I?m absolutely for young players getting opportunities, you?ll see I?ve been critical in the past about signing players like Greg Minikin as they block player pathways in my view. All I?m doing is raising a point that the coaching team may take the view he isn?t physically developed enough yet - I?ve heard plenty of coaches talk about this previously - Tony Smith, Gary Chambers etc. Just because one 17 year old (Lindop) is ready doesn?t mean every 17 year old is physically ready for a SL game. As I say, no idea if this applies to Irwin or not - just wondering really.

I fully get that, just adding him to the 21 for 2 weeks now I don?t see the point, they all have to come through at some level, let him play. Seems Saints finally giving the kid a run at half back. 

Irwin played on Good Friday in a 60-Nil hammering of Leigh Academy.

He isn`t going to develop and extend himself playing in games like that which are just glorified training sessions.


If he plays against Saints he will definitely be targeted by them in our defensive line, but  we won`t know how he copes until he plays 1st grade.


He has a similar height and physique to Sam Tomkins and loads of confidence in his own ability.


Sneyd and Irwin are the only genuine halfbacks in our 21 man squad, and seeing that he would be opposing a Saints half who is only a year older than him, I would be tempted to select Irwin to play on Thursday night.

I can understand the need for Irwin to be in and around the squad at the moment even if he doesn't play. If we pick up another injury to Sneyd, Walker or Powell then he will need to be ready and training with the first team squad will help in case that day comes. Burgess' press conference appeared to suggest he was sticking with Walker in the halves and I don't have any objections to that. But on the same principal I would have expected to see Ben Harthill in the squad as cover at hooker should we need it. 


Some strange selections from Burgess recently. 
I would like to see Currie at right second row. I know he has done a great job as a ball playing 13 but I don't think we have solved the problem created by Nicholson's departure and Russell is definitely not the answer. I would go with Yates and Crowther rotating at 13 and have Currie at Right second row. I like Holroyd and Tai as they are pretty solid defensively but I think we need a bit more threat on that edge. 

Burgess has said Irwin will be 18th man. Looks like he still going with Walker, if I didn?t know any better I?d say he is just sticking two fingers up at the journalists.