There is a lot of 2+2 making 5 comments going about.

Talk of a playing "a proper hooker" as though this magically will solve our injury crisis is all based on the assumption that this "proper hooker" will be better than Sinfield.

To be called a "proper hooker" it would seem folk rate a big tackling performance when surely the distribution passes and runs from acting half back are the most important aspects. The tackling duties can be shared out between the other forwards. It is this expectation of a hooker having to make a high number of tackles in addition to arriving first at every one of the attacking play the balls that leads to a bench position being reserved for a replacement because very few hookers can physically keep it up for 80 minutes.

So IMO the choice of the hooker should be based on their distribution and attacking runs from dummy half and not their tackling ability. This is why the role is now more akin and suits the skills of a half back

I have not seen a lot of Robbie Ward but the coaches have and I would go with their judgement on when he is ready for SL. Because he comes under the heading "proper hooker" does not make him a good "proper hooker" by definition alone.

Some posters are assuming that had Aiton not been injured all would be well. Again this view takes no account of the other injuries we have incurred, plus Wembley hang over and drop in form of several players. IMO it is the injuries to Aiton, Burrow and Watkins combined that have dulled our attack. When the latter two return our attack should improve dramatically. Burrow can interchange with Sinfield to give us more direction and more space for McGuire.

I agree with sgtwilko we have to select our best and most reliable players if fit.

I reckon when fit we need to now get Burrow on the field from the start alongside Sinfield and McGuire again.I am in the camp he is most effective from the bench but with the current situation of Aiton being done for the year, and none of the young lads really ready to be trusted it is the only logical solution. Have Sinfield and Burrow jumping into dummy half at various points of the game and having all three on the field will keep the opposition guessing at the end of sets.

What bit of "not ideal" in my post confused you?

You cannot play with one half back against the better sides on a regular basis and expect to win - you become far too one dimensional to create any kind of meaningful attacking option

I agree we can't and the week of Wembley I said we should have Burrow back in as the Cuthberyson experiment was understandable vs Wigan and the weather that night but not long term.

However the way some are going on its like they think we'd have been fine the last two weeks had we had Aiton....we wouldn't. Catalans would've still done a number on us and Saints, whilst we had the score line close at HT we were comfortably 2nd best. You just seem determined to lay all the blame at Sinfield's door (when the problem is a team wide issue) even going as far as to incorrectly claim Sinfield is defending in the middle.

If we keep coughing up the ball and missing tackles like we have done in the last 2 games then it doesn't matter who plays hooker, we won't win.

Mr James Child is the referee... Woohoooo....

I am not blaming Sinfield he is doing his best he is just a round peg in a square hole - that is a coaching issue IMO.

19 for Cas www.therhinos.co.uk/news/27403.php 1. Zak Hardaker 2. Tom Briscoe 3. Kallum Watkins 4. Joel Moon 5. Ryan Hall 6. Danny McGuire 7. Rob Burrow 8. Kylie Leuluai 10. Jamie Peacock 12. Carl Ablett 13. Kevin Sinfield (c) 14. Stevie Ward 15. Brett Delaney 17. Adam Cuthbertson 19. Brad Singleton 21. Josh Walters 26. Ashton Golding 29. Jordan Lilley 30. Mitch Garbutt Burrow and Golding most likely to miss out IMO

19 for Cas www.therhinos.co.uk/news/27403.php 1. Zak Hardaker 2. Tom Briscoe 3. Kallum Watkins 4. Joel Moon 5. Ryan Hall 6. Danny McGuire 7. Rob Burrow 8. Kylie Leuluai 10. Jamie Peacock 12. Carl Ablett 13. Kevin Sinfield (c) 14. Stevie Ward 15. Brett Delaney 17. Adam Cuthbertson 19. Brad Singleton 21. Josh Walters 26. Ashton Golding 29. Jordan Lilley 30. Mitch Garbutt Burrow and Golding most likely to miss out IMO

If burrow is fit I'd say Walters and Goldin g to drop.

Watkins and Burrow named in the 19. The way the article is worded it sounds like Watkins will play (also Handley not included) and Burrow probably not. Achurch drops out as surprise surprise, he's injured (hand). Keinhorst not included but has only been ruled out for 2 weeks. I know one or two don't rate him but the fewer player ruled out for the season then the better. Oh and no Robbie Ward still.

Not sure that's entirely true. Speed of pass is pretty crucial for a hooker, less so for a half who can stand a little deeper if his passes lack a bit in the way of snappiness. A hooker with a slower pass - and we're talking fractions of a second here - results in the play being confined to a narrower channel. This tends to result in the a ruck that's much easier to defend. That doesn't make it a limitation that can't be overcome but explains why Aiton had such a positive effect.

You've often said that the role of hooker now is akin to a HB and not really about defending.....but it's not though is it. Look at other teams, look at the defensive work the likes of Roby, McIlorum, Houghton etc do, it's massive, usually the most impressive defensive performance of the night comes from the hooker.

The choice of hooker shouldn't be based on attack and not defence, it should be based on both.

You actually point out that doing such a defensive workload is why we have an interchange hooker as it's so physically demanding to try do it for the full 80. It's exactly why asking the other forwards to do the hooker's tackling for him is a bad idea because it's physically demanding on them and then effects what they can do carting the ball forward.

And the funny thing about you saying Robbie Ward is deemed not good enough, it's more than likely that it's because of his defence that he (and McShane and Hood) weren't trusted. The thing you think shouldn't matter.

The fact remains the Sinfield at 9 Mags at 7 Cuthbo at 6 hasn't worked and we've effectively lost 2 players as Mags gets islolated and is easy to close down plus we lose the impact Cuthbo has at 13 or prop.
Also i disagree that Aiton being fit wouldn't have made any difference he automatically gives us balance in the HB's ,Much better distribution for the ptb and an actual threat from Dummy Half.
As for moving forward Burrow isn't gonna be fit so i stick with putting Lilley in at 7 his natural position and i'll also add i agree Golding earned his chances this year albeit through injury Lilley as outplayed him in our U19's behind a battered pack at times and imo deserves a first team run at 7.
At least that way it takes the pressure off Mags and we get more out of Cuthbo at either 13 or Prop Sinfield may not hold a threat at 9 but he's more experienced there and can do the full 80 freeing up a bench spot for an extra forward which i think we need this week.