Smales just tweeted:


Now at #hullfc training, Peter Gentle confirms Kirk Yeaman carrying a foot injury, hasn't trained much, but will play at St Helens

Turner's try scoring record in the second half of last season was excellent. He deserves his chance at centre.
His defence and confidence under the new coaching regime could improve in the same way as Sharp's has.

Only strange if you don't watch the games and put them into context. Turner comes too far infield (let's say for example, against Castleford), Whiting gets drawn in with his centre as a result, the ball gets passed out wide (Youngquest), who has too much space and pace for Whiting, and goes in at the corner holding off Whiting's attempted recovery tackle on the line. Missed tackles: Turner 0, Whiting 1.

This kind of thing was far from an isolated incident. Also, how many times did players ghost through where Turner should have been without a hand laid on them? Yet he again doesn't rack up a missed tackle because he didn't even attempt one.

Also, Whiting playing on the wing has more potential to produce errors given the number of high kicks at both ends of the field he will contest, as well as the fact that he attempts to offload the ball more often.

EDIT: I've also just checked the stats you quote, and it's a whopping 0.05 tackles per game difference. With the state of our sliding defence last year I'd actually expect it to have been more for our right winger with the amount of times he was left isolated in all honesty.

Well spotted. I think Peter Gentle's influence could yet be the making of Turner.

They are both very average backs,so toss the coin.

It would be Whiting 2, Turner 0, I think you might be missing my point. Also, neither of us are claiming that Whiting is a winger. This is a bit of a sidetrack, as I don't see any point in comparing Turner as a centre to Whiting as a winger. The point I was trying to make was that Turner's mistakes aren't just about missed tackles, and that there are plenty of times he is at fault which don't result in a statistical mark against his name, hence the 'strange' statistics that don't show the full extent of his weaknesses.



I know it doesn't, I didn't say Turner was always the cause. I was saying that it was a contributing factor in why the winger would rack up missed tackles in our team last year. But while we're on about Turner's part in the sliding defence, he did find himself much closer to his inside teammate than his outside one too often IMO.



I think that's a very narrow criteria for a centre to be at fault. In fact I just plain think you're wrong.



Not too long ago Turner wanted to play centre, is this change simply because he's not fancied there now? I think he's a better attacking centre than Whiting but an overall inferior one (the same story as Craig Hall). I don't think either of them are quite as good as I'd like us to have though.

Whiting has earned his back row place this year. Turner hasn't regardless of whether he has had the chance or not. As such Whiting should retain that position. If you play well enough you should retain your jersey in the position in which you're playing well. If Whiting's back row performance slips Turner should be in contention for it. If Yeaman doesn't play for a few weeks Turner or a younger player goes in at centre. That then becomes their chance to perform. Last year is irrelevant.

If Yeaman is out then Turner will play centre, Whiting is already playing backrow so I doubt he would be moved now.

Turner started at centre against Rovers in pre-season.

This.

Simplez.

on Humberside Gentle said Yeamo is playing although there is a doubt with someone else but he wouldn't say who.

Tickle, but Aspinwall and Martyn also have knocks.

Turner straight in for Yeamo if he can't play. The real player we need in contention is Heremaia.

Yeamo is playing

Turner straight in for Yeamo [sizeif[/size he can't play.