Bit of debate around us today

Was Briers substituted because he was having an off day or because he was targeted by the HKR defence. There were a few marginal tackles, bordering on late on Briers in the 1st half in particular on the last tackle kicks.

Smith said because he was having an off day.

According to God on GMR it was because he was a little off with his performance today

Fair enough.

When I said debate it was more me saying it was a Smith masterstroke to keep him fresh for the business end of the game and everyone else telling me I was talking rubbish ( paraphrasing slightly ) and Briers was having a bad day ( again cleaning up the language a bit). They were right

Good man Smith, show's he's got backbone, and he's prepared to sub our most important player

I thought he (Briers) was doing his usual "oh we're playing Stains this week...better pretend I'm injured"

Masterstroke Smith

I agree, I reckon he cost Rovers the game today.

Maybe the reason they lost it late on was because the players were dehydrated because he hadn't been giving them enough water or administering treatment for their injuries.

I thought Briers going off tied in with KR getting a grip on the game. Although Briers coming back on gave Michael Monaghan the chance to run the game again. I loved the way Michael Monaghan got us on the front foot today. KR are a big unit collectively and we more than matched them. The tackle by Joel Monaghan on Fox was outstanding. Joel hit him at pace and with power.

Who cares? Bloke didnt do anything to interupt play, sure if it was an advantage to teams we'd do it too

Think about it? if it is not an advantage then why did they do it? I believe it was done to help spread the line of sight for our players. Facing 14 instead of 13. If it was not a problem then the RFL would allow the water carrier or Physio to remain on the field for the full 80 mins.

Briers clearly went off because he was nowhere near full fitness, and Smith knew he'd be more use in the final twenty minutes that in the armwrestle either side of halftime (regardless of what he said at the time).

The hit by Westwood on Whelham (think it was him anyway) was a cruncher

It is against the rules of the game and should be stopped I agree, I'd not like it if it was you guys doing it but this is the first time Rovers have used this tactic as far as I can remember in their SL era.

I thought the game was played very rustily by both teams and think we are not that far behind if anywhere behind Warrington on that performance. Both teams made errors they wouldn't normally make and blew tries they would usually have scored. This game could have been 54-52 and was an enjoyable game that I know most Rovers fans enjoyed.

Back to the topic though, whatever messages were being sent out there I think was due to Ben Fishers late withdrawl interferring with the game plan and us having to make changes to the team. As said I haven't seen us use this tactic before in the Super League and hopefully I won't again for Rovers or anybody else.

tell you what i didn't like, chester and someone else legging it on the field across the field of play as we were going through all them repeat sets near the end, when we got the drop out, no need at all for both of them to run on and call a sub off.

If the opposition does that can you send your own water carrier on to run behind their line as well?

He could shout stuff at them like "MAN ON", "GET YER TEN", "WATCH THE OFFSIDE", "WIN THE GRIND", then start spraying them with water from the bottle for laughs.

I dont see the problem myself... Unless of course they are organising the defence... In which case we should have kept matters on as waterboy.... Him and Brett would make a great team.

Great, Rugby League It's A Knockout. Cue Stuart Hall

I like it !
It proper gets on the goat of an auld geezer behind us and some of his 'shouts' make it all worthwhile !

Smith confirmed at the press conference and on Radio Manchester that Briers had been given the 'hook' and asked to pick up his performance.

i was thinking that you scored nearly every time ou were by our end but great game and credit to rovers who are looking very sharp this year

Well he was still cheating on Sunday, he rolled around on the ground just in front of the Rovers fans like he had been pollaxed. Give the cheat an Oscar. Shame really, great player who just lacks that bit of professionalism.

There speaks HKR's resident medical expert.

You lost fella. Move on.

One chap that really annoys me is Clint Newton - he did the same last season as well. Whenever we force a drop out, he becomes injured in the field of play. 60 seconds later, refreshed and rested, he rejoins the line and is healed - rising up from his disability and sprinting as though he was never injured in the first place.

Other teams have their own version of the delayed drop out re-start - Leeds, for example, employ magicians to make the ball disappear for several minutes prior to the kick.

Cockayne alright these days is he???

Cock by name......a really nice fella by nature