TBH Sammut has won us plenty of games this season. Yes, he can blow hot and cold, but then so do many flair players.

As the old saying goes, form is temporary, class is forever.

I'm not sure he'd be playing 2nd fiddle to Lee Gaskell, but I can see FC continuing to use him as an impact player from the bench because I think he can be more effective in that role, coming on to exploit tiring defences.

My only gripe with that over the last three out of four games is I thought it left our bench light; with Sammut, hooker, prop and second row forward. (names obviously change but positions are constant)

I don't think we can do that next year to be honest.

Correct you don't need Sammut and a hooker on the bench one ot the other it has to be.

I agree, we can't be using a bench spot for a backup half. I suppose the only way we could do it would be to start Addy in the halves and shift him into either LF or SR and then bring Sammut on.
I hope he stays, he tweeted a picture of Dave Parker's gossip column last night that mentioned both Leeds and Salford chasing his signature. To me that came across as him taking the p!ss out of the whole situation, I hope it's all just hot air and he's still here next season.
Yes he's had a few poor games but what halfback hasn't? There honestly aren't that many better 6's in the league atm.

Sammut 7 Gaskell 6, Addy bench spot Gale carrying the water problem solved.

Heard from a usually spot-on source - Sammut had a bust up with FC a few weeks ago. Reason? - Gaskell will be coming in as first choice SO and Sammut will be that impact player off the bench. Sammut regards himself as the primary SO at the club and made his feelings known. FC had to remind him who the boss is and apparently Sammut sulked big style.

Might explain why, after the Dragons game, FC said he wasn't sure where Sammut's head is.

I can't see why FC would feel the need to sign Gaskell as a first choice SO - how many different coaches has Gaskell played under who refused to play him there? Even at Salford, for a time they used Ryan McGoldrick at SO rather than Gaskell. Surely all those coaches can't be wrong?
And yet FC decides to p!ss off one of the most dangerous attacking players on our books? Even if that was FCs intentions for next year, why would he tell Sammut that halfway through this season - when the playoffs were still a possibility - and risk disrupting his form?
The whole thing makes no sense to me.

Think it may have been more along lines that sammut was told he wasn't automatic first pick and player in best form would get the spot. Competition for places can only be a good thing.
I've thought for a while that gale and sammut don't combine particularly well. Sammut excels at very quick, off the cuff, plays. At beginning of season he was on fire when he was playing halfback and was getting the ball first. He either ran it himself or made a quick decision and passed. Since gale came back into team, gales been getting ball first majority of time and he doesn't seem to decide what to do with it as quickly. It's either a kick downfield, a pass, or if he runs out of ideas he eventually passes it to sammut who's closed down by that stage. It's effectively nullified strong point of sammuts game in second half off season IMO.

That's why my suggestion would work better for us as a team.

Dont rate gale that highly. I don't think he asks enough questions of the line. I'm with red, sammut at 7. Addy needs a bit more pace for 6 though, but I see him as a long term 13 because he's a dangerous and strong runner.

Tend to agree with you. Problem is FC seems to see something in Gale that we don't. I know he's had a rough time off field this year but his game was pretty much the same before. Riles too much on his kicking game and doesn't think fast enough.

Gaskell 6, Sammut 7, Addy LF?

Worth a go in some pre-seasons, why not?

For me yes, unless we sign an outstanding backrower or stand off.

Can't believe any coach would sign a young player and tell him he was "first choice" whatever - unless he was already in that position for the Kangaroos, maybe..The whole story sounds like a load of bunkum to me.