Quote: nantwichexile "Didn't rookie Ryan Hall get his first GF winner's medal after coming in for Lee Smith to cover Webb's back injury? Or would it have been better to have played JJB there?'"
Yes but as has been pointed out its about the defending in the middle. McDermott put Handley in and put the likes of Duckworth and Minns in other times. He's been more than happy to play Stevie Ward at 2nd row when he's been fit over the year even when he looked to small to do the role asked of him and has played the likes of Keinhorst and Walters at 2nd.
However you think of Singleton having to bide his time for a few years, Mulhern now. McShane, Hood and Robbie Ward at hooker. It's surely the issue of whether they can hold their own physically in the middle when defending.