I know. It’s shocking. I love an offload.

I think against Toronto we did 4 offloads all game, all it does is make for a very boring game.

Low errors = Low Risk Rugby = Boring Rugby

The coach may be in the results business but it’s the entertainment business too.

In the reserves game Greenwood may as well have had a big sign saying I do not want to play any more. There were at least five forwards who were head and shoulders better than him today.

What Lam will change to improve the team we don 't know but my selection would be -
French,
Marshall, Hardaker, Hankinson, Burgess. Hastings, Smith. Bullock, Powell, Burgess, Farrell, Wells, Smithies, Bench - Byrne, Clubb, Havard, Leuluai.

We need a big centre strong in defence against the Hull backrowers so I've put Hanks in there. Bibby doesn't cut it defence wise for me.
Smith to start at 7 as his kicking game is excellent.
Tommy kicks straight to the fb or wing giving them 15 mtrs start on each set. We need big props all game so Partington is out as willing as he is. Isa would be in but he may cop a ban for the Springer incident. Wells to replace him. Smithies replaces Lockers.
Match Hull for size, with better backs and a kicking game that will be an asset to us and not them and a win could be very much on the cards.

I wouldn’t have George Burgess play first team until he’s proved his fitness in the reserves after his debut, I’d rather play Kilner who’s been killing it in the reserves and deserves his spot over Burgess and Flower.

What for?

A good tackle presumably...

Think I’ll give up on the game if Isa picks up a ban for that.

Didn't happen. Finished the cleanest player on the pitch.

For me...

French
Marshall
Hardaker
Bibby
Burgess
Hastings
Lealuai
Bullock
Powell
Byrne
Farrell
Smithies
Flower

Smith
Isa
Burgess (Havard)
Clarke

Keep Smith out the way for the first 20. I’d play 3 props to begin with to combat Hulls size. After 15-20 mins I’d bring on Isa for Flower and push Smithies to 13.

I can see the point about resting Smith against FC with their big pack, but, on the other hand, a good kicking game will be needed more than ever against them, and he is our best kicker. I agree that Joe Burgess was improved, if not brilliant, against Toronto, and I don't think Manfredi looked ready for first team rugby anyway, so I'd stick with Burgess and Marshall for now. Greenwood should clearly not be considered.

The Hull pack probably won’t be anything bigger than the Cas and Toronto packs that Harry Smith has faced looking at the news on their squad. I’m pretty sure Lam will go back to Powell at nine and move Leuluai in to the halves but I wouldn’t have as many worries about playing Smith as I would if they were at full strength. It sounds like Saints got plenty of joy out of Fonua’s side yesterday, so if he’s in again we’d want to be turning him round and getting him chasing kicks back towards his own line.

Agree about turning around Hull's big men. Tommy isn't the 7 who can do this. His kicks usually go straight into the fb/wing hands giving them a fast return on kicks. Kicking the ball into Shaul's hands is giving up 15 mtrs. Smith's kicking v Toronto was good in pinning them down with tackled behind their line, O'Brien knocking on and also getting tackled on his own line.
Lam may start with TL but Smith should play the larger part of the game at 7.
I've changed my mind about playing Smith now Hull seem to have a mounting injury list.