As other people have said on this topic, there are doubts about his tackling, playing at 6 he would have to make more tackles and could be 'targetted' by opposition coaches as a weak link (think back to Tim Smith).

Yet our coach (who many on here worship as the second coming) seems to think he is good enough or he wouldn't have been handed him the position in the first place, i just wonder if these people who keep bringing his tackling into the frame could even come close to making 1% of the tackles he has made, lets remember Fullback is the last line of defence and when it comes to the fullback having to make spectacular tackles it is usually down to one of our other players making a mistake, from what i have seen of Phelps this year before his injury, he looked very dangerous in attack one game inparticular was v KR at the start of the season, he was phenominal, throwing the ball all over the shop and causing damage whenever he had ball in hand, same can be said for the game against Crusaders a week earlier having created two trys and scoring one, defence can be worked on, skill your born with, and i reckon he has more skill and creativety than Tommy.

Lets judge the team selection in that position when both Phelps and Roberts are fit.

I do not think Phelps and Sam would work personally.

Phelps for me, needs a bit more space and room. He has a good rugby brain and eye to pick a gap which is why i think he initially went well at fullback, as a front line half I feel he lacks the space he requires to play to his strengths.

Personally I am happy with TL as our half, think he gets a lot of OTT criticism. Again he is not perfect, but give Phelps and TL time under MM and I feel TL has far more potential to come out the better half at the end of it.

But not as good as Lockers & Sam, and means two inexperienced players in the back line.