EagleEyePie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:42 am
I don't think you can argue it's a case of Hanley not being ready. Lam has already played him in something like 5 consecutive games this season. If he isn't ready now he wasn't ready then. And Lam played him in a position he wasn't familiar with and clearly seems less suited to than his preferred position of fullback. Surely if Hanley isn't ready to play fullback he also isn't ready to play wing where he seems even less effective?
For me the problem is we just don't know how he'll go at fullback. There are question marks but the fact is we could know for certain by now. He could have played Hanley at fullback against Hull KR and we'd have an idea of where he's at. He could have played at fullback against Wakefield but he didn't. So now we're coming up against a massive test and it just doesn't seem like Lam has that option anymore. The lad must know in the back of his mind that Lam has already decided he isn't good enough at fullback so chucking him in against Wire is throwing him to the wolves (couldn't resist).
I think it's pretty likely that Lam will revert to Hastings at fullback. He's almost certainly the most reliable option there and Lam has decided that's the most important consideration. I don't think there's any other choice because he's better there than Marshall and it weakens the wing to play Marshall at fullback.
Perhaps with a few more training sessions running at fullback we might get a bit more from Hastings but it seems like the most important thing is we're going to need far more from Smith and Leuluai in the halves than what we've had so far this season for that to work. The worry isn't what Hastings can bring at 1 but what Smith and Leuluai aren't bringing to the 6 and 7 roles which Hastings does.
Although I don't expect us to overcome Wire if Hastings is at fullback and not the halves then it's almost guaranteed.
Our attack needs Hastings and Smith at halves (sorry Tommy) at the moment Tommy is offering anything to attack and Smith is being smothered as he has been our only threat in attack (what a situation to be in)
Hasting at halfback creates attacking options
These are two reasons not to trust people.
1. We don't know them.
2. We do know them.
lucky 13 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:32 am
Hanley
Bibby
KPP should keep his place in team
Gilly
Marshall
Hastings
Smith
Bull
Powell
Havard
Faz
Isa
Partington
Subs Tommy Smithies Byrne Clarke
This team for me
IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN I WILL BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE
I'd go Hastings at FB. Best of a bad situation. Get gildart and marshall together and try to get a partnership going there. Tommy and smith in the halves. We have to have all three halves plus powell in the team due to injuries and ttis seems the Best way available.
Mike wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:16 pm
I'd go Hastings at FB. Best of a bad situation. Get gildart and marshall together and try to get a partnership going there. Tommy and smith in the halves. We have to have all three halves plus powell in the team due to injuries and ttis seems the Best way available.
I am not sure why we have to play all three half backs Mike, we have a squad of 20 to choose from. Hastings looked like a duck out of water at fullback against HKR.
lucky 13 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:32 am
Hanley
Bibby
KPP should keep his place in team
Gilly
Marshall
Hastings
Smith
Bull
Powell
Havard
Faz
Isa
Partington
Subs Tommy Smithies Byrne Clarke
EagleEyePie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:42 am
I don't think you can argue it's a case of Hanley not being ready. Lam has already played him in something like 5 consecutive games this season. If he isn't ready now he wasn't ready then. And Lam played him in a position he wasn't familiar with and clearly seems less suited to than his preferred position of fullback. Surely if Hanley isn't ready to play fullback he also isn't ready to play wing where he seems even less effective?
For me the problem is we just don't know how he'll go at fullback. There are question marks but the fact is we could know for certain by now. He could have played Hanley at fullback against Hull KR and we'd have an idea of where he's at. He could have played at fullback against Wakefield but he didn't. So now we're coming up against a massive test and it just doesn't seem like Lam has that option anymore. The lad must know in the back of his mind that Lam has already decided he isn't good enough at fullback so chucking him in against Wire is throwing him to the wolves (couldn't resist).
I think it's pretty likely that Lam will revert to Hastings at fullback. He's almost certainly the most reliable option there and Lam has decided that's the most important consideration. I don't think there's any other choice because he's better there than Marshall and it weakens the wing to play Marshall at fullback.
Perhaps with a few more training sessions running at fullback we might get a bit more from Hastings but it seems like the most important thing is we're going to need far more from Smith and Leuluai in the halves than what we've had so far this season for that to work. The worry isn't what Hastings can bring at 1 but what Smith and Leuluai aren't bringing to the 6 and 7 roles which Hastings does.
Although I don't expect us to overcome Wire if Hastings is at fullback and not the halves then it's almost guaranteed.
Our attack needs Hastings and Smith at halves (sorry Tommy) at the moment Tommy is offering anything to attack and Smith is being smothered as he has been our only threat in attack (what a situation to be in)
Hasting at halfback creates attacking options
This thread has just about covered all options apart from something like Partington at full back.
So, slightly tongue-in-cheek, but half seriously, could we solve the Hanley conundrum by bringing back the (pause for bugle fanfare in background) once-famous switcheroo ?
Hanley's defence and vulnerability under the high ball seem to be a weakness. Yet he must be a potential threat in attack. How about Hanley at 1 and Hastings at 6 when we have possession, but switch when we're defending?
My application form for the armchair coaches union is in the post.
EagleEyePie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:42 am
I don't think you can argue it's a case of Hanley not being ready. Lam has already played him in something like 5 consecutive games this season. If he isn't ready now he wasn't ready then. And Lam played him in a position he wasn't familiar with and clearly seems less suited to than his preferred position of fullback. Surely if Hanley isn't ready to play fullback he also isn't ready to play wing where he seems even less effective?
For me the problem is we just don't know how he'll go at fullback. There are question marks but the fact is we could know for certain by now. He could have played Hanley at fullback against Hull KR and we'd have an idea of where he's at. He could have played at fullback against Wakefield but he didn't. So now we're coming up against a massive test and it just doesn't seem like Lam has that option anymore. The lad must know in the back of his mind that Lam has already decided he isn't good enough at fullback so chucking him in against Wire is throwing him to the wolves (couldn't resist).
I think it's pretty likely that Lam will revert to Hastings at fullback. He's almost certainly the most reliable option there and Lam has decided that's the most important consideration. I don't think there's any other choice because he's better there than Marshall and it weakens the wing to play Marshall at fullback.
Perhaps with a few more training sessions running at fullback we might get a bit more from Hastings but it seems like the most important thing is we're going to need far more from Smith and Leuluai in the halves than what we've had so far this season for that to work. The worry isn't what Hastings can bring at 1 but what Smith and Leuluai aren't bringing to the 6 and 7 roles which Hastings does.
Although I don't expect us to overcome Wire if Hastings is at fullback and not the halves then it's almost guaranteed.
Our attack needs Hastings and Smith at halves (sorry Tommy) at the moment Tommy is offering anything to attack and Smith is being smothered as he has been our only threat in attack (what a situation to be in)
Hasting at halfback creates attacking options
This thread has just about covered all options apart from something like Partington at full back.
So, slightly tongue-in-cheek, but half seriously, could we solve the Hanley conundrum by bringing back the (pause for bugle fanfare in background) once-famous switcheroo ?
Hanley's defence and vulnerability under the high ball seem to be a weakness. Yet he must be a potential threat in attack. How about Hanley at 1 and Hastings at 6 when we have possession, but switch when we're defending?
My application form for the armchair coaches union is in the post.
How about we stick with Hanley at 1 and improve his game?
How must Hanley feel when AL is trying everyone but him at Full back. Put him in the position he has played all his academy career. Putting Liam Marshall at a new position after being out so long seems ridiculous to me.
He looked rusty on the wing in his first game back, and understandably so after such a long lay off.
Hastings needs to be back in the half back position doing what he does best.
