Phelps at 6, are you joking?

Phelps at 6? Smith at 7?

Lets learn from past matches, review how they have played and move on. Smith and Phelps individually have proven to be 'below par'. What makes you think putting them in the centre of the park as half backs will be a good move?

Seriously.. I wanna know, I'm open to learning from others on why they think a change/something new would work.

Although the original poster will not have meant this - The Aussies rated Cameron Phelps as a halfback and not a winger/fullback.

Nevertheless, is playing Phelps/Smith at the halves our best foot forward?

FWIW I would have given Phelps a run out at 6 in the pre-season, maybe against Warrington near xmas rather than having lockers at 6 Sam at 7 as they did.

I'm thinking they tried it in training and it didn't work.

yes i am well aware of this,plus i realise that the way our team is playing serious changes need to be made.lots of people on this sites are scathing about our team and yet want the same players week in week out.?

Phelps' natural position is 6, he's said himself he'd like to play more in-field. But I don't think Saints would be the game to do it.

Lets go f#cking mental, Lets go f#cking mental, la la la

I am fully prepared for the mullering im about to get for typing this and to be honest im a little disgusted with myself but here goes.

The game against stains, is a throw away game, we are not under any circumstances going to win, or even get close.

For this reason and this reason only, i would leave out both tomkins and ainscough, they are going to need a rest at some point this season, and it really isnt worth risking them in this game, as stains will score as many as they want to be honest.

Whilst i understand that this is a terrible attitude to have and hopefully not one that the team have, i feel that this has come about as a direct result of our coaching philosophy, as we all know that the reality of this competion is that nothing is won in April (arrrrrgh)

We need to start beating teams in our 'tier' before we even think about competing with the likes of stains leeds, therefore i think we should pick our battles, scrape into the 8 and have a run from there.

Yes im writing the season off, but to be honest it already is over for us, it is now a case of damage limitation, and keeping the young lads fit and healthy. Forget the stains result/performance, concentrate on the catalans, celtic and wakefield games (the imediate 3 after and before we have stains again) as this year those three teams are the ones we need to beat!

Therefore mathers at fullback, pryce/phelps on the wing, smith at half. then put it Pat Tomkins and Ainscough the week after.

i stopped reading at the bold point. Need a rest there only 12 years old why do they need a rest. Play them every game this season for me.

With the team you picked they would blow the 75-0 out the water lets have a bit of pride in the shirt and let them know they have been in a game instead of a training session.

Couldn't agree more, as I posted Saturday on the "should Ainscough play" thread. Sam blew 2 tries against Hudds and Sean let 2 in. Time for a very short break IMO and what better game to miss than a pasting by Saints?

Why cant the players coming in have a bit of pride and play for the shirt,

if leaving out richards (decent defensive fullback but after all the last line!), Ainscough (short and will be kicked to death against a 6'2'' Gardner)
and Tomkins (good defender) makes that much of a difference ill be amazed. At least Pryce on the wing can jump agains Gardner and someone may trip over Mathers while he attemting to make a challenge.

I know im waving the flag, but do you honestly think we will be within 20 points of them

No i dont but we won't be within 50 after 40 mins if Mathers, Smith and Phelps play they will completely pepper Mathers to death. Don't know about Pryce but the other 3 i wouldn't play in the reserve game never mind the 1st team.