he did quite a gd job there at the back end of the season last year, but since briers retired hes been training at 6. do u think ratch would be fb if briers didnt retire? would we have signed russell or was that before they even knew about briers injury?

Gaz O'Brien was one of Saints' better performers last season and I'm sure they would have kept him if the option had been there.

He is a natural halfback so let's give him a good chance to show what he's about and judge over a longer period of time, not just one or two games.

It was a poor start last week but we know we will be there or thereabouts at the end of the year so we can't press the panic button just yet.

Riley is consistent but he looked overweight for me in the Salford and Saints games so leave him out and make him work to get back in. Good luck to Ormsby tonight and if he does make a mistake tonight, let's not hound him but support him and he will turn into another good young player from the production line which is starting to be beneficial to us.

See you all at Headingley!

If Ormsby and Atkins show well and Ormsby is quick off the mark with equal strength then Mr Riley will struggle to get in on form alone. GOB has to play in the halves above Monas that is simple. If Smith persists with the Monas half back thing i think his god like status should be monitored somewhat! Ratch was good at FB last year when called on and suddenly being put back there after training at 6 may have knocked him. Ratch is a broken field player as is Myler we need a controlling player and at present GOB is the best we have. Support from Grix at 13 may help GOB cement his place.

Re Ratchford at full back... at the back end he looked good as a stand in for Hodgson ,but in his 2 games this year he hasn't looked as impressive or comfortable in the role so far. He may still be feeling the effects of his ankle injuries from OT. If push comes to shove though ,Jordan Burke looks like a full back for the future.

What was this chat about Myler at hooker all about?

Is it that we think Higham is past his best or is it because Monaghan is going to be playing halfback long term now so we need a replacement hooker.

TBH I don't fancy Myler at hooker much. We need a ballplaying/kicking halfback alongside him and let Myler be the running half, he is like Danny McGuire, fast, direct, superb support player. He has proved himself with us over the past few years but I think he is what he is and we shouldn't expect him to be a player like Briers.

Myler and Brough seems like a marriage???

Ugly kids though, plus Helen wouldn't be happy

I think the strategy this year is to see how 'the promising youngsters' cope at the coal face and I expect they will all be put to the test this year, including GOB.
It does not matter who you play where in the backs though if the forwards do not create the platform for them to play.
Against Saints the pack got second prize which puts the backs under pressure ergo Myler making so many tackles. We have some big lads but I think they will get a few more second prizes until they find some steel and leadership from somewhere. I hoped Asotasi would supply this but the jury is out on him at the moment.
I do not expect any trophies this year but let's not be greedy we have done well in recent years and it may take TS a year or two to build another team.

From my point of view it was a long term potential option in thinking it could be where his future may lie, I don't mean at the expense of Dwyer as I think he has potential to be a great player. I really like Myler but his last tackle kicking game is woeful at the Minute and needs to improve.

Then that ought to be in the reserves or at Swinton playing hb but not at the expense of someone better at hooker than he would be.