If true, which I doubt, it's probably "innovative" like not using your subs.

Lot of unsubstantiated claims in this thread - ATEOTD McShane has had plenty of time to push on and command that number 9 position but has failed to.

We need to address the hooker position before the start of next season. Even if we win the GF this season with a Sinfield/Burrow hooking combo, it's not a long term solution IMO.

Hypothetically, of course, if he's blowing out of his a**e getting to the rucks, maybe adding more running by scooting isn't such a good idea. Hypothetically.

As usual a bit of unsubstantiated rumour sets off the usual suspects keyboards clicking with some more anti coach agenda.

IMO McShane has shown throughout his time at Leeds that he has some ability but often takes the wrong decision in favour of a bit of self glory. Sometimes if comes off and often it doesn't come off as we saw against Wakfield. Add to this his suspect stamina and defence and you can see why his coaches lack the confidence in his class shown by the anti-Burrow brigade.

Ninety odd percent of his carries are from dummy half as are his tries so I doubt he has been instructed to only pass. What is more likely is that he has been advised to play heads up rugby and be aware of other options before going on his own. I don't think he was dropped just for one bad game more that after a bright start earlier in the season he has dropped back into his comfort zone (or perhaps comfort food zone

) McShane never dominates a game and doesn't get in positions often enough to assist with the attacking kicks of which I guess he makes less than 1 per game. So all in all not the answer to our needs.

I don't think Paul McShane is the long term answer to our hooking problem, but moving Burrow from Scrum Half only makes the situation worse.

Generally I agree with the point that you need your best players playing in their best positions, and don't make multiple positional changes to cover one problem area.

I don't however buy into the theory that you need your best players on the field as long as possible to win a game. What if your best players were all backs, should you sacrifice forwards to get them all on the field? What you should do is have a gameplan that the players can execute and that is capable of beating the opposition, recognising that this plan will need to change depending on who you are playing.

The stuff about PM being told not to run sounds like Chinese whispers to me - he's probably been told to run less and be more selective about when to do it. By the time that's filtered through to here it comes out as being told not to run at all.

Just on Sutcliffe, if he's been told to concentrate on his passing that IMO is a good thing. Far too many young halfbacks are stars in juniors because they can run and get through gaps on their own. As a result they never develop the most basic skill of a halfback - passing.

I suspect there is a lot of truth in this. A running game is largely, I believe, a gift you are born with, and relies on your physical attributes. You can work on it and refine it, but you can't teach it.

A passing game is something altogether more technical, so it makes sense to make sure the lad is working hard on it in the relatively early days of his senior career. He looks a great talent, and more than that he looks very capable of converting junior talent into senior grade quality (which is no given) so it's important for him and the club long term that we don't just sit back and go "wow, look at this great young player we made" and stop developing the core skills.

Spot on.

Back in the squad now, "to cover injuries".

Well we will surely see him playing somewhere this week either at Leeds / Hunslet, as Mac has already stated how 'vital' it is for him to be playing.

Cone carrier/water boy - that'll at least keep him off his backside

So he's been promoted to replace James Lowes as Assistant Coach?

He will have some "innovative" tactics in mind for him that may or may not necessarily involve playing him and, even if it does may or may not guarantee no more than 3 mins game time.

If McShane is going to play acting half, he needs to actually get to acting half. I noticed there were a lot of cases even when he did get there, he was late, but there were a lot of plays he wasn't there.

I wonder if he will be in trouble again then for scoring two tries

I think it's more that he needs to learn when to try it. When he did it against Wakefield, it quite clearly wasn't on. His first try was well executed with a massive dummy, and there was some nice footwork for his second try. His defence looked a lot better as well. He had definitely been told to play for his place!

Was the introduction of McShane at that time a tactical move or a forced move because of an injury?

Maybe mcd has a secret signal for when to turn it on/off and uses it on Sutcliffe as well

I'm not convinced there are any tactics, things happen as an after thought or are forced through injury, I have no idea what any of the pivots were trying to do last night!!

Burrow just can't play with any control, he's headless and a real momentum killer!

PS After played the game for about 20 years how can he not hit a runner, int baffling!!

I thought he came on following Foster's injury?

Few times this season we've kept a couple of subs on the bench for the full first 40, presumably to introduce some fresh legs early in the second half.

Injuries to Delaney, Foster and Kirke will have made it difficult to rotate players in the second half, so having two players with zero minutes in their legs in McShane and Moore worked out quite well.

He came on for Delaney, though Foster got injured on pretty much the next play. Either way, we can't know whether he'd have got on at all without those knocks.

With the high temperature he surely must have come on at some point!

I actually like McShane and think he needs a bit more coaching to develop nicely.

Personally, I am more concerned by the lack of pace in some of our older players (namely McGuire) and who will replace the likes of Jamie P

Having said that I am a novice SL fan

Don't worry, there are people round here with decade upon decade of experience of not knowing what the fook they're talking about.