It is slightly disappointing that Bullock looks to be out of the side tomorrow but in fairness to Lam he didn’t have his best game last week. It does feel like he needs to be pretty much perfect to stay in Lams team but his chance will soon come again. Looking at that reserve team, I guess Havard is getting a chance tomorrow, with him and Flower in for Clubb and Bullock.

Apart from the one dropped ball NK, what did you think he did wrong?

Lam seems to speak highly of Bullock and he said midweek that whoever misses out this weekend shouldn't be viewed as 'dropped' because that's not the case. It's all about rotating the forwards.

I thought he was at fault for their try and that’s the area of his game he really needs to work on. He’s loads fitter this year and has made big improvements and I do think him being left out tomorrow is pretty harsh but I thought Burgess, Byrne and Partington were excellent last week and if Lam wants to give Havard another go (who was unlucky to be left out after Cas away, when he was a victim of us probably needing to get more experience in the side) and he wants to get Flower in, then it is sadly Bullock who makes way.



Ultimately the competition for places is shaping up to be intense and that is going to be great for the side. If we get to a point that nobody can have a minute off (which is what he did for the O’Brien try), then that is brilliant for us. Lam needs to make sure he keeps it fair though and doesn’t just keep his favourites in.

No excuse for me. He may not have had his best game last week but Clubb was poor from game one and STILL started. It’s ridiculous

Not really got an argument to come back with. I’m a huge fan of Bullock and I think he’s been harshly done to again but had he left out Byrne or Partington, I think that would’ve been even harsher.



There’s clearly something not quite right between Lam and Bullock. As fans we look at Bullock and rate him highly but I’m not sure if it’s a playing issue or an off the field issue but Lam doesn’t hold him in the same esteem.

If it's rotation, that's good tactics and as said above shouldn't be viewed as dropped with the resulting inquest on here. I can't argue with Havard getting his chance anyway as I think he's been excellent in his first team outings so far. Same could be said for Clark too for that matter. It's a good place to be in with all the competition for front row places. It's probably the area we've been weakest in. You might argue it's now become one of our strongest.

One of the strongest and getting stronger. There’s potential for this set of props we have coming through to be absolutely outstanding in a couple of years.

Not arguing Havard being in there, he can be in there every week for me no issues but I just don’t understand this rotation waffle now when Bullock has one bad game. Clubb has poor games every single one and still isn’t dropped (until this week)? It’s a poor excuse and a blatant lie.



I agree with NK; there are clear issues between Bullock and Lam. I just hope it doesn’t harm the team in the long run.

Joe Bullocks marker defence is awful.

Couldn’t disagree more in the short term

We haven’t got one prop who can do more than 15 minutes effectively

Clark was a sub today for the reserves

I want 2 60 minute props which eventually Bryne and Havard may deliver

15 minute props is still our Achilles heel

Longer term I’m quite happy with the prospects of our props but short term we still have too many props who can’t do plus 100 meters per game

Saints game will be a good indicator just how much we have or haven’t improved

Longer term I can see the shoots of improvement but this season it’s still an area where any game I wouldn’t be surprised if we got turned over

Injuries excepted I think we’ll find out on Good Friday what Lam thinks his strongest side is.



Personally I’m happy to see the props rotated over the first 2/3rds of the season. If they are fresh and fit at the business end then hopefully we could see the benefit.

Surely rotation is our game plan rather than it being because the props can’t do longer than 15-20 mins at a time? In fairness we’ve also seen various props (not Clubb) do spells of 30 mins plus this season. I’m pretty sure Partington and Byrne have done longer spells and George Burgess seemed to do a reasonable first spell last week. It probably was optimistic to call it one of our strongest areas thinking again but I’m certainly far more positive about the prop situation then I have been for a number of years. It’s looking pretty good IMO and I see signs those young lads are learning and improving.

Lam said in an interview on Wigan t.v. that he intends to rotate his props as much as possible in the early part of the season.

If you look at what he has at his disposal.

Clubb, Flower, Burgess, Byrne, Bullock, Havard, Partington and Clark. Then add Kilner and Wells.

There aren't enough reserves games to fit them all in ( a major problem IMO)



Bullock can probably count himself unlucky, but, that dropped ball from the kick off and the try conceded when he was one of the markers will have had an influence on Lams decision.

I don't think it was optimistic at all NK. The emergence of Partington and Byrne as genuine starters and the addition of a still clearly destructive Burgess coupled with Clark and Bullock (with a full year and pre season behind him) who have both shown themselves to have good minutes and good go forward has transformed our front row options. That's before we get to Havard, Kilner and Wells. This time last year we were pretty much looking at Clubb and Flower with some raw inexperience to back them up. That is some difference! Notice I haven't mentioned Flower for this year and who was our first choice prop last year. This time around he has to prove himself in order to get in front of at least 5 others!

Also it's a short turnaround so Lam will probably shuffle the pack around again on Friday at Salford.

We didn't win a single "big game" last season because we were bullied in the pack. I was hoping Burgess and Clark would fix that but I'm not convinced yet. As good as Hastings is/has been like all halves he will be useless behind an ineffective pack.

I agree that we are improving on the prop front but are overly reliant at the moment on the young guys ie under 20/21 to do the big minutes and start the game

We have some cracking young lads coming through and if we can keep them together in 2 or 3 years we could have a serious pack

I hope Havard and Flower go well today and Flower as starting prop sounds far better than Clubb

I’ve seen nothing from Clark to suggest he will become a regular first teamed and he is obviously behind the kids in Lam’s eyes

This year for me depends on how much of impact GB has on the pack if we are competitive in the big games

I think the right call would be to say it has the potential to be one of our strongest areas. I say that because I’m truth I’m looking all round the side at the minute and we look strong in most positions, especially when we’re at full strength. Good quality starting players and good quality back up in pretty much every area.

I think it’s a bit OT to say we might get turned over, I fully expect a victory today against a weak KR side. I think the pack we are likely to put out should dominate theirs and from that Hastings, French, Marshall and Manfredi should have a good day.



Out of the props we have at our disposal at the moment I reckon Clubb and Flower will be shipped out to make way for Wells and Kilner.

Wells is a 2nd row and clubb just signed a new 2 year deal so dont think that is going to happen.



Benny has a deal until the end of this year so he may be a bit vunerable

My mistake on Wells but his build is more of a front rower than a back rower. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him propping in years to come.



I know about Clubb but I’d hope we can release him somehow

Starting 13;



French

Marshall

Bibby

Zak

Manfredi

Hastings

Tommy

Bryne

Powell

Oli

Farrell

Isa

Smithies



G Burgess

Flower

Havard

Smith



I probably wouldn’t go with that starting front row but other than that I think it’s a decent side. Well capable of putting a decent score in against KR.

Rotating the props to keep them all fresh, I like it. Looking forward to seeing Havard.



Perhaps Bullock and Clark back in on Friday against Salford, since the team have a short turn around. Then best possible pack vs Catalans