To be consistently in the top 4 we need to improve the starting 13 and the bench, as soon as we have any injuries our bench is weak.

I’m still not sure Hanley can defend he leaks breaks with poor defensive reads and teams target him, Hodgson and Brand started the season on the wings but we were all over the shop when attacking kicks came in.

Macintosh has no pace for some reason but can pass, takes middle carries and is a big body, he could transition into a back row/loose forward like Currie/Cudjoe and Watkins.


With our style of play we desperately need a halfback, a centre and a ball playing loose forward minimum.


Halton and O’Neill have to be the back rows until we get another for competition with Trout starting or off the bench as a prop as he adds a lot of energy and aggression in the tackle.



Top teams have an abundance of props and we should have been looking at the likes of Byrne and Hill at Wigan who have now gone elsewhere. Can’t understand the signing of Brad Martin if he’s never getting a game he’s played both back row and prop and games are won down the middle.


Tuitevake needs minutes as does Pene but I dont think we can carry them both as quotas, they’re a waste of a space and cap, out of the 2 Tuitevake looks the most lively and Pene has had chances and IMO needs to go.


For some reason this year our defence is weak, when we look good with ball in hand and score points we switch off as soon as subs are made and our defence turns to mush, silly penalties follow and we concede a lot of points in a short space everytime, we can never kill a team off properly and for that reason I think we will slip out of the top 6.


Hopefully a replacement is brought in for Chester that isn’t Dereks mate Jukesy as I believe the buffer that was once between Derek and Lam has now gone and frictions may be happening.


If we want to kick on as a serious top team then we need to act accordingly.

Armstrong Brand Hanley Niu Charnley O'Brien Lam Trout Ipape Mulhern Halton O'Neill Liu Bench: Hodgson, , Brogan, Pene ( when fit ) If not Hughes  I think we could still use Obrien if we had an Asiata , injury prone yes , but we have suffered massively with him leaving this season , he takes in so many players during attack , that the attack can run from deep ad start creating space . What we have no is Lam taking th <> <> FORUMS   Leigh Leopards   Your strongest 17 e ball flat flooted and then running sideways like a crab ,running Nui and Hanley out of the game . How rarely this season have we seen Niu , Armstrong and Hanley being put through a gap ( not many ) we have turned Niu into a ball returner . Lui isn't Asiata by a long way , but he still has a good work rate and go forward , I would probably play him prop . We either need a quality 13 ( ball playing ) who can cover that first/second receiver was causes problems and keep O'B moving out wider , thats where he start getting dangerous . Or  a real quality 6  Wouldn't mind seeing Towse get a few more start as well  But I dont sticking our dangerous player Ipape from acting half to loose , keep him at hooker where he can do his thing and find better suited player elsewhere . Wouldnt have a hooker to fill in that role , Davis is a squad player and Dwyer is a lose cannon.

Armstrong Brand Hanley Niu Charnley O'Brien Lam Trout Ipape Mulhern Halton O'Neill Liu Bench: Hodgson, , Brogan, Pene ( when fit ) If not Hughes  I think we could still use Obrien if we had an Asiata , injury prone yes , but we have suffered massively with him leaving this season , he takes in so many players during attack , that the attack can run from deep ad start creating space . What we have no is Lam taking th <> <> FORUMS   Leigh Leopards   Your strongest 17 e ball flat flooted and then running sideways like a crab ,running Nui and Hanley out of the game . How rarely this season have we seen Niu , Armstrong and Hanley being put through a gap ( not many ) we have turned Niu into a ball returner . Lui isn't Asiata by a long way , but he still has a good work rate and go forward , I would probably play him prop . We either need a quality 13 ( ball playing ) who can cover that first/second receiver was causes problems and keep O'B moving out wider , thats where he start getting dangerous . Or  a real quality 6  Wouldn't mind seeing Towse get a few more start as well  But I dont sticking our dangerous player Ipape from acting half to loose , keep him at hooker where he can do his thing and find better suited player elsewhere . Wouldnt have a hooker to fill in that role , Davis is a squad player and Dwyer is a lose cannon.

No Ofahengaue doc?

Yeah missed him didnt I , if he can kick the ball, swap him with Lam. If he cant then swap him with Pene . I think Brogan is doing enough to hold his place . Abetter attacking kicking game would certainly help out the forwards , field position , take off the pressure and hopefully give away less penalties, hopefully force more ball returns md errors from the defence . 

The seventeen below is an alternative
attempt at getting the backs moving fluently with McNamara taking on the Asiata
role of previous seasons. That front row and second row is aggressive in
defence and alongside that Ben is a reliable tackler. Ben would provide accurate
goalkicking and offer flexibility in the interchange. The bench provides strong
impact. O’Brien is a skilful kicker and should be used as the principal kicker
on the sixth tackle with instructions to get distance and work the touchlines.
I would like to see more 40 20s. Armstrong on the wing makes better use of his
pace plus the reliability and creative skills of Hodgson at the back.

Hodgson

Brand

Hanley

Nui

Armstrong

O’Brien

Lam

Trout

Ipape

Mulhern

Halton

O'Neil

McNamara

Bench: Ofahengue Lui Tuitavake Hughes




I still cannot understand how
we managed to miss out on Sneyd and remain disappointed that we did not sign Tom
Amone. (If Jofffa was already in the pipeline we should have loaned out or paid
off Pene who has been a waste of a quota space) 

I'm only replying to this thread so I can see the replies that it says have been posted today but aren't visible even when logged in!