Wow. Amazing how quick McGuire gets the crap thrown at him. I'm sure he could have done what mighty Sir Kev couldn't and broke the giants of Italian rugby leagues defence up. Anyway I digress let's talk about how wonderful Bailey is...

Can't argue with the crappy performance from Sinfield et all ... But although it is often said Sinfield is not a stand off ( and it is difficult to argue with that .....especially against the quality of the Aussie or NZ national teams ) he does - normally - still offer the virtues of his sometimes sublime kicking game and leadership abilities.
Burrow still has his pace and unpredictability ( which can be both bad as well as good of course ) .....BUT poor old Mags has lost his major asset of pace in the half break or in support to finish a move. He has improved his game in other areas, but not enough IMO to be commanding a starting half back position for a team with any pretence of winning trophies. He is 'shot ' I'm afraid.

Ward, Sutcliffe (LF or SO between them) and Burrow for me next season ....with Sinfield sharing hooking with Aiton

Agree with most of that. I don't think he's shot, but I don't think he offers enough as a starting half back. I'm not sure Sutcliffe offers more yet, but with game time he could

Think McGuire can still play a part especially early on in the season. With Sinfield and Burrow being on England duty and Ward will not have played a SL game for nearly 10 months by the time the season starts then I think he could do a job whilst the ones mentioned get eased into the start of the campaign.

McGuire isn't as quick as he used to be, but he's our most creative half when he's fit.

The big questions are, can Sutcliffe and Ward deliver when given responsibility for running the attack? And crucially can they do it yet? Neither has had any spell at all as the key man in an attacking structure at senior level. So having them both as a halfback pairing seems a risky ploy. Patience is a virtue.

Good and fair point El ,D i personally would use Ward and Sutcliffe as 6 + 13 respectivley with Burrow at 7.
Alternatively Sinfield stays at 6 and Sutty goes to 7 with Ward staying at 13 and Mags on the bench unless he returns bang in form then Sutcliffe/Ward move to the bench with the other at 13.
Its a problem the Coach has to solve because imo its clear that Sutty/Ward are the future at 13 and 6 so he has to fit Sinfield ,Burrow and Mcguire round them in the next 12/18mths imo.

We wont know unless we give them the chance

At this stage its not so much about them delivering as developing.

They need game time now in order to develop and we need to have the patience to allow them to develop all aspects of their game.

They wont get this sat in the stand watching players who are, due to injury and the inevitable wear and tear on their bodies, now frankly past their best.

Its a sad aspect but it comes to all players eventually.

We have had great success over the past few years and I am truely grateful to McGuire in particular but the a large proportion of the current team is ageing all together and unless we develop the best of our available young talent we will not repeat our recent glories.

I agree entirely. I suspect there may remain a problem to solve at 7, but perhaps it will be 12 to 18 months before we know that.

In some ways (many ways) having so many otions is great. Managing that transition from the golden generation to the new talent is going to be a tricky balancing act that I don't envy the coaching staff in the meantime though.

Id like to see Sutcliffe and Ward share the 13 role next year. Would physically and mentally take some of the pressure from them, would bring them through in to a settled side and would, when circumstances allow, mean we could have both on the field taking a more leadership role. But it would mean they were still getting regular RL in an important position.

Mcguire and Sinfield in the halves, Burrow at 9. Ward/Sutcliffe at 13. If we are looking comfortable then we can rest one of Mcguire/Sinfield and move Sutcliffe in to the halves with Ward at 13

Its something the coaching staff should relish and seize with glee.

Their remit is not only to win trophies but to develop the future of the team and that means making some tough decisions at times.

I agree the problem is fitting all the available choices onto the team sheet and we may have to sacrifice at least one of the more "seasoned" players to accommodate the new talent.

I know which one it would be for me but thats just a personal opinion.

Sorry but that is just taking us backwards. When Ward broke into the team, he was an ever present, going on to win a GF winners ring, and looked very settled, better than some of his collegues. He started off last season like an house on fire, looking every inch our best option around the base of the scrum. had he not got injured, it was more than just a probability that his spot was cemented in that backrow/loose.

He's a much better option than JJB/Clarkson, and is more reliable to be there playing than Delaney.

Now just because of his age, it would seem, you want to start reducing his game time. Ward is not in the same boat as Sutcliffe, as Sutcliffe is indeed in the still learning phase, but Ward is past that early stage and is more in the getting wiser stage.

I remain unconvinced that Ward is going to be best used as a pivot in the short/medium term.

I get that there are concerns over his durability and asking him to work as a "battering ram", but from what I see of him at first grade level he's much more effective as a runner than a distributor.

If one of Ward or Sutcliffe is going to slot into that role then IMO it's going to be Sutcliffe.

I find myself agreeing with you with unusual regularity this week.

I would be nervous of both Ward and Sutcliffe being the team's main pivots on a regular basis. But I think I would like to see Ward handed more responsibility. Then I don't think another learning season would be bad for Sutcliffe - some rotation time at 6 or 13, maybe used as centre cover in the event of injuries. A couple of months on loan at London or somewhere if they wanted him as a 6 or 13 at top level would not upset me.

If Ward is fit, he should be ready. He was the most exciting academy player I've seen in a fair while. Throw the lad the ball a bit more and let's see what he can do. Do it now while he can have a couple of the old guard alongside him when he has the odd off day - which he will have at his age.

Because physically he has proven unable to withstand it. Ward and Sutcliffe are very very young, physically they need protecting.

Having them share the role means they can be rested, can be interchanged, but also when circumstances allow have both on the field at the same time with ward at 13 and Sutcliffe at 6.

Delaney has proven unable to withstand it, going by your theory. Should he be only part time aswell?

Delany is in the prime of his career. If his body can’t withstand it now he never will. His body has stopped growing, Sutcliffe and Ward aren’t in that position putting too much on their shoulders (in wards case literally) now could ruin their career before it starts.

I think if Ward gets 20 games and Sutcliffe 10-15 this year, and if they are playing 40-50mins instead of 60-70mins per game most of the time then their development wont be harmed and they wont be over-worked.

What we also need to take in to account is the training in and around first grade games. I would rather Ward and Sutcliffe missed a couple of the strength and conditions sessions needed for first team for a few more skills sessions at this stage. If that means they play a few games less im not all that upset about it.

I sem to recall McGuire and Burrow droppinmg straight into the team at a very young age...without the need for all this nuturing.

When we had the barrage of injuries early in the seadon these young player stepped up and showed what thay can do.

Now is the time for them to get some sustained game time.

Burrow played from the bench in short spells. McGuire played 4 matches in his first season 13 in his 2nd, and 29 in his third.

Neither were asked to carry the ball into contact and defend in the middle of the field. What they were doing at a young age and the sort of role expected of Ward are worlds apart.

Correct.

Plus Burrow and McGuire came in at a much different time for the club. In the halves you had Harris leaving for RU, Powell was now coach and Ben Walker never worked out.

If you look back at some team lineups from back then you'll even see Karl Pratt starting in the halves a few times.

Sutcliffe is 20 played 13 first team games scored 7 tries
Ward is 21 played 11 first team games scored 4 tries.

They are ready and should be playing 6 & 7 next year


Hardaker
Hall
Watkins
Moon
Briscoe
Sutcliffe
Ward
Peacock
McShane/Aiton
Singleton
Ablett
Delaney
Sinfield

Leuleui
JJB
Bailey
Burrow

Not sure they should be 6&7, but to suggest they are not developed enough physically is just ridiculous. Skills wise and knowing the game would be the only question, and Certainly in Wards case that is covered.

Sutcliffe didn't look to bad either when used last season with comparisons being made here with some of our past legends.

The side listed looks well balanced IMHO. The 3/4 line is the best in the SL and the pack has a good mix of experience.

As you say these two young players need to be developed asap and to do that they need the ball in their hands. Where better to develop those skill sets than at the heart of the action not with their heads buried in the pack.

It also allows us to settle the rest of the side with players playing in their true positions.

Looks like we will maybe have 2 out and out hookers to select from.

I'd be wary of starting Sutcliffe for the minute. While he undoubtedly talented, getting plenty of open-age game time at Hunslet might well be useful for him.

Ward however spent most of 2012 in the first team, and was performing fantastically before injury in 2013. Starting him at LF allows our two best second rows (Delaney & Ablett) to start in their best positions, nurtures more time out of JJB and gives us an additional ballplayer at LF.

So, for 2014:

1. Zak Hardaker
2. Tom Briscoe
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Joel Moon
5. Ryan Hall
6. Kevin Sinfield
7. Danny McGuire
8. Brad Singleton
9. Paul Aiton
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Brett Delaney
12. Carl Ablett
13. Stevie Ward

14. Rob Burrow
15. Kylie Leuluai
16. Ryan Bailey
17. Jamie Jones-Buchanan