I'm actually pleased with the the 19 named to face Salford.

Roberts' heartless display against Leeds and lack of ability under the high ball couldn't have gone unmissed. (Remember this a player who has played many games as a FB)

On the otherhand I've heard good reports about Pryce and if he is willing to give 110% and is working hard then put him in.

For me Roberts has done very little to warrant fetching him from the other side of the world. His lack of effort is almost arrogant considering he knows there is competition for place on the wing within the squad (Pryce Roberts Richards Phelps Ainscough)

Well done Nobby.

Secondly well done for commending Prescott by awarding hard work by a place in the 19.
Funny how it's the Aussie's now suffering finding it difficult to get into the team.
-Smith
-Phelps
-Roberts

No need to put Smith back in, he was one of our major issues that we've corrected, let move on giving Sam and Tommy more time to gel. McClorum doesn't desevere to be dropped, sends out the wrong message to him and the other younger players at the club.

Team

Richards
Pryce Bailey Carmont Ainscough
Tomkins Tommy
Fielden Riddell O Carroll
Hock Lockers
Tomkins
---------------
Feka McClorum Hansen Prescott

coley had a much better game than fielden last week. fielden did 4 carries all game and dropped one. anyway, prescot and coley are starting, fielden and feka on bench a little bird has whispered.

coleys stats for the leeds team made him the strongest prop last week i am afraid to tell all you coley haters!!!

sorry meant to say coleys stats against the leeds team!!!

Its possible and on the face of it, it makes sense. I just wonder how much longer Smith will be around.

Tbf Roberts hasn't been at the races at all and maybe a kick up the backside is what is needed or a confidence boost in the reserves.

Keep in mind tho Roberts didn't have a pre season. Everyone suddenly seems to have forgotten that he wasn’t even meant to play the first month of the season if I’m correct? Btw it’s only been six games into a four year deal and someone mentioned the other day about him being near the last chance saloon! Come on let’s not go OTT on what have apart from the Leeds game been steady if not unspectacular performances. He should at minimum get half to ¾ of the season before we even expect to see him hitting anything near his top form.

I'm in no doubt that he will come good although i'm worried that we haven't even seen flashes of what he's capable of yet.

Maybe I was being a little dramatic re the last chance saloon!

As I've already posted I thought he just about deserved a start on Friday but he has generally failed to impress and this has been exacerbated by Ainscough's form.

Therefore, not surprised to see him missing. Not bothered either.

I wasn't totally happy with Pat's performance at FB last time out but putting Amos there weakens us considerably. Maybe he would have found his feet against Salford but you now have to earn the right to play at Wigan. We may lack quality but we do have more depth than in recent years, particularly in the backs.

BTW that "weaker" team are only getting 12 start. If they play to that it will be their second best performance of the season. What would that say about us?

Look I don’t want to sound like a big head but Salford are a weaker team than us. The league shows it and we’ve lost one of our last three games so it’s hardly all doom and gloom.

Every week it’s a reason after excuse for not trying new things. How do you know putting Roberts at FB will weaken us considerably until we try it and find out? If worse comes to worse we could then put him back on the wing and Pat to FB! If we can’t try new things against Salford who can we do it against?

We were told Wakey wasn’t the game to try to new things, then Castleford will be trying their hardest to beat us and we even have Barrow fans telling us if we drop to many players we will lose there also! We can’t keep the same team together for the whole of the season and I’d like to find out what other options we have if players get injured e.g can Roberts play fb if Pat is out cause knowing our luck it will be the game before Saints or Warrington when we try these things out for the first time.

Still we are arguing over nothing as Roberts for what ever reason isn’t in the squad so it’s all just if’s and buts anyway.

It's ok saying we need to give Roberts more time etc, but at what expense?
The expense of Karl Pryce who is playing well in need of a shot, Roberts is no special case, for whatever reason if he's not playing well and someone in the same position is pushing for a place then he will have to step out of the 1st team and prove his worth in the reserves.

And if Pryce continues to play well in that position he holds it, and rightly so.

But hopefully Pryce will be moving inside to the number 3 spot, so we need a wingr there, and letting the new guy play a few more games couldn't hurt.

But why drop Bailey? He's doing better than Roberts. Tightened up his side of the field.

I would got with

Richards
Pryce
Bailey
Carmont
Ainscough
Sam
Tommy
Prescott
Riddell
Coley
Hansen
Lockers
Tomkins

Feka
Hock
Fielden
McIlorum

Dropping Roberts should be a wake up call for him but I think we should give him time as he has obvsious speed and ability. I think he will be a very good signing for us but I think we desperately need a quality centre inside him as I don't think he is like Ainscough who can make something from nothing.

Fielden on the bench will be another wake up call and I think he would respond in the right way. Hopefully like he did against Warrington last season

I think if we are to have any chance of getting to finals and having some success this season I think we need a settled half back partnership and the best we have to offer is Sam and Tommy which isn't too bad to be honest Give them a decent run together and I think they will do us proud

Its not that I hate him I just feel he is very poor. He is unbelievably slow, runs sideways in attack and has the thinnest legs I have ever seen for a matured prop forward, therefore he very rarely wins the collision and has a very poor leg drive.