Yea that a little bit of an overreaction,it was a stinker granted but he’s been dependable.

Especially as he’s our top tackler this season.

It would be a huge call but the more I sit and think, the more I want to put Sarginson at fullback. His energy is boundless and he will make you rafts of metres from that position and set a tone. I doubt it will happen but Hardaker will do fine at centre and he isn’t threatening enough from fullback at the moment for me.



I’d go-



Sarginson

French Hardaker Gildart Marshall

Williams Leuluai

Flower Powell Navarrete

Smithies Greenwood Farrell



Subs

Lockers Partington Isa Clubb





Only thing I’m unsure on is Faz or Smithies at right second row. Maybe Greenwood can go in there but all the indications are that he isn’t comfortable over there.

In defence line up as ...



Hardaker

French

Sarginson

Gildart

Marshall

Williams

Leuluai

Flower

Powell

Partington

Farrell

Isa

Smithies



O’Loughlin

Navarette

Greenwood

Clubb



When in attack switch the back 5 to ...



French

Sarginson

Hardaker

Gildart

Marshall

I don’t think moving Zak would achieve anything. Honestly I just don’t think our play is currently suited to linking him in the way Tomkins used to. I hope that changes next season, it needs to because as it currently stands we have very little attacking threat.



I’m going to go against what I have said previously and go with French in the halves and Tommy to #9. I don’t know whether it was just a bad game or his wrist but Powell just didn’t look right. Clubb dropped completely. 2 drives and 11mtrs is embarrassing for any prop forward but for a professional is completely unacceptable:



Hardaker

Marshall

Sarginson

Gildart

Burgess

Williams

French

Flower

Tommy

Navarette

Farrell

Greenwood

Smithies



Isa

Lockers

Partington

Byrne

Changing out Zak for a 'second pivot' FB would literally change the way we attack.

I can see your point but putting French into the halves would also change our game.

French isn't suited at all to the halves with the way we play. All you need to do is watch back the games were he's played in the halves; do you honestly think he's looked good? French isn't a playmaker to bring people into the game, he's a 'strike' player, who has speed and a step to rival anyones in SL, let him play off either half out wide where's there's space linking in the backline, he's pace out wide will frighten teams to death.



Putting French at FB is a game changer, playing him in the halves at this stage is a bad idea; the evidence is there for all to see.

I have and I’m not saying he’s looked good, my past comments will prove that but with how weak our defence has been recently we need a good solid FB who can tackle, otherwise what’s the point of a FB? We’re forgetting the core role of a FB here I feel. French doesn’t look the strongest in D either.



Regardless of whether French goes to FB/HB or stays on the wing, we won’t win the GF. I’d play him in the halves to add that attacking flair, you’d put him at FB for essentially the same reasons. Basically we’re debating two sides of the same coin.

How do you know French can't stand up in D from FB? You suggest he plays 6, but that would mean he's getting through more tackles defending in the line.



We're not debating the same side of the same coin, the role of a FB in the modern game is different to a 6.

Opposition players have made metres through him. I’m yet to be convinced on his defensive qualities.



We are in the sense that we’re debating his attacking strengths in different positions. Which centre does Hardaker go into? Gildarts? Sarginsons? Neither for me. Why change one of our most consistent players for an untested (in SL) FB when Powell looks like he is injured and the opportunity to put him in the halves is there?



We’ve nothing to lose.

Hardaker could easily be played at centre or the wing, having French at FB gives us the attacking quality link up play which has been missing all season. I'd even go as far to say Sarge was linking up better as a second pivot than Zak.

We need something else, we're stagnate in attack its easy to see.



I don't think French is as good as a defender as Zak; saying that I don't think either Tomkins or Bowen were/are in the same league defensively as Zak, but what they offered was something different and most needed as a key part in our attack.



I've seen French play full back many times in the NRL. What did you make of his defensive capabilities over there as a FB playing in a higher calibre league?



Also.. you say opposition players have made metres through him; yet you want to play him in the halves in the defensive line? Doesn't really make sense.