It's hard for clubs to blood youngsters especially for teams like us who are regularly involved in close games where it's just not possible to have a youngster on the bench unless injuries dictate otherwise, plus the fact your only allowed 4 subs and how you use those subs can have a massive effect on the result makes it difficult to fit a youngster on the bench.

So I've often thought that having a fith sub would be a good idea but it has to be a youngster i.e under a certain age and under so many first team starts, keep him separate from the normal rotation of the four subs and not to be used for injures as well so basically if you find yourself running away with a game then you have the option of bringing on a youngster to gain some first team experience.

This seasons already over, giving him a game against London makes sense. If we have the mentality to think we can't win if he plays then he can't be any good.

There's a difference between having the potential to be good and actually being good. HTW is still very much in the potential category. He's doing well at U19 level but that doesn't mean he's necessarily ready to make the step up to senior level just yet.

It's London away I can't understand the negative apathy towards him playing. If I remember Tommy Lee made his debut at around the same age against a similar side in Leigh who were awful and bottom, and he had a great game.

It was only supposed to be Wakey at home this weekend and look how that turned out so I wouldn't go thinking that London away is a sure thing. We drew with them away last year as I recall.

And I wouldn't say it's "negative apathy" towards him playing. Most of us want to see him in action. But only when the timing is right. We don't want to rush him.

Wakefield thrashed London at London this year. London away is a sure thing.

The "substitute" rule was great when it was 2 players and 2 interchanges, based primarily on covering for injuries.
Now it has evolved into a tactical mess, where if you're lucky it can work in your favour, but equally it can leave you struggling.

Only thinking out loud here - why not have 8 subs on the bench, with only 4 allowed to take the field.
This would allow the likes of HTW to get his chance and backs in general the opportunity to cover for injuries.

After all, players are getting paid a lot of money nowadays anyway, so give them a better chance of playing.

Works in football. They have seven players on the bench but only get to use three. A similar system could be adopted for RL.

Wakefield also beat us. What's your point?

Yeah, and his career with us went well, didn't it?

I'm seeing a worrying bit of similarity to how much Lee was built up with Tyson-Wilson. Now that doesn't necessarily mean it will turn out the same, he could well still turn out to be a gem, but we shouldn't let our desperation for a halfback fall on his shoulders and rush him if he's not ready. There's enough pressure for a youngster in any position to make the step up to first team already, we don't need to add more by pinning all our hopes on him solving our ills and transforming the team.

Exactly, great post.

I have watched Lee and HTW develop and the latter is streets ahead on ability. Also much more grounded with a good influence from his Dad.

That may well be the case, but it still doesn't mean he's necessarily ready or that it would be good for him to be thrown in yet. We should just wait and see when he's ready to be given a go, not campaign for him to be just because we're getting desperate and he's doing well against kids his own age.

This thread only exists because we're struggling in his position. It's not so much about him, as it is about us scrabbling around for an answer, any answer, ASAP. You only have to look at his brother. He's also well-rated, and he's actually older, but because we have an abundance of props with several doing well over the year so far, nobody's touting him for a game. The simple reason, because he might not be ready and we don't need to risk it. But we want to make the younger brother ready because we have a more pressing need in his position.

He has to make his debut some time and would probably be better away from the KC so he doesn't feel the mountain of expectation that there is on him. Last thing we need to do is to throw him into a side which is low on confidence and underperforming though

the officals (and clubs) can't even spot when there are 14 players on a pitch, what makes you think they could manage this idea?

(I agree, it would be a good idea, but the RFL would just mess it up)