Apart from Bailey starting at 8 and Singleton on the bench in his place, I would suggest this is our best starting 17 until the end of this season.

However, let's face it the somehow favoured Kirke and Hauraki (and Ali) will be here to haunt us for some time yet.

I know, important Challenge Cup quarter final so lets shove Ben Jones-Bishop in at centre where he can deal with the Hull left edge of Manu, Yeaman and Briscoe.

You couldn't make it up.

Sounds like you don't have a lot of faith in BJB.... Why would he have to be dealing with all 3 ???? ... Wouldn't Delaney ( granted not Hauraki ) and Hardaker be there on that side to help ?

Plenty of faith in BJB. Very little faith in him being half as effective playing out of position. When was the last time he started a game at right centre?

Defending well is as much about combinations as attacking. Learning how to read where your inside and outside defenders are going as well as recognising where the runners are coming from. Defensive partnerships need time to develop - breaking up one that was a major part of keeping a clean sheet just a week ago, particularly against a club that traditionally loads its attacking options down that side, is lunacy.

Personally, I'd go the same as last Friday. Reward those responsible for a tidy performance. Maybe Leuluai for Pitts off the bench, but that would be my only change.

Not at the same time, but at points in the match he would have too, and each player has a different skill set which would mean he would have to adopt different technique on each one - for someone who hasnt played a lot of centre, to expect him to cope against 2 of the top try scorers in the comp and Willie Manu who has been fantastic this year (and hopefully will get a touch of the ball this week!) might be a tough ask for him

I can accept the points about defensive structure.... But is Delaney at RC and the favoured Hauraki in the second row a better option ?

Should not the team have faith in its own abilities and not be defensively sticking forwards ' out of position ' ?

Besides how many different right side combinations have we had already fielded this season ? Hardly enough to have a strictly adhered to pattern that BJB could not adapt to on the training field surely ?

And how effective have we been defensively on both edges as a result?

Delaney, Sinfield and whoever was operating as the right side second rower at the time did a pretty decent job on Hull's best attacking threats last week (albeit with assistance from Horne and Westerman, who seemed incapable of passing to their left for most of the game). Let them build on that rather than slotting in a player out of position and making them start again.

I'm unconvinced - tactical arguments aside - that Jones-Bishop has the physicality to deal with Manu or Yeaman either, certainly not for the full 80. There's a big difference between playing wing or full-back and needing to make 6-8 tackles a game and defending two in from the wing in terms of workrate.

Webb rightly or wrongly will walk straight back into the team....meaning dropping BJB ?

Didn't see much of this perceived threat from Hull last week.
Delaney can always be moved if there are any danger signs of a tired BJB.... In the meantime he might have won us the game with his attacking prowess.

Delaney, even if he is more suited to the second-row, is the best defensive centre we currently have. Hull's only threat all season as been down their left side. It's a no-brainer who should play at 3 for this game.

Webb

Hardaker
Delaney
BJB/Watkins
Hall

McGuire
Burrow

Bailey
Buderus
Peacock
Abblet
JJB
Sinfield

Leuluai
Lauititi
Hauraki
McShane

The current, shadow-of-himself Ali still offers more as an interchange prop than Kirke.

I think we will see a similar side to Fridays. I would expect to see sinfield at FE. Would prefer him at 13 but don't think it will happen

Glad to see Bailey being preferred to Leuluai as the starting option. On the evidence of this season (limited in Leuluai's case from the bench) it's appeared the right approach for both players.

It will be interesting to see if Coach McDermott sees it that way.

Delaney, the centre who was signed as a centre who can't play as a centre or doesn't want to play as a centre, who's strengths lie in the second row more effectively?

Stick him at centre. Await the glory.

He could be perfectly capable, but I agree that a cup quater final, away from home is not the place to find out. I'm sure he won't play there.

assuming all fit

1. Webb
27. Hardaker
3. Delaney
5. Hall
23. Jones-Bishop
6. McGuire
7. Burrow
16. Bailey
9. Buderus
10. Peacock
11. Jones-Buchanan
12. Ablett
13. Sinfield

8. Leuluai
17. Kirke
20. Hauraki
24. McShane

As our 19 man squad hasn't been released yet

I can't imagine that we would make too many changes to last weeks side TBH if all are fit for selection, I would definitely keep both Delaney and Ablett in the centre's for this week rather than throw Watkins in at the deep end, surely we can't move too many players about and into different positions can we for this game?

IMO this is our most realistic chance of silverware this season, so If everyone's fit then i think we will go with:

FB: Webb <if not then BJB>
W: BJB <if Webb out, then Hardaker>
C: Delaney
C: Ablett
W: Hall
SO: Sinfield
SH: McGuire
P: Bailey
H: Buderus
P: Peacock
SR: Buchanan
SR: Hauraki
LF: Clarkson
R: Burrow
R: Lauitiiti
R: Kirke
R: Leuluai