Are people watching different games to me? Riddy looks slow with ball in hand been getting caught on the ball a lot and losing the ball not taking the line on I think he should be dropped and wait his turn to get a chance to get back in the team. Ben in defence gets stuck in more than riddy I would like to see brown and Ben have a go next against york if he fit

Have I really just read someone state we should play an half back for his defence?

Deary me shut the forum down.

Brown and Brierley for mine but I know Harold won’t agree, Riddy is quickly going downhill, his attack st has slowed immensely and his defence is non existent although he can still kick a goal, but we can’t pick someone just for his goal kicking can we ??

I think Riddy has been playing despite not being 100% fit for an extended period now, and to be fair has still guided us to where we are right now. I wish he could have been rested the last couple of weeks. He’s played 80 minutes week in, week out and is a major reason this season has gone so well.
Week off now and a well earned rest. Remember he’s played the last few weeks also without a consistent halfback partner. No wonder he has been caught a little more with the ball in hand.
Brown and Riddy for me at halfbacks. McNally fullback and Brierley on a wing. Centre could be a challenge with Sau questionable maybe now.

Agree with this VL. Widnes targeted our right hand side (and was successful) when Sau went off, and Higson was also crocked too. Unfair to put the blame on Riddy. Also,since Woods has been injured,our halfback area has been fragile. Reynolds or Brierley in the halves just doesn't do it for me. Once Brown is brought into the fray,I just hope he doesn't get injured. Talking of defence,well overall,it's been generally poor tbh.

It beggars belief doesn't it Harold?

I don't always agree but I respect your viewpoint. As much as I have never rated young Ryan , equally you have never Ridyard either over a prolonged period of time.

As it happens I am happy to go with Brown and Ryan also, although not ideal. Ridyard has been playing on one leg (hence relinquishing of the goal kicking duties of late ) and he has had other off field issues to contend with. He needs a rest from the game. Reynolds makes to many poor decisions for me and his execution can be terrible. Similar with Ryan there, he in addition has a habit of going missing in action for long periods, but his saving grace I suppose is his pace which we can utilise given half a chance.

I have been a big fan of Riddy for a very long time he has been more than good for Leigh and what a wonderful servent to the club, but I am afraid that guy with the sickle is standing right on his shoulder, he is getting slower and slower, yesterday he resorted to grubber kicking on quite a few occasions not nessacarilly on the last tackle when taking the ball to the line and using those outside of him would have been the better option, was he playing to instruction? I should hope not they would be bad tactics, I think that it is Martin who is slowing up, I would have liked to have had Brown on the bench yesterday and used him in combination with the other 3 halves in turn that were on the field to find our best combination.

I respect what you're saying Harry,however,given the fact Riddy has obviously got problems, and our right hand side ended up fragile, we still won by 22 points

. Hopefully this 2 week break will help. I would still reiterate that i'm not in favour of Reynolds or Brierley in the halves. However,If riddy ended up not being able to play,i would have to go for Brown and Brierley.

Brierley would be absolutely wasted on wing and also be a massive weakness there - in my opinion I would risk dropping higham and play McNally full back - brown and Reynolds half back and then Brierley off the bench and if hood is lagging a bit you then can put Reynolds into hooker

McNally - FB
Brierley and Brown in the Halves
Riddy or Reynolds at Loose

Good thoughts - I'd have Reynolds at FB and Greg on the wing

I personally think Reynolds would make a decent loose forward and I thought that the last time he was here because his running game is far better than his passing game

Reynolds is a tough kid. Punches and tackles well above his weight !

Agree snowy

I must admit I would like to see how effective Ryan and brown would go at halfbacks but would still good with Riddy and Brown if Riddy is fit. A less than healthy Riddy has guided us to where we are. Rest Riddy against York and see the what Brown and Brierly can do.
Reynolds at loose is also an interesting one. He certainly does not back away from a tackle and could be good as a ball handling loose.

In the 'modern' game, there doesn't seem to be a 'loose forward' anymore. Most teams use that position to play an extra 'prop', or 'grunt' or 'middle', or whatever they are now!

I think Hood is fit enough and capable enough to do 80 minutes which would offer an option to have a half back on the bench along with the three props.

Correct. Think of how a team lines up defensively. On either flank are the wings, the centres and the two half backs (sometimes the halves line up between the wing and the centre defensively). The two edge back rows are next in.

The "loose forward", as Alan suggests, effectively plays as another middle with the two "props" (again, "middle" is a more accurate term these days) and the hooker. In the modern game, these guys do far more tackling than players at other positions, which is why they tend to get rotated from the bench. You get the odd player still playing at loose forward who could play half back too - Jack Bussey and Aaron Brown are two examples - but they tend to be solidly-built and robust defenders. The mind boggles at the idea of Ridyard playing loose forward.

I agree Reffy 100% If folk didn’t try different things the wheel wouldn’t have been discovered,when 4subs was first introduced most teams had 2backs and 2 forwards on the bench, Hoody is a very fit young man and could easily do 80 minutes for me, he always looks angry when he is subbed.Hopefully Brown will play against York though.

Totally agree - Brierley would be really effective coming off the bench and also would bring us a different dynamic and also if hood is struggling Reynolds could always fill in while he rests

It's not been said but Mickey looks to be coming to the end of a wonderful career. He's 39 (unbelievable) next month and 1 try in 22 appearances isn't what he would be happy with. Joe Cator is being spoke of as a future Hull hooker so probably a few more options to take the load off Hood.

Trust me I've had worse idea's

Liam Hood is Leighs best player IMHO. One of the best hookers in the game. I agree that he needs to be an 80 min hooker but you have to be one fit dude to do that.

A loose forward who can assist acting half could assist with this. Cater is an obvious choice but if he is off to Hull, persevere with Reynolds. I think it can work , especially next year.

Seen Cators link as backup to Houghton at Hull - good job I’m a speccy and not a coach because he looks to me as having the worst passing game of just about anyone in our squad