With nowt to play for there is NO point at all playing players who are leaving. Put the kids in now Shaun - aabsolutely nothing to lose.

when he's back in NZ

Another MEN exclusive along the lines of "Christmas day falls on 25th December, Shock"

But if the alternative is no RL news in the paper then I suppose we take this. Is it a journalist's responsibility to find stories, or the club's to put stories out there?

Indeed. Barker is always keen to put his name at the top of reports which appear to have been directly lifted off here, so why don't the club take advantage of this apparent laziness, and shove a press release in his face 5 times a week?

I'm delighted that the MEN are willing to run RL stories on a regular basis, when they have 2 big Premier League sides and several other professional sports to report on within their catchment area.

However, I am disappointed by the poor quality of those reports. Why can't Salford improve the quality by doing Barker's work for him? As much as he loves to blame other people for the inaccuracies in his reports, if the club were to email him a press release and accompanying photo (of the right player?!) surely the reports would be better, more relevant and hence more interesting.

That might even persuade me to buy the MEN again ... as would sacking Barker.

Who are 'the kids' that you want to put in?

As for 'nothing to lose' isn't one of the criteria for new franchises about quality on the field?

Therefore, jeopardising our league position, win ratio and/or points difference, for the sake of throwing in a bunch of kids, would count against us?

vaughan jewitt walton palfrey

Instead of ... ???

Swings and roundabouts though - what about the junior development boxes to tick. I think the "contribution to competition" criteria was about finishing about 8/9 - now, there's no way we are going to finish above 12th this year... but, we have a chance to blood some youngsters who can assist us in proving that we have adequate junior development structures.

Surely they can only prove our systems are adequate if the youngsters come in and have a positive impact?

If we dropped our oldest 4 players to bring in the 4 youngsters names above, then get absolutely battered in each of our remaining games, surely that makes our youth system worse than doing nothing at all?

Age doesn't mean much IMHO.I've always believed in 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'. My concern is whether these youngsters named are good enough??

You could argue that we'll never know unless we give them a chance, but I have always been wary of throwing kids into unsuccessful sides (especially a few youngsters at the same time) as it can have a very negative effect on their development.


My other concern is that the youngsters who seem to be pushing for first team football seem to be largely in positions where we either already have a youngster, or we have one of our best, older players.

It would seem daft to drop a youngster who is developing in the first team just to blood another youngster, and also to lower the quality of the side by dropping an experienced player who is doing well.

... As more ably intimated by Iain & Early Bath, No point in continuing to select players who are going to be moving on at the end of the season , lets play people in their preferred positions and blood some of the younger squad :- Alker Jnr , Palfrey , Nazir etc
Just a liable to make errors as the current , but likely to have a spring in their step & a point to prove ,
+ our fellow supporters are likely to give them better encouragement.

From Memory I think Fitzy has another year so :-

Comparing with last Friday :-

Alker Marlon for Alker Malcom
Fitzy for Littler (Fitzy at FB/Wilshere at centre)
Palfrey for Myler
Ratch to SO & Walton to #5 with Henry moving inside.
Jewitt for Stapo
Alker Malcolm for Lulu
Smith for Paul

Walton on the wing??

So,

Fitzy
McGillvray, Walton, Henry, Wilshere,
Ratchford, Palfrey,
Jewitt, Marlon Alker, Cashmere,
Sidlow, Adamson,
Swain.

Smith, Sibbit, Nash, Mal Alker.





How would that team go in our remaining fixtures?

Would it keep the fans happy to see this team, even if they were getting beaten heavily?

From what I have seen of Marlon Alker he is too much like his brother.
Now a lot of people would say that is a good thing, but do we want another No9 who can just tackle?
Smith to Hooker,Malcolm Alker 2nd Row
I would still rather see Vaughan at FB than Fitzy as unfortunately I think the bad injury Fitzy had and the resulting little niggles he keeps getting mean he will never be the player he was in 2006.
That team may get beat but at least there will be players on the park who will be at the club next year and will want to impress the coach.

Do you think that young team would be as competitive in the short term as the current team?

If not, would our fans be happier to see;

- that line-up, perhaps with Vaughan for Fitzy, getting battered

- the current line-up being beaten less convincingly?

There wont be many fans left to see the next few games


I just want to see players out there who look like they want to play for the club.
You must admit something needs to be done or what the hell have we got to look forward to ?

Think you're right that something needs to be done to get fans back onside.

Just wondered what you thought the fans' reaction would be to that team, especially if they took a real beating.



Wouldn't want McRae to make those changes if it was going to get fans' backs up even more?!

Do you think he could get our backs up even more


A real beating was the debacle at Warrington and the same team has been kept for the Wakefield game.
The scoreline hid how crap we really where.
The only people at the next few games will be season ticket holders who do know something about the game, I hope,so would give a good reaction to change and maybe a bit of entertainment as well if we are lucky.

Fair point, how bad do Salford have to get before players are dropped ?
After the Wire game everyone I spoke to anticipated at least a couple of additions and positional changes. Walton , Palfry , Spencer , Vaughan must wonder what they must have to do to figure this season.

Get NZ citizenship

whats happening with sibbit ? wouldnt be sad if he were to leave at the end of the season with poss Faumuina to come in since he has been released from cas

Adam - If Henrys `preferred` position is #4 then lets see what he can do. Walton at #3 then & Wilshere at #5. Otherwise Walton as the `white Billy Boston` on the wing.

Hear Hear. Exactly the point.

Yeah, Walton and Henry in the centres with Wilshere and McGilvray on the wing would make more sense although Walton is more suited to the second row.