Just a hyperthetical one but, what would your first 17 for wire be if all the players on the squad list were available??

Mathers
Hicks
Bridge
Grix
King
Briers
Monaghan
Morley
Clarke - (despite my sheer hatred for him!!)
Carvell
L Anderson
Westwood
V Anderson - (on recent performance)

Harrison
Wood
Higham
Cooper

I just think that Rauhihi is good but until he controls the passion he has for offloading the ball in silly situations then he should be "rested" - some may say it is good to have a prop that can offload and I have no qualms about that but there is a time and a place and for example against Wigan he couldn't help himself.

Totallt agree about Rauhihi. Unless he curbs his obssession with off-loading I'm afraid he will struggle to have a career at the top level of rugby. Like you say he should be rested until ne has learnt his lesson. Perhaps a spell in the reserves will do him good in the long run.

So you wouldn't give him an extra year?

no riley

I think he might be being sarcastic.

I like rah, he has good potential.

Seriously would you give him an extra year?

I've spent years being persecuted on here for being all "primrose-and-blue" tinted spectacles yet we win a couple and apparently our squad is full of world beaters.

Consistency is all that I ask for, from players and fans alike.

Either way people will start having an eppy fit saying its a step-down when Smith signs a new prop to replace him. For me Smith will sign players to fit into roles in his team whilst previously we have seemed to find roles for signings whether they were what we truly needed or not.

Hee hee,

Would you?

Bit like the team selcetion Smith has to do for this Saturday really. Only Johno out

I think that one comment sums up why we have had little success but moments of high excitement.

Great comment.

My full strength team would be


Mathers
Hicks
Bridge
King
Riley
Briers
Monaghan
Morley
Clarke
Carvell
L Anderson
Westwood
V Anderson

Rauhihi
Wood
Higham
Johnson

Harrison and Grix as 18th and 19th men

sound about right to me.

I dont think TS has a best 17. I think he plays the best 17 to face the given opposition. The forwards are more or less settled but I like what he is doing with the backs. You don't know who is going to play where. I have a wry smile on my face after the first couple of minutes of a game when you realise where they are lining up.

Against Hull, Bridge started at FB with mathers on the wing but then Briers tried kicks to the corner with Bridge popping up there. How confusing must that be for an opposition coach? You have King swapping wings just to face Ainscough, Players like vinny popping up on the wing?

I like this unpredictability, Clarke is even playing as a 3rd halfback during games (and putting in some great assists by the way)

This versatility gives us greater strength in depth with the same number of players. In the past we have played players like Noone and Burns on the wing and looked like fish out of water but now players would feel more comfortable being shifted around. It keeps players on their toes and the opposition.

i no hes been one of our best players puts 100% into everygame