Should that particular combination have been given another chance in the first place?

When previously pushed on the subject on a potential injury to Long, Agar said he felt he now had more options, yet he went with the one option that has been used and failed before.

I don’t know what the answer is at 6 & 7 when Long is missing, but I’m not paid to select a side to win games for Hull FC. I just found his selection on Sunday to be disappointing and lacking in guts.

I'm glad its on, means i can see it!!!

I personally dont think its the correct pairing as there was no talking between them and the team never mind leadership but I dont see what goes on at training and am not privvy to their team talks etc.
I really do think its time to try something fresh in the halves but will it happen ? Of course not !!

That is the main issue and the thing that concerns me most. I understand and expect that we will struggle when Long does not play, but I don’t expect us to be so clueless and predictable.

World RL is simply not awash with specialised half backs that will happily go to a team to effectively be a back up. Most teams will struggle when their leader is absent, see Warrington on Saturday night when they lost Briers as an example, what is not acceptable is churning out the same dull, uninventive performances from the same combinations whenever we are behind the 8 ball because our recognised leader is missing.

For all his supposed injuy prone-ness i dont think his record is that back

2009 22
2008 23
2007 17
2006 22
2005 20

What are these the stats for?

Games played per season?!

Your right hutchie there is no way Saints saw injuries on the Longy's horizon and thought it was time to get rid.
They simply thought they were sitting pretty with plenty of cover in that position. A bit like us really !!

are these just league games though? if you consider saints have made the challenge cup final and grand finals most of these years thats roughly 34 games a season in the present format (four challenge cup games, 3 playoff games) so 17 games out of 34 is not so encouraging

just SL Games

just had a look at his worst year 2007 and he missed games 14-20

So hes hardly what you will call a tampon

length of tme Long is out changes every day, maybe back for Cas game, now definitely back for Wigan game,

mm still not optimistic for Friday, especially if Tansey not in the squad

saints always played more games than everyone else though