Around 12 weeks out for KPP apparently - at least he should still be able to get some upper body strength work in with a lower body injury. Big loss though.

Peet said at the fans forum that French and Field could alternate between 6 and 1 - not sure I've ever seen something like that work. For me it's better to give a player a position and some time to get accustomed but they're good enough players to make it work. My guess is he'll come off the bench to replace Powell with Cust going to hooker.

Peet is quoted as French will play but he won’t say where.

I’d move Hardaker to centre and play field on the wing. Field stays at FB and smith in the halves.

Thornley on the bench, possibly with a view of half a game each with French but can cover all the 3/4 if needed.

i wouldn't be moving cust out of the halves personally, especially with no tommy either this week. I think he is a big part of what we do, plenty of communication/direction comes out of him and it is his preferred position, the one he came over here to play.

I would personally be bringing french on the wing and the worst performer of the game between thornley / hardaker is subbed with the other playing centre. Thinking as i am typing this could be a good opportunity to ease thornley back in also after he's injury with swapping him out for french in the 2nd half.

Edit - Apologies Trainman beat me to this thought, i didn't read his post first. I think a rotation in some form of thornley / french is the best option, assuming none of hardaker/bibby/marshall are having an absolute stinker

Did we not used to do something similar the last time we overstaffed our FB position? I'm sure Escare used to come off the bench and we swapped a few positions around.

I think in 2018 Escare may have come off the bench to play full back with Sam moving to the halves.

That was my memory too, but wasn't 100% sure it was Sam that we made the switch for.

I do remember, whoever it was, that it seemed convoluted. My argument is that if you look across the history of top FBs they don't then switch half way through the game and play HB.

No I don't think it's the best way to develop a cohesive spine in your team. Peets comments today about potentially playing two fullbacks was interesting - almost like a football side changing formation.

Id go with this but I really dont want Smith in the team

I’m not sure what the answer is but to have both Field and French will the ball in their hands as much as possible will be something to look forward to.

I think they’ll use French on the wing for at least the first few games but with a freedom to roam a little and offer a threat by popping up in other areas of the field. I recall an interview with Peet were he said they’d been working with the wingers, encouraging them not to just stay on their wing waiting for opportunities to come to them and he indicated a willingness to use them in a way that wouldn’t be what you expect from a traditional winger.

I'm sure there's no way on God's green earth that French will be thrown straight back in at full-back, and they will use him as NK suggests, He can always pop up in midfield and take a scoot from dummy-half, Marshall (and plenty of other wingers) already does this.

Having second thoughts, I think I’d start with Thornley on the wing for his size and ability to bring the ball from out line and bring French on at half time when Hull sent as fresh.

I would only have one of French or Thornley in Thursdays team v Hull and the one who misses out could play in the reserves v Bradford on Friday.