Interesting question but I think had Briers played against Bradford we would have been out of sight at half time. It's not just his kicking game (which is world class), its also his vision with the ability to see the cut out pass etc. For me, if Briers is fit he should play.

I agree with you lab. I think it's a nice position to be in (i.e. we don't need him as desperately as we did), but if we lose on Friday and he doesn't play, you can hear people now criticising our kicking game and lack of killer instinct without Briers (notwithstanding the fact that we haven't won there with him playing anyway!).

Is he worth a bench spot if fit? The way the last few matches have been ground out in the first half with us cutting loose a bit in the 2nd, imagine the chaos a fresh & motivated Lee Briers could cause against a battered & tiring defence...

Yeah, someone suggested that earlier in the week. Probably a good call - replace Higham?

I would & allow Grix to be used as any interchange hooker

too many changes.

If he does come back and he is fit, he should start, grix to the bench and Vanderson misses out.

that takes up back to theline up we were using at the start of the season.

Again though, i'm not sure i want him back in for this week.

It's not that many changes. Grix and Myler starting. Briers replaces Higham. VAnderson survives another week.

Also got the Mathers/Riley conundrum.

and then putting grix in at hooker? thats previously untried this season.

Grix, Myler, Bridge all can take the dummy half role.

I wouldn't do it myself, but it's not a bad call. I'd go Briers and Myler to start and Grix replaces VAnderson on the bench.

Shame Morely's broken jaw will keep him out.

i think briers on the bench and anderson drops out. he will only be in the team if he is 100% fit otherwise he won't be risked to pick up a worse injury and be out for even longer. i would rasther higham on the bench if monas is not on top form like he was in the first half against bradford i would like to see another top class hooker come in for him

Depends whether or not the game coming up is a "must win" or not.

If the next game was the Challenge Cup Final I would imagine most posters on here would select Briers at 6. However I agree its fun to toy with the idea of leaving Briers out so we can pretend that we have moved on so much as a club, that we are better off without Briers in the team than in it.

For me regarding Briers kicking, is the distance he gets when we get a penalty. there's no one in our team that can come close to the distance up field that he can and against Saints for me invaluable.

I would play him.

Jack.

Nice touch of sarcasm there, Sally.

It's NOT a must win, quite clearly. However, we have moved on as a club and there are other options which are better than those we have had in recent years. The key one is a fit Simon Grix. He has always had the talent but it has taken him so long to establish himself because of injuries.

We can resurrect this thread after Friday.

So what about Briers for next week, is it worth carrying a player just for having a good kicking and passing/organising and on field leadership role?