Agree with you as think Kelly has been fantastic most of this season and last night was probably just one of those 'bad day at the office' performances. Think both Kelly & Sneyd had poor games compared to their usual standards but after the past few weeks not surprising they have an off night just both on the same night was inconvenient of the the pair of them

. Just thought with Connor on the bench Radford may have just taken Kelly off for a period in the first half to give him a break.

Frank's stats tell a different story.

We certainly didn't get enough minutes out of him, but the yardage he'd achieve in his stints off the bench was valuable & hasn't fully been replaced.

when I saw him play rovers in his first match I was drooling at what a beast he was,but for me apart from one or two games he just didn't make enough impact, Wembley to me was typical frank, one good run then nothing, big disappointment for me, but everyone sees things different,

Always look a better and more creative team when Connor is on but I thought Fash and Bowden did well last night myself! As for Frank in the first couple of games he played wide out almost in the centre channel on the left were he looked unplayable, releasing slip passes and running at the centre and winger after that he was channelled more into the centre and for me lost his impact.

thought Bowden and watts where immense, really like the way Bowden is playing, as for fash my main concern is that for a prop he just doesn't look big enough, he tackles above his weight but never really bends the line, saying that a good bloke to have round the squad,

Let's not be too harsh.

This squad has just retained the Cup at Wembley and are three wins from being the best team in the Northern Hemisphere and then we'd have a crack at the World Club Championship (if it's on next Feb?).

Yes, we can always improve, but we work very well with the squad we've assembled and our game management is now at a different level to any time I can remember.

Also impact isn't just about strength, it's also about having someone who can kick goals for fun, kick a match winning drop goal, a 40-20, create a try with a break, catch a high ball to score a try, defend our line and not panic with 15 minutes to go throwing out silly passes.

All of the above have been a standard within our play over the past two seasons and I trust Radders and his team to make sure all 17 places are filled appropriately next season.

I thought Bowden was superb again last night. He's become very difficult to bring down and always seems to steal more metres in the tackle.

Think he's really starting to mature into the role and alongside Watts and Taylor our props are something to be feared

I agree. Bowden has been a great impact player this season and makes a lot of yards when he comes off the bench.

Sometimes what you look for in a game and an opinion you form isn't quite the reality.

Last year his average meter gain was second in the forwards behind only Scott Taylor, his number of carries were the 5th highest forward (more than Mini & Ellis), total meters 4th highest forward.

Knows how to put his shoulder is aswell does Bowden. He's come up with some brilliant hits this year. I really like him.

As poor as Kelly was last night , id expect a big performance from him next week . Top players usually bounce back after a bad game .

He didn't look fit at all last night

Must admit I thought Griffin had a good game last night and Fash is fast becoming one of my favourite players. I really don't see how having him in the side weakens us at all

Indeed, the fact it took 3 or more tacklers to stop him, pales into insignificance to some.

Bowden as been very good this season, been showing signs for last couple of seasons of becoming a top prop, with micky coming in next year, we look very good in the front row, just need green to show same consistency as bowden now

I think Green has had a good year and put in some good performances, too many injuries and a bit unlucky with his latest illness.

I like the look of the pack next year, Ellis is a massive loss, but I think we have shown enough times this year that we can play and win without him, which we struggled to do it previous years.

Do you know how long some og his stints were? SEVEN minutes was his shortest, the first half of the season he was blowing out his arris and was unfit to do barely 20 minutes a game. Sure his metres gained were v.good, but bringing him on for a few minutes at the back end of a half will allow you to do that. Also he wasn't up to much in the tackling stakes. As I'll point out again, Thompson made 50% more tackles and only 2 fewer tackle busts. Given the amount of stick Thompson gets that's hardly a glowing comparison for the highest paid player in the whole of SL is it?
Bowden for instance was just behind in average metres gained (7.31 v 8.01) but made almost twice as many tackles (601 v 335), if Bowden had made the stats FP had and only did a few minutes in some games at opportune moments (which is what some interchanges are about) we'd be saying he was bang average. That FP was easily on 3 times what Bowden was on, if not a lot more Pritchard was very poor value and didn't have a particularly good season, nowhere near the hype and much less than expected. I'm glad we were only going to have him for the one season (we couldn't afford him and the plan wasn't to keep him anyways despite what people might think).

The dilemma for next season is Hadley v Washbrook. For me we need to be playing Hadley every week (as per the side Mrs B put up earlier) I think he's a better all round player than Washbrook, covers the DH role, can pass, is a great tackler and a very smart player. it's no wonder wakey fans and coaches have been giving him so much praise. So, do we have two utility forwards in the 17 incl one on the bench or have Hadley/Washbrook on the bench with the options of the other forwards.
Whilst Griffin has done okay he's nowhere near what he was doing for Salford, I'd have Connor in front of him every time.

As other have said, having Connor on the bench is a waste, if you're putting him there because you want to cover a half who might be a bit dicky, then that's the wrong decision. Put him in to start and drop the half that isn't quite right, surely that's what we have back ups for? You put him on the bench as cover for a back, well we already know that the likes of Thompson, Turgut and even Hadley can do that role but a bench spot on the off chance a back goes down is just silly, it happens so rarely that having a back on the bench to cover for a back isn't a logical choice.
I see that Radford has had to play Connor and Griffin, he wants them both to have game time and when we've had injuries that's fine but having Connor on the bench or Griffin on the bench as a forward (has he even stepped into doing that yet at all?) when we are full strength to my mind is not good for the overall balance and not putting our strongest team out.

As for Brad Fash, I really like this kid, got great attitude, great work rate and for those saying he's too small, rubbish, of the young forwards he's the stand out by a mile, he's only 21 in any case.

I'd like to see us go;

Shaul
Talanoa
Tuimavave
Connor/Griffin
Faraimo
Kelly
Sneyd
Taylor
Houghton
Bowden
Manu
Hadley
Watts

Paea/Matongo
Minichiello/Thompson
Green/Fash/Turget
Washbrook

some good points, but griffin derserves his starting place, I agree about fash but my worry is his size, hes small, but a good squad member imo

Will Abdull be in the mix next year ?

hope so,

I think he will sign for HKR

How much will we get for him ?

It looked it. Washy was supposed to be out from it. Then Sika went Down. Wonder if a few have had it but we've kept it quiet. I can't explain how Kelly was so good last week to this ha

I'm convinced some were playing having had a bug or suffering from one last night. Looked so lethargic in how they played.

It's a funny thing about Abdull. Rovers fans crowing about how excellent he was because they thought he was signing for them for next year early on, now desperately trying to play him down when it was confirmed he's actually our player and we intend that he's returning. Hull fans not really bothered either way as we have Sneyd, Kelly and Connor ahead of him in the halves and Watts probably our first choice LF next year. Hmm..