I think Sam would need to alter his game an awful lot to play half back and play for the good of the team rather than individually. He would need to organise and structure the play, be less selfish and pass a damn site more often than he used to do at Stand Off or he would stifle our attacking play an awful lot. Full back allows him to play with far more freedom and he can get away with playing more individually and it doesnt damage the team and its structure. I think he could do a job at Stand Off without doubt but we would lose a lot by taking him away from full back and lose an outstanding full back. I think our structure would suffer too.

If you have ever watched the Wests Tigers you'd see how a stand off can have complete freedom and dictate the style of play within a team.

we are in need of a new HB pairing if Finch leaves, if Sam is moved to 6 we will still have an unsettled new HB partnership except we will also have to replace Sam which means we now have an new unsettled FB creating more problems with the performance of the team, why put ourselves in that position when we have the best British player in the game already settled and causing so much devastation in that position

He'll still be world class if we moved him to 6 he doesn't suddenly become Dennis Moran. Mathew Russell with more super league experience and a hard pre season could become a very potent threat from full back, he hasn't been given offers from NRL teams for nothing.

but what if Russell ends up being average and what if Sam didn't gell with his new HB partner, why have 2 important positions in the team disrupted when we only really need to disrupt 1

I think Russell could make a good half back.

There's bothing wrong with Sam's passing. I've seen him put a massive pass out wide several times, and that pass to Carmont to score last wrekend was unreal. It needed absolute pinpoint accuracy, it was such a difficult pass for him to make with the speed involved and the fact that there was a Leeds player inbetween him and Carmont.

If Russell didn't do well at fullback then Tomkins would move back there and Powell would probably have to play in the halves alongside Smith. That's assuming Finch leaves along with Mellor and only Smith is brought in as a replacement.

Ideally we'd sign two new halves but then there's no point signing a player that the coaching staff aren't convinced of. If they take a punt on a player it would have to be on terms that favour the club.

Jack Murphy is also an option at fullback as he seems to have been having some decent games of late.

Moving from full back to stand off never did Lockyer or the Broncos any harm - great players adapt and it's much easier to find a replacement FB than a replacement SO. It's common sense to consider Sam a realistic option to take the 6 shirt, when we have another great prospect waiting at FB. I'd rather have the certainty of both in the team for a couple of years in key influential roles, than potentially losing both if Sam decides to move on and Russell gets frustrated due to lack of opportunities.

Wane won't be stubborn enough to not consider the options, regardless of what he's saying at the moment. He's hardly going to be publicly declaring Sam as the new 6, while the recruitment drive is still on for next season's squad, otherwise he'd be basically giving up on keeping Finch or signing a replacement 6. Sam moving to the halves will be on the agenda though if Finch leaves and assuming the likes of Soward / Chase prove unattainable - which is extremely likely.

It wouldn't just be the direct threat from Sam that would change, it would be how dangerous the whole team's attack is. Him lurking in behind combined with the excellent lines the forwards run is what creates doubt in the defence and hence gaps, that he can then spot and go through. The fb position has changed and teams now try and utilise a the fb as a 3rd pivot anyway. IMO Sam is much more effective as a deep, wide 3rd receiver than he would be getting the ball at 1st or 2nd reciever.

We know Sam can play excellently as a stand off, he's done it before and if he stays in RL I think he'll end up back there when he's 28ish, he just offers so much from fb that IMO it would be silly to move him at this stage of his career.

One position I wouldn't mind seeing Russell have a shot in would be centre. He's an electric attacker and he could provide us with some real spark in that left centre position when Carmont leaves. I remember Kyle Eastmond playing some sensational rugby at centre and Russells stature and attacking style remind me of him. He'd need time learning the ropes defensively in the position but at least his weakness under high kicks wouldn't be tested as often.

One things for sure, he's too good to be playing u20's or even championship rugby and I think he knows that.

Sam has shown this season that he can pass.

He is now making a judgement of when to pass, when to hold, when to dummy. Last season when we ran out of steam, he seemed to get a little 'found out' by the opposition, he was often guilty of always holding onto the ball.

Now he puts so much doubt into the opposition - will he pass or go himself, last season they didn't need to worry about the outside man.

Passing at the speed he runs is far far harder than passing when virtually standing still and your legs are planted.

He is now playing far more as a hybrid fb/stand off - he gets involved earlier at times and at others as 3rd man - it's not going to be a real big leap for him to move to 6.

He will need a more structured 7 to play alongside though otherwise we could lose some of the organisation we currently have - but he has shown he has the brains to adapt and play a team game.

It all depends upon the recruitment for next year - we have a few options and where he plays will depend on who we retain or sign.

If we only sign smith and lose finch, I think sam will play more at 6 and Russell at 1.

my thoughts too.

hes gonna get targetted in defence if he goes to 6, which will slow down his attacking game.

maybe when hes older, 28 ish, he may have bulked up a bit and be more reliant on using his brain as opposed to his speed ( finchish)

Having taken part in training sessions with him at my old amateur club were he was coach, even at 18/19 he was unbelievable at passing. He could pass from one touchline to the other and accurate