Don’t see the point in Mcilorum on the bench. Roby can do 80mins, why bring on an inferior version of him to spell with? If we go with a hooker on the bench it should be Burrow or we go with another forward.

Id be tempted to go with Burrow because as big and strong as those Kiwi forwards are they aren’t the most agile or fleet-footed bunch.

My biggest fear for Burrow is the high amount of head shots he goes through (very difficult for tacklers not to hit him there due to his speed, size and low centre of gravity/running style).

I like him at 7, he can destroy teams from that position

Because it's a discussion board. Otherwise, why bring anything up. Marketing? Then all we get are wannabe marketeers. Rules? Then all we get is wannabe refs. Transfers? Who do you think you are, a wannabee agent? Catering? Wannabe chefs.

Could you hep us out here and list all those things it's OK to bring up without being a wannabe-something?

Sinfield moved Stand Off from loose to reduce his defensive workload, his attacking game hasnt really changed all that much, But he was moved out of loose so that he wasn’t defending up the middle all the time. He is still perfectly capable of defending there for 20/30mins and his defence is outstanding for a halfback.

Didn't Burrow come off the bench to win Harry Sunderland back in 2011? My recollection is that Burrow, Sinfield and McGuire have spent a lot of time on the field together for quite a number of seasons and certainly longer than just 2013. Looking at Grand Final line-ups from 2011 and 2012 suggests as much. Also, even if Lunt and Burrow interchanged in 2011, that still means Burrow, Sinfield and McGuire were on the pitch together whilst Lunt wasn't - doesn't it?

In any case, looking at Burrow's tackles/misses ratio on the Super League site, he's defended at 266-22, 217-15, 235-21. That's fine for me. Moon's defence one in doesn't seem to have been impacted either.

From what I remember, when you used to pick McGuire and Burrow in the halves, you played them left and right and Sinfield took up responsibility in the centre. This, imo, meant he was playing a half back's game all along and was no more a loose forward than say, Ryan Bailey is when he's named at 13. You'll remember better than me, though.

It doesn't change my stance, his defence may be very good for a half, but I don't want the teams chief organiser being out on his feet because he's doing a load of defending against big guys.

He is in no way comparable to Roby. There are no comparisons. He is a very, very, destitute, poor man's Isaac Luke.

Yeah, from an attacking point of view Sinfields game is pretty much the same as it has always been, whether you put 6,7, 13 or 9 even 8 on his back he is pretty much playing that game. The whole move to stand off has pretty much been a defensive change to take some of his defensive work away from him. He can still pick it up for 20/30mins a game but he just isn’t up to doing that job defensively 80mins a game 40 times a season like he used to. But he can defensively cover for burrow for a portion of a game.

Burrow starting on the bench as he can also give cover to the halves. Therefore for me it's a choice between Mcillorum or Roby starting with the one missing out relegated to water carrier.

If McIlorum isn't playing the full 80 I see no point in playing him. His strengths lie in his aggression and durability over a full game. I'd also say using Liam Farrell for just 20 mins a game is a little pointless as well tbh.

Roby to start with Burrow on the bench for me and I'd also bring in Lee Mossop for Farrell so that we can leave Sam Burgess in the backrow for a full game.

Neither.

Roby for 80 and Turgess on the bench.

We need size off the bench to match what the Kiwi's have. McIllorum seems to slow our play down and Burrow will get slaughtered in defence. Roby is by far the best hooker we have and should be on all the time.

I'd go with Widdop and Sinfield half backs.
Roby at 9 with Burrow on the bench.
Mossop back at prop so S Burgess can go to 2nd row.
McIlorum is best doing 80 mins where he can and does play any other SL 9 off the park and has done for the past 4 years.
If he's not going to play 80 then leave him out.
To me the main decision is Widdop or Chase. Widdop and we can get to the final.
Play Chase and it's all over!

Agreed regards Farrell and McIlorum.I think they are fine club players but are in the 80 minute grafter mode and provide limited impact from the bench.

Burrow should certainly be one of the subs.Even if he only comes on for 5-10 minutes in each half, if it is while we have the momentum his 10 minute spell could be the gamebreaker.

I have this feeling he may go back to Tom Burgess for a bench spot to add more bulk.I wouldn't be against this but he would hope he cuts out the basic errors.

Wouldn’t that leave us trying to bully NZ off the park with a smaller set of forwards? My view on it is that NZ are bigger and stronger than we are, Tom Burgess off the bench isn’t going to change that if he is going up against someone like JW-H.

There are three ways to beat a big pack, be bigger, be faster, or be smarter. Im not sure that even with 4 forwards on the bench we will be bigger.

Wigan were far better with Leuluai at 9, McIlorum was a bit part player til this season. I am struggling to understand how McIlorum playing 80 minutes, as good an engine as he has, would be better in any way than Roby being on the pitch at any time. We are playing NZ, not a SL team. As soon as Roby came on, after about 25 minutes, he started making yards. Something McIlorum failed to do.