Pivot Interchanges

[nathan_rugby]

Is there an example of a team ever switching their Fullback to Halfback, Halfback to Hooker and FB coming off the bench?

I know interchange hookers have been proven very successful (Cunningham/Roby), not successful (MM/Powell) and not necessarily required (Cameron Smith).

But I am struggling to ever think of a team that has done that above, which looking at squad numbers and the friendly at Leigh could be a possibility.

[keptinthedarkfans]

Is there an example of a team ever switching their Fullback to Halfback, Halfback to Hooker and FB coming off the bench?

I know interchange hookers have been proven very successful (Cunningham/Roby), not successful (MM/Powell) and not necessarily required (Cameron Smith).

But I am struggling to ever think of a team that has done that above, which looking at squad numbers and the friendly at Leigh could be a possibility.

Not to my knowledge. And that's what worries me slightly. I have said this in another post your full back and half backs are pivotal positions and positions that imo should be only changed through necessity ie injuries. To give especially half back partners time to build a understanding of each others plays and not tinkered with throughout a game.

[First Try Tickle]

I think everyone knows last year it didn't work with Williams and Tommy, but nobody knows who should play there.

You can't decide on the training pitch so I think Wane is being honest and saying lets see how it goes in the first few matches and then decide.

He's got plenty options with Williams,Powell, Sam, Escare, Tommy, Shorrocks and Ganson so why not use the first few matches to see how it goes.

The weekly rounds are meaningless anyway, but that's another thread.

[wall_of_voodoo]

Not to my knowledge. And that's what worries me slightly. I have said this in another post your full back and half backs are pivotal positions and positions that imo should be only changed through necessity ie injuries. To give especially half back partners time to build a understanding of each others plays and not tinkered with throughout a game.

Not so sure. We do not play an "off the cuff" style of rugby so players will know the calls and the moves (bloody hell I think 99% of the fans, never mind Wigan fans, know what we are going to do with the ball) So halves building any understanding is not so important.

This just takes it further and proves players are interchanging to the way we are expected to play and no matter who is in what position, the players will be expected to play as trained

[Wigan_forever1985]

Ive said before i dont believe swapping the spine mid game is a good idea unless forced to do so especially FB

[Wes]

You will see Lomax and Barba chopping and changing during games between 1 and 6 as they see fit. They will be given the freedom to alternate at will.

[markill]

I can't remember which team, but in the 70s an NFL team rotated their quarterbacks one play in one play out. It only lasted a few games.

I can't think of any RL examples of something similar, certainly not for more than the odd occasion where a player was being brought back from injury. Even if we do try it, it will not be a permanent thing I wouldn't expect, but you can't always get the right combo figured out from training alone.

[thegimble]

Greg Inglis is the only example i can give who has played Full Back, stand off although not necessarily in the same game.

Iestyn Harris did it at Leeds around 1998 time. He would play fb and then go to 6 in the last 20 minutes.

[jasonnlouise]

Wayne Bennett did it in the World cup final moved Widdop to 6 and Lomax on at full back

[DaveO]

You will see Lomax and Barba chopping and changing during games between 1 and 6 as they see fit. They will be given the freedom to alternate at will.

That is not the same as the coach forcing the pivots to change by a substitution bang on 20 minutes.....