I'd agree with that and mulled it over when Sandow fulfilled the inevitable.
However there's not getting away from TS love for Russell. Id rather see Russell outside Atkins because there's no point having Jason Nightingale there....whoever it is, isn't likely to get many a pass anyway. Russell is going to be in out team somewhere so I'd rather see Ratchford as the FB. You don't waste a talent like Steph in the 3/4s.

There is still a question over Patton. I'd take a hb.

I don't understand why Gidley has never been played there. Was given the 1 shirt last season and has openly admitted that 1 is his preferred position.

He played full back in the Christmas friendly at Widnes and was excellent, you could actually see him talking to the players and guiding them from that deep position. I'm pretty sure he didn't play there again.. Another of Tony Smiths baffling decisions .

I'm pleased about these comments, i was starting to think i had imagined it. He has obviously come over as a fullback why not try him there?

Not so baffling. If I recall Ratchford was injured at the beginning of the season, Gidley and Sandow built a relationship and TS didn't want to break it up. I presume that after that he didn't want to start bringing in new players AND swapping positions around.

Russell was fullback for the Widnes friendly. Gidley played stand-off. Another baffling example of forum posters thinking they know better than Tony Smith.

Knowing Smith he would buy a FB n play him at centre.

There's an awful lot of generalisation goes on with regards to players weaknesses, Russell can catch a high ball, he needs to work on doing it consistently. We undoubtedly playedour best rugby this season with him at FB, I don't for one minute think it was purely down to him being at FB but he played an important roll early on which we were able to capitalise on.

For every ball Matty may drop Stephan will lose getting tackled or getting up to play the ball die to his loose one handed carries

Having Russell at FB allows Steph to play either centre or in the halves it gives us a winger on the wing too. Idk West seem to still be trying to find our best team n have been for some seasons now

I may have this wrong, i thought it was Gidley and I could have sworn at some stage in that game Gidley played at full back.
If Russell had started at full back..I must bow to your superior knowledge.

May I ask is the angst towards other posters really necessary ? Or does it just make you feel like a big man/women ?

Don't we all know better than Tony Smith? We cant do anything about it or prove we are right but I think if he tried my team selection it would work better than some of his. I know it cant be proved but in my mind I am right.

Yes you can. Start coaching a team. If you are a better coach than Tony Smith you'll soon work you're way through the ranks.

There is no may about it; you have got it wrong. So feel free to bow to my superior knowledge at your convenience.

As for angst with other posters I save all that for the ginger haired students.