against london BJB looked a liability in defence though. every time the ball went in the air he looked hesitant and nervous

Wouldn't be the first time, he had a 'mare in the 2011 GF and dropped a bomb for Myler's try in last years GF too.

WRT your 1st question IF JJB and Delaney return at the same time it would be imo stupid to start both anyway when considering how long both have been out and the extent of their injuries.
As for Bjb its an opinon but with the play offs fast approaching and a quality player obviously not with it mentally or form wise how long do you gamble with him?
Imo and its just a suggestion IF he's no better v the Pies and the 1st play off game then it should be time to consider Duckworth now i know we'd have "he's only played 2 games ,Bjb's past etc etc" and so on but i'm not sure Bjb will regain enough confidence and form to be effective.

When the rumours of us signing Briscoe were discussed I was a lone voice on here saying he was better than BJB. Leeds fans thought he was better than Briscoe then but want to drop him for the playoffs now.

Lone would mean one. You were in a minority not lone. In fact I was the first on the thread to give the bigs thumbs up, so

my opinion at the time, and now, is that other areas badly need reinforcing before a winger.
we are desperate for a top class quality hooker first and foremost.
secondly a class go forward prop.peacock is carrying this pack. the decision to give kylie and kirke new contracts was a joke imo. kylie has been pound for pound possibly our best ever signing in recent years. now he is a way past his best.
kirke is just kirke. e

In G1 mode, as it is true. I was the lone poster saying giving Kylie a new contact was bad business, back when it was announced. I said at the time why do it then and not if warranted later in year as he wasn't going elsewhere.

As for Peacock, there really isn't many options out there for that role. Going to take big bucks. We had one option in Burgess and blew that one. I would Say Graham is the best option out there to replace Peacock, and not many others come close.

whilst you were in a minority you were nowhere near the only person who doubted the wisdom of re-signing kylie

I fully agree that Achurch would be better as a wide running back rower and I guess he may well play in that position next year. However this year he has been used as a sort of prop replacement and in that role has shown better go forward than Bailey. He also has a much better offload game and has great speed for a big man.

Therefore, as I said, assuming JJB and Delaney are fit to start in the 2nd row and with Ablett at LF I would go with a bench of Singleton and Achurch with Sutcliffe and McShane. This would give great impact potential and at the same time cover for pivotal positions in both backs and forwards.

Bailey has done nothing this year to command a guaranteed playoff position and his big chance to stake a claim he blew with typical Bailey indiscipline against Catalans. In reality he offers great experience and a good tackling stint but no better than Clarkson does. So these two would make up my 19 assuming Bailey doesn't get suspended.

I assume you mean Sam burgess, Luke was crap, missed too many tackles lost too much ball, and had a high opinion of his ability that never came to fruition on the field.

No I meant Luke, and your incorrect opinion has been proven just that over in the so called best competition.

Who said that then?
I like tad and others questioned the wisdom of letting Bjb leave and then sign Briscoe who will no doubt be on bigger money when the pack needs sorting?
Also re-read the post i specify clearly IF he fails to recapture some form then to consider dropping him.
Sometimes players who are/rumoured to be leaving Clubs suffer a loss in form or look like they aren't fully switched on and at that moment in time i think that equals Bjb's recent form.

Are we really convinced BJB is going to Warrington.Why would either the player or the club want such an outcome? He's a first team regular on a long term contract and as far as we know he's not fallen out with or in dispute with the club?

I think this is just another rumour that someone started on the Internet without any foundation whatsoever.....surely?

Bailey's nothing is better than Kirke's nothing. Also did you notice the try came down Blanch's wing after Bailey's" indiscipline?"

BJB has a couple of poor games
+
Internet rumours of a switch to Warrington
=
His head has gone and is already thinking of life at Wire

Or another way to write that equation

2 + 2 = 5

Irrelevant.

You disagreed with my preference for Achurch over Bailey on the bench for which I gave supporting reasons. I did not include Kirke in my selections, as I would drop him for next week.

Seeing as you have brought Kirke into things I would point out that you constantly criticise Kirke for his go forward game yet ignore the fact that Bailey has to make 32% more carries to equal the metres that Kirke makes! (Kirke metres/carry= 7.34 metres, Bailey m/c = 5.56 metres) In fact Bailey has the worst m/c of any of the regular props or back rowers. Also without knowing the minutes per match that these two are on the field it is pointless in you constantly carping about his lack of carries. So in fact it is more likley that Kirke's nothing is actually better than Bailey's nothing with the added bonus that he is unlikely to put his teammates under extra pressure by getting sent off.

With regard to your point about Bailey's lack of discipline, is this your idea of a game plan for the playoffs then?

A roughouse forward to put a pivotal opposition player off his game. Nah, that wouldn't work in rugby league would it?

Or lets just pretend everythings fine he's playing great ,mentally switched on and behind the scenes had already signed a new 5yr deal!
Whatever "equation" you post his form has been poor and he's OOC!

Not all true.

Showed 2 examples of great agility.

Once from the first kick off with the flick back, then at marker when he pounced on the ball first, from the play the ball.

It was a hit out that he needed, that monkey is off his back.

In what way did we blow it? I thought he pretty much set his heart on heading down under?

I have been the first to criticise for the loss of young forwards (Ambler, Amor, D.Smith and Baldwinson) in favour of the pensioners and the pathetic....BUT that's what I remember here too.

Not in my opinion, or indeed the interview he did with the YEP a couple of months before announcing he was leaving where he expressed his desire for a new contract. He was messed about by the coach, and quickly changed his views. We blew it, as I put above. Not to mention the know nowt posters on this board, who could just not see how good a player he actually was, and made up difficiencies in his game.

Now if only he (and the rest of the team) could shake off that hefty but hopeless pest from their backs.



Without a doubt Bailey (for me) is an integral part of the first 17 when fit...although I still don't think he's a prop.

Bailey rarely puts any one off other than the spectators. When he does he picks on a winger....your idea of a pivotal player is it? Good game plan eh! Doesn't work for me.

Your roughhouse forward made just 5 carries, 27 metres (average 5 metres per carry) 13 tackles, 2 errors, zero busts
Softy Kirke also made 5 carries, 31 metres (average 6 metres per carry) 22 tackles, zero errors and 1 bust

While Achurch showed impact from the bench with 6 tackles, 2 marker, 1 Bust, 1 clean break, 3 carries, 34 metres (av 11 metres) 1 try.