Yes but the OP has a point. Given that TL, Finch and Powell were hurt I believe our next best option was for Sam to go 6. IMO Sam should be our emergency 6 from now on.

It's certainly a fair point. Wane said we had no other option but to play an unfit Finch, we clearly did. We had a player who was considered the best stand off in the league before he was moved to fullback.

I can understand why people wouldn't want Sam moved from fullback and long term there's no reason to do that. He's the best attacking threat in the league at fullback when the team is playing well. However when the team needs cover in the halves I can't see why he wouldn't be one of the best options available.

Jack Murphy showed signs that he would be competent at the very least when given a chance at fullback, so we have cover in that position.

I just don't get this idea that Wane had no other option.

From your avatar pic , id say keep your eye pealed .Its hard being a Cowboy in ROCHDALE .

cherry.pie was right. The idea he should not play 6 because he might have to tackle more is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read.



He might get hurt playing 1 as well. Or is he supposed to run away form making any tacke these days? It's Rugby League!

He started out as a 6 and having to tackle is no reason not to play him there if needs must. Given Lockers is just plain wrong at 6 its about time Wane stopped playing him there. If that means Sam to 6 until people are fit then that is what he needs to do.

The pack getting beat v Wire is irrelevant anyway (as a reason not to play him at 6 as opposed to how it affected the Wire result) in that this happens occasionally and the half backs have to put up with it and deal with it as best they can.

Sammy Powell isn't injured he was the 18th man but didn't make the team when finch passed a very late fitness test. Wane wrongly told the press he was out with a back injury!

Inglis = fullback, barba= fullback, bowen=fullback, Slater=Fullback.
The NRL is the toughest teamsport in the world, where defence is king, and there is nothing between the top 10 sides, and the position that has the most influence to crack these defences? The fullback. The ozzies sussed this years ago, wake up you unconverted children, SAM PLAYS AT FULLBACK END OF

Sam Tomkins is a good full-back. He is equally as good at stand-off. It's not difficult. Infact, with more involvment and with his creativity, he would probably be more effective in the halves, we only have two set moves with him at full-back, and they are both the same, just on opposite sides of the pitch, unless he creates something on his own, which he regularly did at stand-off.

As dangerous as Sam is playing at fullback, if we have more options at 1 than 6 then he has to play 6. You make the least amount of changes to your team as possible and having a half fit player with no direct replacement is suicide in a big game imo.

I can't be @rsed trying to dig them out but I'd be willing to bet a decent amount that Sam's strike rate with regards to tries and assists is higher when he's played FB than HB. I don't know how you can say he is equally good at stand off with so much certainty, we haven't seen him there for over 2 years and he's a much better player now than he was then. We definitely don't only have 2 moves either.

I do agree with the point that is being made though about putting him back there in a needs must situation. Hopefully Finch will be back closer to full fitness come next Monday and I'm also sceptical about how "injured" Powell was when he was warming up for everyone to see. If Sam had played 6 on Saturday and Russell/Murphy had messed up for a try there would be so many posters on here giving it "he shouldn't have played in such a big game" etc, SW can't win. He took a risk, it didn't pay off, time to buck our ideas up and move forward to the last few games.

I don't think you need too, his strike rate is by far better at FB than HB. Anyone who's watched Wigan in the past few years could tell you that.

With regards to Sam going back to HB, in all honesty it wouldn't be a bad move in the short term. IF Finch is injured and not fully fit, I'd consider;

1. Russell
6. Sam
7. Smith

(or vice versa Smith and Sam)

At the end of the day ST can play at HB - he played there all his playing career until MM moved him. In the short term it could prove to be a good switch.

I say short term because our gameplan does sometimes rely on Sam hitting the ball at pace from the FB position into gaps/space. I haven't seen any of Russell so I couldn't comment on his ability to fill in there.

There's usually one or two of us wandering around the local Asda.