Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2001 12:04 pm Posts: 29728 Location: The Corridor of Uncertainty
So it’s Fax yet again this weekend and both sides are coming off the back of dire performances. I expect a few changes to our lineup where injuries permit.
Keyes back in? Move Wildie back to hooker with Doyle back in? I think Hallas and Flanagan have lost form and become distracted with trying to wind up the opposition recently. Against Fax that’s a possibility again given the history. In fact if I were Grix I’d make putting those two off their games a big priority. They are weak links when goaded.
Pickersgill back in? If you drop Grant (as must happen) then unless Rickett gets a chance you have to move Ryan back to the wing.
Webster back hopefully. Probably for Gibson who didn’t have a great game.
Up front do you stay with Magrin or bring Bustin back? Backrow was below average versus Leigh so maybe Farrell back in if fit for someone.
Shame Hitchcox is a couple of weeks off.
"If you start listening to the fans it won't be long before you're sitting with them," - Wayne Bennett.
Season defining for me. Mathematically we wouldn't be out of the play-off race but I think the wheels will have well and truly come off if we lose this. The attitude of the teams being questioned and it will be interesting to see if we get a response. We're at home against a team who've lost 3 in a row in the league (which included Batley & Barrow) add to the fact we owe them for the Bash and Cup, we should be coming out like men possessed.
Kear has some tough decisions to make on line-up. We'll be boosted by Webster, Keyes etc. But he needs to drop a few players who he's been loyal to. I don't believe wholesale changes will do us any good, but theres a few top players not performing at the moment and it should be made clear. The Ryan at FB experiment is surely over too.
Personally I'd go.
1. Pickersgill 2. Ricketts (if Grant plays after the Leigh game I give up) 3. Webster 4. Oakes 5. Ryan 6. Keyes 7. Lilley 8. Bustin 9. Wildie 10. Crossley (lucky to be in as he's making some awful reads at the moment in defence) 11. Storton 12. Farrell 13. Minchella 14. Flanagan 15. Wood 16. Peltier 17. Roche
Genuinely couldn't decide who to put in that last spot. Kirks knock-on was in excusable. I just don't think you should walk back in the team making that kind of attitude error.
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:10 am Posts: 5 Location: Gledhill's cellar
Bull Mania wrote:Season defining for me. Mathematically we wouldn't be out of the play-off race but I think the wheels will have well and truly come off if we lose this. The attitude of the teams being questioned and it will be interesting to see if we get a response. We're at home against a team who've lost 3 in a row in the league (which included Batley & Barrow) add to the fact we owe them for the Bash and Cup, we should be coming out like men possessed.
Kear has some tough decisions to make on line-up. We'll be boosted by Webster, Keyes etc. But he needs to drop a few players who he's been loyal to. I don't believe wholesale changes will do us any good, but theres a few top players not performing at the moment and it should be made clear. The Ryan at FB experiment is surely over too.
Personally I'd go.
1. Pickersgill 2. Ricketts (if Grant plays after the Leigh game I give up) 3. Webster 4. Oakes 5. Ryan 6. Keyes 7. Lilley 8. Bustin 9. Wildie 10. Crossley (lucky to be in as he's making some awful reads at the moment in defence) 11. Storton 12. Farrell 13. Minchella 14. Flanagan 15. Wood 16. Peltier 17. Roche
Genuinely couldn't decide who to put in that last spot. Kirks knock-on was in excusable. I just don't think you should walk back in the team making that kind of attitude error.
Dropping Kirk would be very harsh,hes been one of the most consistent performers this year. Yes he bombed it but I wouldn't say it was an attitude issue?
There's players still getting picked week in week out performing far worse than Kirk (injuries play a part in that though obviously)
Wildie looks a better halfback than Lilley, so I'd keep him there with Keyes. I'm hoping Lilley will make a permanent move to the hooking role at some point in the future so give him a go there now. We seemed to do ok with him at hooker towards the back end of last season. I'd also be tempted to put Doyle on the bench before Flanagan/Hallas as I don't rate either of them.
Wildie looks a better halfback than Lilley, so I'd keep him there with Keyes. I'm hoping Lilley will make a permanent move to the hooking role at some point in the future so give him a go there now. We seemed to do ok with him at hooker towards the back end of last season. I'd also be tempted to put Doyle on the bench before Flanagan/Hallas as I don't rate either of them.
DFJ had what looked like a bad injury yesterday. Was in a protective boot.
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2001 12:04 pm Posts: 29728 Location: The Corridor of Uncertainty
If DFJ is out then Rickett must be in with a chance. 4 tries in the reserves and carried the ball strongly, he can’t do much more than that. Kear surely can’t pick Grant after Sunday so Ryan goes back on the wing and Pickers back at fullback.
"If you start listening to the fans it won't be long before you're sitting with them," - Wayne Bennett.
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:51 pm Posts: 4207 Location: Bradford
Well, I listened to Mick's interview with Kear, and he was talking as if he was going to be giving a few people a week off. Mind you, he said the same after Featherstone and then didn't - but somehow I think he will this time. I just think his patience has run out. It will interesting to see who...
I agree that this week is season defining. Lose, and we will be back level with Halifax, and quite likely 6 points off the Top 5. That would be too much to claw back. Win, and we are still in it, and depending on other results could be 2 points off the Top 5 with most of those teams still to play.
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