ankle ligament damage. Out for 2-3 weeks so it'd be a risk to play him next week

The marker tackling stats perhaps shows why we struggled defensively. Ben Flower aside those are pretty low efforts.

That's basically doing what Leeds do with Burrow. He doesn't defend at 9 but attacks at hooker and basically just causes all sorts of problems running with the ball. Russell could possibly be used in that way, Mellor at a stretch.
I also think Powell could easily play at 9 as well as 7 and while he's not like Russell or Mellor he's still got good footwork and defends much better. He'd be a much smarter number 9.

I think Tuson has improved a lot since last year but if he isn't being played much I don't see what the point is in having him on the bench given how we really need to try out some of the younger players.

I remember reading an article in Rugby League World about Powell and how he began his career at 9 until the coaching staff felt a move to 7 would broaden his game. From the limited amount I've seen of him he looks better suited to hooker than scrumhalf. It would be nice to have a real smart thinker at 9 with a superb kicking game.

Of course we won't know anything until these young lads get a chance, just not all at once I hope.

Flower is a good squad player and may prove a decent long term bet as a grafter in the backrow but he simply isn't a prop IMO. He's not big enough and around the middle he's been caught out in defence a couple of times.

It would be great to have Mossop back in for Flower on Friday but if not I'd go for the size of Spencer on the bench.

As for the stats of guys like Faz and Tuson no wonder they're low. They got hardly any minutes for some reason with Waney preferring to run Hansen and Hock in to the ground (no rests this week).

Overall though a lot of the stats reflect the general lethargy of the side.

Must be going back a long time, I watch most of the youngsters games, and I don't remember him playing at hooker for the last 4 or 5 years, apart from maybe the odd game due to injury.

It was before his Wigan day's when he was still at St Pats.

I agree.

Hock and Hansen are playing a lot of minutes very comfortably each week. The four forward prop rotation is working fine & throwing Liam Farrell into the mix from the bench has worked very well. Chris Tuson seems wasted in a sense as a substitute - purely for the very little game time he gets because of the fitness of our forwards & all this is before you even consider the relatively little impact he seems to bring from the bench.

Mellor and Russell have been the two most impressive lads for me & I'd go with one of them lads on the bench rather than four forwards. Gives us a plan B should something not be working during the game.

Just my opinion.