Magic Superbeetle wrote:
As much as I am desperate for us to rotate Roby, who are the options? 1. Wellens 6. Wheeler 7. Walsh 9. Roby 14. Hohaia would be the only way to do it as far as I can see, but if wellens retains the full back position, brown won't split the hohaia and Walsh partnership. Wheeler has never played hooker, and did a fantastic job of playing himself out of the club last week according to all reports I've read, and we don't have a rated youngster bustling through the youth ranks at hooker either.
IF (and it's a big if) hohaia is taking another shot at the NRL and IF were struggling to land a quality replacement is it not worth looking at a long term option of 6. Lomax 7. Walsh? Whilst he's out we'd be looking for his replacement at fullback ...
I know most people will say lomax should stay as 3rd pivot, but it's entirely possible to do that, by using the more traditional set up of using 13 as a pivot as well. Fortunately we have Wilkin/ charnock who sound competent at doing so/ willing to do so. Then the fullback is free to play a more wellens style role of popping up to be on the end of the last pass time and time again...
I'm not fixed on Lomax being a 6 or a 1. However, saying we need to look long term for another 1 or 6, is different to saying throw anyone we currently have at fullback.
Fact 1: If Wellens is fit he is going to play, this can't even be a guess now, we are over halfway through the season. Given that fact. Having him on the bench weakens the team as he does not provide that leadership from there for 60 minutes of the game.
He is not a 6 so playing him there would be bad news.
He is not a forward and regularly posts lets be fair not great figures from that role.
However he can still do a decent job of FB.
Fact 2: Makinson and Swift are our best and most potent wingers. Why make them play elsewhere and put in a less effective winger?
The extra spot freed up from Wellens not playing pack or bench, will allow us to play either another forward. Savellio
Or a replacement for Roby - Is Channock not still with us, could he not do 10 mins each half?
As for Wheeler, that boat has sailed for me. I'm not going to keep faith based on moments of guile and a 40 minute display at Wigan nearly half a decade ago.
Good luck to the lad, but for me we need stability at 7 and 6. So that is Lance and Walsh until one gets injured.
Either way another forward/hooker on the bench will give Roby some help by rest or by soaking up some more tackling.