Hopefully we will not finish bottom but, as you point out (and as HRJnr so sagely did on another thread a couple of days ago) we now have the beginnings of an SL squad - NJ just needs to find his preferred starting combos. A settled SL team that are clued in to one another should waltz through the M8s if need be.

Another game or two in pre-season might have helped but this opening set of fixtures was always likely to be a write-off ( 'though there's a big what if 5 mins from the end of the Leeds game) and with the butcher's bill mounting already in a smallish squad, Neil might be found to have been quite prescient.

Speaking of him, he sent a quick thanks PM to Bongser yesterday agreeing with B's bold statement of last week. Yes, folks, Mitch Brown is a full back

Brown was excellent on Friday and showed his experience by staying deep and covering breaks something which a lot of full backs don't do today, preferring to be in the line and scoring tries.

Does anyone know how Hock is, he only did a 20 minute spell and never came back on.

Think I've seen it somewhere that Hock had a dead leg so I would think he'll be good to go Friday.

Without doubt Mitch Brown at fullback is a major positive to surface from the first two games.
Before the Cas game I had said on here,(along with others) that I thought FB would be Mitch's best position! against Leeds Mitch proved that he is indeed a FB and, a good one too! He had shown some bad defensive flaws at centre and, I suggested he had his bottom smacked for that so, whoever took on that task, it worked a treat
Regardless of what other coaches have said about Hampshire, in the halves, I do think that is where he can play/cover for us he is very lively and enthusiastic on the pitch, all the ingredients required from a half back!