I think bob means one of the five that we need as a minimum given one of them will be injured at any time in the season, so five goodns is a necessity.

talking of promising young props that can be brought on in their own time, has Alex Ball played yet this season?

Out of the ones we have though, he would be fifth choice, or 4th at best.

I would reiterate we desperately need a 5th Prop and Scruton will be that. Whether he ranks 1-5 depends on his future performances. I hope to hell he comes back as an avenging angel. We need that

I meant play McAvoy this season against Widnes and possibly Wakefield see how he goes, gets him a couple of games under his belt.

McAvoy doesn't look strong enough to me yet. He's a bg lad but is a bit of a way off SL yet IMO of course.

Funnily enough - and I agree with you about McAvoy - I though the same about Tom Burgess; a big lad but not quite SL quality, but he's proved me wrong (though he's still far from the finished article, especially on ball retention) and looks very promising.

How can younger lads like McAvoy get experience and how do we know that they aren't good enough if we don't give them a game or two.

Generally I think you can tell if they're ready for SL by watching them in the U20s, I'm all for giving them the odd game provided it's against the right opposition.

At the moment I think McAvoy looks very promising but he doesn't seem to win the collision as often as he might for a lad his size. In SL he could get smashed so I think it's right to bring him in gradually. He's still young and has time for the strength to catch up with the size.

At his fully fit best, Scruton is by some distance the best prop we have. Sadly, those days are becoming a murky memory. His groin injury may prove to be more significant in his inability to recapture those times than he or anyone would like. I hope I'm wrong.

As for him "accepting" a reduced salary, what a ridiculous concept: "Nick, it's Ryan, hello. Erm, we notice you have been injured for some time and erm, would like to offer you less money as an incentive to return to full fitness and your previous form. Say 10k less? Is that ok with you? Erm, sorry Nick what was that response? Theres no need for that language. That's sin bin material! Oh, you've put the phone down. Erm ok, bye."

spot on GB. Hargreaves looks a different player this year, Langley, Donaldson before he got injured, so fingers crossed Nick too will be back.

I agree I think Scruton will come bk stronger and much better and out to prove ppl wrong

Yup. Albeit Hargreaves lateral marker defence needs hauling into shape. His sideways movement is laboured and critically slow. Whether that's through having to play further time spells as a result of low prop numbers is another issue.

He looks quite small to me.

He's short but stocky.

Weighs more than Bateman.

Was it really only 2 seasons ago that Scruton was pushing for an international jersey?
There was one season when he was in blistering form, only to pick up an injury near the back end of the season. He's never been the same since.