Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:52 pm  

It all depends on who is fit.
Unless fit and really match ready I'd stick with Ratch and Hayes in the halves. Williams or Drinky back if and only if fully ready.

Dufty
Thewlis
Tai (that's a big call from Burgess but if it had been Wrench chosen it would be a big call too)
King
Ashton
Ratchford
Hayes
Harrison
Walker
Vaughan
Fitzgibbon
Nicholson (big call, but if not ready then maybe Currie to 12 and Crowther to13 with Nicholson off the bench)
Currie (could go back to 2nd row, but I really like him at 13).

Powell
Musgrove
Crowther
Philbin

Holroyd 18th man.

A bit tough on Bullock and wouldn't have an issue if he was in the 17 if Burgess decides he needs 3 props (maybe Nicholson to drop out).

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:58 pm  

Just IMO, but I think home advantage balances out the two sides. I fancy that the team that makes the least errors will win this, which may perhaps have swung Burgess in favour of Tai rather than Wrench. I like the edge that Wrench provides in attack, but he does need to work harder at defence. If you look at Saints they are pretty mean at conceding points and we need to make it the bedrock of our game as well.

Holroyd has had a good run of five games so I think he will be rested. Williams playing would be a big plus, but as has been said, only if he really is fit, after all, Hayes is doing a decent job.

Nicholson and Musgrave need game time, so I would definitely play them.

This has to be the most interesting game of the season to date and will hopefully show where we stand in the pecking order.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:04 pm  

Winslade's Offload wrote:

I like the edge that Wrench provides in attack, but he does need to work harder at defence. If you look at Saints they are pretty mean at conceding points and we need to make it the bedrock of our game as well.

It's a balancing act, isn't it, because by the same measure, you need someone like Wrench who has got the flair, pace and skills to open up a mean defence. We seem to have so many decent options at the moment, and I'm glad it's not my job to pick the team!

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:20 pm  

The Speculator wrote:

It's a balancing act, isn't it, because by the same measure, you need someone like Wrench who has got the flair, pace and skills to open up a mean defence. We seem to have so many decent options at the moment, and I'm glad it's not my job to pick the team!

the other thing about wrench/tai we know teams are targeting that section of defence, all teams will have been doing video on connor, bringing tai in, you've got one game, london last week to do any sort of video assessment, that may just knacker up their entire focus of attack.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:22 pm  

i reckon you'll see currie starting at 13, nicholson at right 2nd row, and philbin musgrove and jordy on the bench with powell, who as we know has also played 13 for us.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:39 pm  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

i reckon you'll see currie starting at 13, nicholson at right 2nd row, and philbin musgrove and jordy on the bench with powell, who as we know has also played 13 for us.

This is what I'm expecting. The big question mark is regarding Williams. From what I've read, I don't think that Drinkwater is ready for this week and he's probably only included in the squad in order to keep Catalan guessing.

There look to be four or five changes to the Wire side vs the one they played in round 1, pretty much all of them positive.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:45 pm  

Harrison
Walker
Vaughan
Fitzgibbon
Currie
Crowther

Philbin
Musgrove
Nicholson
Powell

But not too concerned about how the forwards are shuffled. But it's what happens at half-back that is the big one.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Fri Mar 29, 2024 9:50 am  

Drinkwater as does Williams need game time.
Play them both.
No sure on Winslide’s ‘rest Holroyd’ he’s too young for that excuse imo.
But yes drop him back to the academy if we have a selection headache.

We have to build a 17 team that almost picks itself, within building a terrific squad, that will more urgently win us the Challenge cup and eventually the Grand Final.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Fri Mar 29, 2024 11:37 am  

We need a squad of players who do a good job whether they start every week or not. So far this season all players (bar dudson) have performed well.

What we don't need is a really good but busted and bruised up 17 come the business end of the season.

I'm really happy with the way Burgess is using the squad this season so far. He's playing the long game, but not at the expense of performances and results.