Unfortunately that would be the wrong sport Brian.

We were shot and injuries had caught up with us. You could see the seeds of this in the performance versus Cas when we decided not to bother defending. Against a better side we were always going to pay the price eventually. In attack with a lack of fit forwards we were going to struggle and behind a pack going nowhere any half would struggle.

Gale seems to be getting some flak but he didn't have much to work behind. We were also without Purtell, Kearney, Kear, Sammut and Crookes who have all looked good in attack this season so the quality of his options and runners wasn't the best. Pryce looks out of form and Ainscough tries but isn't the greatest. Only Lulia is anything approaching quality out of the whole backline. Gale remember came from London and wasn't exactly top quality there so I'm not sure what people are expecting. He's solid and behind a pack holding their own is decent enough. He'll do for me.

He'll do is not really good enough though, I mean we've got what we've got and he is what we have got so we will have to make do with it, but I couldn't say "he'll do" for me personally. Marc Herbert could have done, but we need more. We need a intelligent crafty HB that makes good decisions and gets players in the right position. I'm just not sure that's Luke Gale. I think BJ is a better scrum half and I would play him until we find or develop better, personally.

I think it is fair to say that Gale has been inconsistent since he returned from injury. I think he was initially still struggling with his injury but you would hope that he would be somewhere close to full fitness now. When he signed we knew that his defence was a weakness and he doesn't seem to have improved that area of his game so far.

He has shown some good stuff as well and I wouldn't write him off as not good enough just yet. I think from the teams point of view we will look better with Sammut at 6 and either Gale or BJ at 7. I think Gale and BJ are both quite similar players and neither are quick enough to trouble good defences.

Why dont we bid £500k for Tomkins and make him highest paid player in super league? Oh yeah, I forget, we havenet got any money!!!

Gale is doing OK in a struggling side

Oh yes it was; at least in the North stand.

Pretty much agree with that. Thing to remember as well is that gale/ Jeffries wasn't considered as a pairing in preseason. To be fair their games are too similar and don't really complement each other. Think sammut is seen as more natural standoff. Makes next years recruitment interesting.

Will you be here next year ?

Thing is if you decide you don't want Gale who do you bring in who is better? There's unlikely to be anyone in the NRL that is going to be much better and willing to come over given their rising salary cap. Even if there was we have no quota space. If youdecide to recruit a half from SL or NL you're unlikely to be able to attract anyone better as the club isn't flush and isn't a big draw due to our poor performances in recent years.

IMO Jeffries is never going to be consistent enough to get us higher than 8th. He's had two spells with us and we ought to know what we're getting from him by now. He's not really an organiser, Sammut certainly isn't and he may be off anyway due to quota issues. That leaves Gale and a chance for Southernwood or an academy player. I think Gale will do alright for us and is certainly an improvement on Herbert.

Our halves should be:

6. Sammut
7. Gale

Then next year try have same and in some games I would play:

6. Gale
7. Southernwood

thats why i said TRY have the same.

Why do we have to bring anybody in? Ben Jeffries is a better scrum half based on their games this season. Certainley our best run of form has come with BJ playing 7 this year. IMO, There seems to be a lack of idea now Gale is calling the shots(although I do take into account other factors, ie fatigue and injury for stumbling form recently). I do hope he gets better though and is good for us, I'm just not sure though, as I was with Marc Herbert. For me, with a fully fit squad this year and no signings/releases in the halves next season, Ben Jeffries starts.

I'd be looking at keeping bj for another year and playing whichever of him or gale is in better form. I'm not convinced by gale but think it's a bit harsh to judge him on 8? games with two different partners.

Couldn't make the game, but just watching Super League Extra Time....how poor was Whitehead at centre!! I'd not noticed that he was so poor at centre before