
Bullock
Faz
Isa
Partington

Smithies
SOL
Clubb
Greenwood

Lockers can play as a mobile front rower if needed, but we also have the option of moving Olly P into the front row.

If Singleton is out then Partington moves to prop, Smithies to 13 and then the 4th spot becomes decision time. We could go with Smith which gives us a change of plan in attack with Hastings to 9, Powell to 13 and Smith to 6 We've done that plenty of times this season.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:35 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Who have you got at prop if Singleton is on the bench. Greenwood? I prefer him going wider at the smaller guys to be honest. Not sure he's cut out to start at prop against a big pack, we could find ourselves on the back foot early. I'd put Smithies at loose for his aggressive defence and put Partington into the prop rotation to replace Flower. It makes us a bit smaller but that's bound to happen when we're bringing in a second rower for a prop.

FB 6 French
RW 23 Bibby
RC 1 Hardaker
LC 4 Gildart
LW 5 J.Burgess
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 17 Partington
H 9 Powell
P 38 Singleton
SR 11 Isa
SR 12 Farrell
LF 16 Smithies

S 8 Clubb
S 13 O'Loughlin
S 15 Greenwood
S 19 Bullock

Bullock has to start with Singleton

First Carry against Saints 2 weeks back and he knocked Roby flat on his arris
We cant lose the upfront battle in the first 20

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:37 am  

nathan_rugby wrote:

How on earth are people suggesting Flower may be fit for the final? He could barely walk.

Agreed. The cameras caught him a couple of times after he had gone off. It will be an absolute miracle if he were to be ready for next week.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:44 am  

Egg Chasing wrote:

Presuming Flower is out:

French
Bibby
Hardaker
Gildart
Burgess
Hastings
Leuluai
Singleton
Powell
Bullock
Faz
Isa
Partington

Smithies
SOL
Clubb
Greenwood
.

This. Love the aggression from Partington and Smithies but it’s like lighting the blue touch paper sometimes. Need to keep a lid on it. Don’t want any Floweresque shenanigans this time or it will be game over.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:46 am  

Jukesays wrote:

Bullock has to start with Singleton

First Carry against Saints 2 weeks back and he knocked Roby flat on his arris
We cant lose the upfront battle in the first 20

Yeah fair enough maybe bench Partington then so he can rotate with the props. Otherwise you suddenly get a lot smaller when Lockers and Smithies come on for Partington and one of the props. I've not watched yesterday's game back yet but thought Partington was throwing his weight around well. Probably lucky to get pulled away before he got himself binned for man to man confrontation during the Griffin incident but glad he's not afraid.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 11:05 am  

I doubt anyone would have considered not playing Greenwood on the form he was in prior to his ban so logically he comes straight back in. We went with 2 props and 2 back rowers on the bench last night and got on top of a big Hull pack. Walmsley aside, Saints (if it's them) have nothing in their pack that we can't handle with ease as we showed last time out so there's no reason not to go with the same as last night. Lockers moves to prop and Greenwood comes in to take his backrowers spot.

Flower doesn't make a lot of metres. We won't lose too much in that swap and we'll gain Lockers ball handling skills from that position. Greenwood doesn't have Lockers linking skills but we'll gain his bigger minutes and offloads which were very effective against Saints last time.

Flower is a loss, for sure, but one we should be able to cover.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 11:12 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

We can’t play him in a final if there is any risk whatsoever that it could go again, even if he improves in the week. If it was Farrell, Hastings, French or even somebody like Bullock (how good has he been recently) then maybe you risk them but when Greenwood is waiting in the wings anyway, it’s an easy decision IMO. It’s sad to see Flower go out that way but it’s not surprising. He’s been a great servant for the club and has had a great career here but too many Injuries these past few years have hurt him.

I agree mate. Barring a miracle, Flower is gone.

I said about Bullock on the last Saints thread these that he had become the 2nd best prop in the league after Walmsley. I stand by that. The intensity he runs in at reminds me of Thompson. He has a massive 6 or 7 years ahead of him if he carries on this upward trajectory. We're well stocked for props at international level but the picture is opening up as a few come to the back end of their careers. Bullock will be the next to make the jump after Sutton has this time around. I'm certain of that. It's all in his own hands.

Re: Squad for Hull : Fri Nov 20, 2020 11:45 am  

Partington will be some player once he fills out and puts more size on. So good last night and did well to not overreact to the Griffin nonesense.

Greenwood in for Flower for me, shame for Flower was decent last night and been a great servant.

Greenwood when he comes on to play on the left edge and give Theo Fages another torrid time.

Farrell to move into the middle to accommodate.

People shouldn’t be worried about props as SOL and Smithies basically play prop.

Powell being back would be MASSIVE.