Regarding interchanges...I think BH definitely has a policy of carrying at least one back on the bench, regardless of whether they get used or not. We've seen in almost all games this season, a back has had to go off for various reasons at some point, injury or head assessment, and it's much easier to manage that with an extra back, rather than rejig the team around to accommodate.

We've also got to remember that there are only 8 interchanges now and the big lads are doing far more minutes these days, and doing it effectively too. The 15 min stints have been confined to the past, so really isn't any point in carrying extra forwards. I think we'll continue to see this for the remainder of the season regardless of who is/isn't fit.

That's pretty much how I see it. Having a player come off the bench and change a game doesn't seem to happen as often as it used to. When Tag and Bowden are back I think our bench will be much better but in the meantime I don't think our subs choices are as calamitous as Facebook commenters would have you believe.