With the signing of Deacon it once again raises the question of where Tommy Leuluai is best suited at 7 or 9.

I've no doubt that Tommy would play 9 for us everytime had we a more viable option for scrum half but sadly because we haven't he's forced to play there, so for me next year I'd like to go with:

6 Tomkins
7 Deacon
9 Leuluai

Interchange McIlorum


I know that leaves Piggy out but we'll do doubt suffers injury's to which we can then introduce him and shuffle everyone else around.

I would imagine in a few years we may see something like:

6 Tomkins
7 Mellor
9 Leuluai

Interchange McIlorum

Which really excites me as we'll have a reasonably young set of players in those very vital positions who'll have grown to no each others games and will be the bedrock for are future success.

Interchange with Piggy and leave McIlorum out.. Job's a good 'un.

I would start off with Tommy at 6 and Deacon at 7 bringing Sam off the bench for Riddell and move Tommy to 9 then bring Riddell back on for Tommy later on in the game.

ideally I would look at playing Tommy at 9 for 80 minutes but you would lose two squad players in Riddell and McIllorum if we did that.

Start with Piggy and bring Tommy on, if Deacon is going to start.

However what I think will happen, is Tommy at seven with Deacon on the bench.

Then Deacon on at scrum half and Tommy to 9.

I don't buy into this notion that Tommy would be twice the player he is now if he was played at 9.

Keep him at 7 for me and continue to develop the partnership with Tomkins.

I personally wouldn't have Deacon in the 17 with an injury free squad.

I don't think he would be twice the player he is now I just think that he's more suited to 9, his greatest asset is his running game and his strength we've seen how explosive he can be coming out of 9.

Plus he can sometimes be anonymous in games but by putting him at 9 your forcing him to get his hands on the ball more and get involved.

Why no option for playing both positions depending on what is required by the coach/team?

I agree i think people get a bit carried away with the notion of him being a hooker because he has played there covering a problem spot for the Kiwi's.


Personally I see him as a halfback 6 or 7, although i was surprised he did not play more as the second receiver than Smith when they played together, his game suited it in that combination in my opinion.

I think a team playing with Tommy and Tomkins in the halves is more than capable of winning SL with the right support elsewhere. There aspects he needs to work on but he is still young, his organisational play improves every year as does his short kicking game, i do not think he will ever develop a long kicking game but maybe Deacon can help him in that department.

Seconded.

Leuluai is a better 9 then he is 7 imo but there isn't much in it and he's a better 7 then Deacon.

Deacon has been brought in as back up and should be 5th choice imo. He'll still get plenty of games because alot of the time one of Sam, Leuluai, Piggy or McIlorum will either be injured, suspended or in need of a rest.

5 players for 4 positions is just right imo.

Not to mention Sam Tomkins and Thomas Leuluai will most likely be on mid-season international duty.

Of course.

We can keep a nice settled side by signing Deacon. It means no shifting around of Phelps, Gleeson or Lockers to halfback which in turn led to somebody shifting to fullback, Centre or Loose Forward.

i personaly think deacon will get alot of game time this season. i think piggy might get left out in the cold unless he picks his game and fitness up vastly

I'll light the blue touch paper here I think:

What makes you feel Riddell had a worse season than McIlorum?

And:

Is a dedicated interchange hooker even necessary?

I can see McIlorum being the one to be left out if I'm honest. However MaGuire and Wane will pick a team for what they have to face so it will change around in certain games I think.

IMO currently the best we can put out is

6 Tomkins
7 Deacon

9 McIlorum

14 Leuluai

I appreciate Riddell as a player but do not think he has been as good as he should be and therefore should have to work for his place more. I feel McIlorums supperior defence is currently more valuble to the team than what Piggy brings which lets be honest at times has not been much.

Statistically their defence is about the same pro rata