Having watched the game I can honestly say that we didn't deserve to win it. We tended to play in spells rather than for the full 80 as usual. Chris Riley shouldn't be made a scapegoat as the team as a whole didn't play well enough.

What I will say is that in my own personal opinion Chris Riley doesn't have enough attributes to make it with a SL club that has serious aspirations of silverware. Yes, he has pace and I'm sure the determination however, that isn't enough in todays game. You only have to look around the league at some of the top wingers to see what is needed.

Harrison with fewer minutes and King to second row? I actually can't remember neither.

I do think Reilly has been our most consistent player so far this season.

I am always flabergasted by people's readiness to move in form, key players out of position.

It is simple:

Atkins is one of, if not the, best centre in the league.
Riley is a natural and in form winger and was the best player on the field against saint helens.

Atkins shouldn't be played ahead of riley on the wing and ratchford shouln't be player ahead of atkins in the centres.

I remember this game the OP refers to. Bloody gutted that day. Drank myself into a hole that night outside the castle. Oh how the times have changed! (not the drinking though!)

I think with King leaving he does now make the first choice 13, last year I don't think he did. Ratchford for me, should not be near the 3/4 positions unless we have injuries. In a fully fit squad, he should be on the bench with 3 forwards, Higham misses out, Ratch/Myler to sub for Monas (if required). Obviously Smith trusts Riley to let the King go and let him fill the huge void, especially defensively, he left.

And Riles came back in because Bridge was playing in the back row on some occasions.

Of course he wasn't in our strongest 13 last year, Tony Smith didn't think so either thats why he got loaned out to Harlequins.

That was a good move because Riley is easily good enough to be a starting SL winger so it meant he kept his hand in first team action and when he came back at the end of the season he was ready to hit the ground running with us in the playoffs.

The big difference between him and Penny is when Penny lost form and went out of the team and away on loan he didn't take those opportunities, Riley did.

For me Riley has never been in my first 13 (or 17 for that matter) with Evans getting a wing spot ahead of him this year. However Riley, has he has done in past seasons, will probably end-up playing in more games than he misses over the course of the season.