Before Lauitiiti gets anywhere near first team selection I'd want to see him string two or three games together in the Under 20s first.

Can't have him breaking down again leaving us short-handed on the bench, which is what's happened the last couple of times he's been injured.

Agree it was likewhen smith was risked at kr. Waste of bench spot and means some of the bigger blokes have to do more time than would like without a breather

Not a problem with the Smith decision as his wasn't a recurring injury IIRC and we were struggling for outside backs at the time.

I wonder whether Lauitiiti's problems relate to being sat on the bench for a while after the pre-game warmup? I know eyebrows were raised at McDermott's insistence on starting with him, but maybe that was viewed as a better way to protect him from injury?

Are we talking Lauitiiti or Bailey here ?

De-railing a thread.

Classic nantwichexile

I think when McGuire is back we may consider him at 7 and Sinfield staying at 6. I think having McShane on the bench gives us backs options, and allows us JJB, Ablett and Clarkson to start.

I would have Delaney on the bench (if not at Centre), with two props, or a prop and Kirke.

The problem with the above is that it does lose us one of our fastest players, and one of our main support runners, when we already have closest to the slowest backline in SL

Clarkson is a def starter for me or not at all. Wasted bench spot otherwise.
Delaney my other starter.

Ablett is a much better LF and better centre than Delaney but recognise not in his best interests to keep him there. However, should the team's interests not always come first ??

Ablett at LF for me .... Keeping Sinfield at SO and McGuire at SH, with Burrow an impact option off the bench. Tough on McShane then.......unless we drop Buderus.

Fair's fair .... Bailey seems to be our more recent cameo appearance man at the moment. If not retiring early injured he is being sent off instead.

This planning for the future is all well and good (casting aside anyone over 30) but there is also a present to plan for.

I'm not sure you always get the balance right.

Spot on. All I'd say is when all threequarters are full fit Delaney is fighting for a place in the right centre with Watkins and Smith. If he loses that battle it might be interesting if three quota players (Cross, Hauraki and Delaney) aren't good enough for the theoretical fully fit 1st 13. IMO they are not.

Not understanding the clamour for Delaney at 2nd row either. His game was no different in that 25 min cameo at Hull in the 2nd row than it's been during his whole career. He picks good lines, he runs hard but he's nothing much more than that. Maybe he doesn't need to be. But that doesn't make him a better 2nd rower than Ablett, Clarkson or JJB, which, IMO he isn't.

When all is fit, he's in the mix for the centres and he's an option for 2nd row in an injury crisis, IMO.

I'm not usually one to pat myself on the back but I did get some hammer on here when Ellis left and I proclaimed his replacement was already on our books in Ablett. In fairness to Sal Paradise he has also sung Ablett's praises for many years.

Of course, reactionary fekkwitts are now sharing that opinion but there are a few posters with a bit of vision.

Before you get all hot under the collar about the pompous nature of my post will it calm you down if I told you your post was a very good one because it actually was. Now, off you go. Let it all out.

Can I pat myself on the back too then because I said the same. I saw nearly every acedemy game he played in as a family member was in the same team and he was head and shoulders above the rest then. We were all saying he was the future of the club in the backrow and he is looking more and more like Ellis every game now.

In that case al take a pat on the back as from day dot re ablett I have sang his praises

Consider your back patted. I wasn't around on here at the time so I certainly didn't hammer you.

Good job you didn't skim read that one, I'd have missed out on the compliment.

Me me ... I said it too