And I agree with aboveus about Millington and Lynch, they were both excellent. And both can play a bit too! It does seem like our props get an easy ride whilst Joel and Sarge shoulder much of their burden.

Yes and cop flack for missing tackles. Is it any wonder they miss tackles when they are probably knackered - Sarge has been taking second carry in every set ever since Gelling was injured.

On his last appearance for NZW it was remarked by the commentator that he made a total of 37 metres in the whole game. He clearly wasn't fit, and missed last weeks game again.

My worry is that his body has taken such a pounding in his time over there that he won't have that same spark when he returns. Did you know that he's only made one line break in all the time he's played over there? It looks to me like he's lost his blistering pace. I hope to God I'm wrong.

I think he has the skills to be a great half back and that's where he will end up (again) IMO.

Yup, agreed. I know Gells did it, but he has the physique for it. Sarge isn't the biggest centre in the comp, and putting that extra work-load on him isn't helping his game.

Anyway, it'd be nice to see Flower, Clubb and Mossop really stand up for the rest of the season

On Sam, in his last game, he either was far from fully fit, or couldn't be d! Well, that's how it looked, but I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt. Line breaks are a lot harder to come in the NRL. How many do real speedsters like Michael Jennings make? Not a couple in every game like Sam used to do here, that's for sure!

[That may be a slight exaggeration, before some pedant pipes up

In reply to abovepie's comments. I thought Millington and Lynch were very good when they came on for the last 20 mins or so. Wasn't too impressed how they went in the first 25.
I do think they benefit from Milner coming off the bench. He's a hooker doing to second stint and we don't have that. Logan did ok but he's gone now. Powell doesn't do it at 9 for us in the interchange with Micky, we lose a lot of intensity there.
Cuthbertson and Peacock were found out in the last 50 mins against us at Newcastle. There again they don't have a hooker doing the 2nd stint after Aiton goes off.
Hill/Sims again at times are very good, they do have two hookers in the 80 mins.
Amor and Walmsley are average and excellent respectively. They have a hooker on for the full 80 - Roby.

Some of those props, Walmsley I ve noticed more, have 3 spells. That time is limited when subs go to 6 from four rather than 10 from four as now.

We have a solid but fast front row who can and do get 3-4 men in a tackle which exhausts the opposition props very quickly. Where we lose it is bringing on a half back to replace a hooker/forward in Micky. We the lose intensity altogether. He has to get up to the pace of the game and is a half back and not a forward.

We need to bring a backrow forward from 2nd row to 9 when Micky goes off. Bateman would do the job brilliantly IMO.
Bateman starts the game, then when Micky departs he goes to 9 until MM returns. His place is taken by a back rower from the bench. When Micky comes back on Bateman leaves the game to the bench.
Bateman is a rugged tacker, got good hands, quite a bit of pace and a very quick Rugby brain that can spot the gaps. If he starts the game he does not have to take 5-10 mins to pick up the pace of the game.
With Bateman (or Faz) going to 9 we would not lose any of the intensity that we have been doing for years and which has been our downfall this past few of seasons. It would also give us 4 forwards on the bench and do us nicely for the reduction in interchage.

What about 80mins from MM?

Either that or bring in a relatively cheap and young back up option from the NRL. Someone with a bit of pace going against tired legs

Well, if it's half as bad the Wish FM guys say, I'm glad I didn't make the journey.

Still, people have been clamouring for Rocky to be given a go in the halves, and it sounds like they've got their wish.