: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:02 pm  

The Clan wrote:

So whats our strongest team?

If everyones fit and in form my pick is:
Blaymire
Blanch
martin
Atkins
Petersen
Rooney
Brough
Wilkes
Drew
Stosic
Ferguson
Snitch
JD

Obst
Pitts
Sculthorpe
Moore

Thats harsh on some very good players who don't make the 17 but thats the sign of a strong squad.

Grix, Leo Latu, Bibey, Bibb, Murphy, George, Winterstein, Southernwood

Probably agree, with the exception of swapping Gleeson for Martin at centre, with Martin going to stand-off and Rooney out of the squad until he performs consistently at the level he is capable of.

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:33 pm  

I understand peoples reservations on Rooney but last year when we were at our best he played a magnificent supporting roll to Danny Brough.

He proved to be the perfect stand off foil to Broughs more prominent playmaking roll as scrum half.

I think on form and fully fit he is still our best stand off.

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:34 pm  

mwildcats wrote:

rooney wouldnt be anywhere near starting 6

Agreed Sam Obst for me at No 6. Tony Martin back where he belongs at centre.

Re: Our Squad! : Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:40 pm  

The Clan wrote:

Is the best I can remember since 1979.

Last night we lost Ryan Atkins just before the game (again), Aaron Murphy stood in and did a fine job (glad for him).

We are still missing Obst, Rooney, Stosic, Bibey and have George, Winterstein and Petersen to come back in when required.

Each and everyone has proved their ability to play at SL level and we seem capable of mixing the team up as needed without losing too much quality or cohesion.

Not just before the game it was Thursday.

A Hull fana fter game moaning about there injuries, we have had out fair share and still missing some important players. It's great to see Drew and Brough playing well as with all the team.

Big reason behind that is because we did not make too many changes in the off season!

If the past 3 games can not get our "supporters" to show up against Wigan I don't know what will

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:42 pm  

chissitt wrote:

Agreed Sam Obst for me at No 6. Tony Martin back where he belongs at centre.

we have just won 3 on the bounce, are 7 from 10........this is with Martin at 6! That is his best postion for us!

No offence to Sam, but he is a better 9, and even then with a fully fit squad would not make my 17.....would have Drew and Latu......two world class players in my view, which Sam is not.

Re Rooney, well where do you start!??? He is consistatly uncosistant!!!! He has not performed well since we made the play offs, and l am now starting to think he is little more than average at best.........is he in the last year of his contract??? If so l can see us letting him go, and l think that will be the best action for both him and the club............this is all IMHO!

But hey, its great to be having this debate!!! Shows our squad strenght!

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:44 pm  

SimonBarrett wrote:

we have just won 3 on the bounce, are 7 from 10........this is with Martin at 6! That is his best postion for us!

No offence to Sam, but he is a better 9, and even then with a fully fit squad would not make my 17.....would have Drew and Latu......two world class players in my view, which Sam is not.

Re Rooney, well where do you start!??? He is consistatly uncosistant!!!! He has not performed well since we made the play offs, and l am now starting to think he is little more than average at best.........is he in the last year of his contract??? If so l can see us letting him go, and l think that will be the best action for both him and the club............this is all IMHO!

But hey, its great to be having this debate!!! Shows our squad strenght!

Agreed, I can't see Martin going back to the centre TBH he is playing too good at 6, long may this form continue!

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:56 pm  

I would say keep Martin at 6 but our sucker punch last night came from switching Grix to Stand Off. Hard to say really. Martin looked a bit slow last night and didn't look like creating anything or getting through the gap, not to take away from his assets which come from smart positioning and distribution and a clever boot - his experience gives him a wise rugby league brain.

Difficult! But that's a good thing!

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:58 pm  

SimonBarrett wrote:

we have just won 3 on the bounce, are 7 from 10........this is with Martin at 6! That is his best postion for us!

No offence to Sam, but he is a better 9, and even then with a fully fit squad would not make my 17.....would have Drew and Latu......two world class players in my view, which Sam is not.

Re Rooney, well where do you start!??? He is consistently inconsistant!!!! He has not performed well since we made the play offs, and l am now starting to think he is little more than average at best.........is he in the last year of his contract??? If so l can see us letting him go, and l think that will be the best action for both him and the club............this is all IMHO!

But hey, its great to be having this debate!!! Shows our squad strenght!

Sorry but Latu is not world class. Although I like him before Drew came on in second half last night he dropped the ball and gave away a penalty. That's 12 tackles to them. Last year away at wigan he dropped the ball twice and gave away two penalties in quick succession that's 24 tackles to them. This year he is playing a very simple direct game which has been successful.

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:07 pm  

Jason wrote:

Sorry but Latu is not world class. Although I like him before Drew came on in second half last night he dropped the ball and gave away a penalty. That's 12 tackles to them. Last year away at wigan he dropped the ball twice and gave away two penalties in quick succession that's 24 tackles to them. This year he is playing a very simple direct game which has been successful.

If I were going to use Latu in the 17 it would be as an interchange for JD.
Latu would get 20 mins at the most and JD would be saved for a big final quarter or even the next game if we were in a winning position.

: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:25 pm  

The Clan wrote:

If I were going to use Latu in the 17 it would be as an interchange for JD.
Latu would get 20 mins at the most and JD would be saved for a big final quarter or even the next game if we were in a winning position.

indeed. no way should latu be in there at the expense of obst; although a fan of his initially he doesn't seem to be adding a great deal to the overall performances of late. to be fair he's not being helped by drew's abiltity to perform at a high level for long periods of the match which means his game time has been very limited