Is this a prediction or info?

I'd go

Walker
Russell
Mcintosh
Carlos
Martin

Hoy
Smith

Ashworth
Brown
Brown
Okunbor
Staveley
Houghton

Sao
Bullock
Lane
Balmforth

Litten for Carlos if he's out. Might have gone a bit too heavy on the hookers though

I'd swap Sao and Brown, that's not a bad side with the players we have out.

Having Bullock and Russell gives us much better depth, hopefully we can get them both until at least the end of the year.

Think this might be the way we are going. My feeling is we will get the best use out of Brown by bringing him off the bench at that 20-25 minute mark when the game intensity level drops off a touch, and move Houghton to 13 at that point. Reckon Brown's energy and creativity will best best served in this game plan.

I'd also keep Hoy-Smith as the half-pairing, persevere with them and hope they can strike up an effective understanding which at least gives us some direction on the park, especially once we have our first-choice pack back on the pitch. It's not perfect, but we can only work with what options we have at the club right now.

What we don't want to do is start chopping and changing the halves on a weekly basis looking for some magic combination which suddenly works. Clearly, Truman isn't going to be back any time soon, so, think Smith needs to pick his pair and stick with them and trust that a relatively settled side will at least make us competitive in the months to come.

Considering all the players missing not a bad squad.

walker
Russell
Carlos
Mcintosh
Martin
Hoy
Smith
Ashworth
Houghton
Brown
Ock
Staveley
Brown

Bullock
Gardiner
Lane
Litten

Its not the squad but all the tinkering it looks like Smith will do because of Houghton being fit.
Use Houghton at 13 leave Brown at 9 with Balmforth on the bench,and Smith and Hoy in the halfs but we all know what will happen it will be musical chairs and i cant see Balmforth making the squad.

If it's just starting Houghton and putting brown on the bench then it's hardly musical chairs. Am hoping he leaves Smith and Hoy in the halfs . I agree we don't want players moving around so hopefully that's not the case.

Have to agree with you, it's just not worth the hassle of all that chopping and changing, and Houghton at 13 probably suits the team better at the minute anyway. I thought Hoy and Smith played fine together considering the trying circumstances, Brown looked good at hooker before the red card, and Balmforth played well enough too. Houghton slotting back in at 13 just makes sense.

The problem I have with Houghton at 13 is he still thinks he's playing at 9 and tries to be the dummy half, leaves the hooker confused about what to do and affects our go forward. Just spell Houghton and Brown rather than sticking Houghton at 13

Agree with bonaire

Whats balmforth done to deserve dropping?

Whats houghton done to deserve walking straight back in at hooker?

Ask Smith. In a must win game he's bringing his captain back. If fully fit he still gets in ahead of Balmforth. Definitely Balmforth time will come but ATM Houghton gets the nod. I'm really hoping Balmforth gets more game time this year and think he will but for this Sunday it's Houghton for me.

Balmforth has done nothing to deserve being dropped but with a dozen first teamers out then of course the club captain and most experienced member of the squad comes back in.

Obviously Hull being Hull we have a third of the squad out but still have four hookers available.

I said at hooker. No way he deserves to come back in at hooker, hes hardly bang in form.

And we have a big prospect in balmforth itd be a shame to lose. Because we sleep walked with past it players who havnt been in form for about 4 years.

Put Sao loose forward, Houghton is not a loose forward at all another square peg in a round hole.

50 point win or more puts us in the top 6


id settle for a 6 point win at this moment!