thats what the bradford fans used to post when i suggested leon pryce would make a good 6.

He played 7 in the WCC for Bradford against Wests and had a really good game.

Seriously, come on.

Its rank bad planning on the part of the club, we knew way back that Barrett was not signing for this year and despite all his protestations I would say that 6 months is long enough time to find a stand off better than O Loughlin.

In terms of Noble, knowing that Barrett was going and that a replacement was hard to come by, Sam Tomkins should have been given game time last year to get him ready for the first team from the word go this year.

If Noble believed that Tomkins was going to play a major part early season he would have played a lead role against Leigh - the fact that he didn't tells me all I need to know about his chances.

im being serious, and thought about it.
leon made the transition.
in my early days of watching , when dave bolton was injured, eric ashton went 6 and was good there.
centres make better 6's than 2nd rowers and 13's imo.

what is a 6?
someone who can tackle (barratt), and play like a 3rd centre.

in our present state its worth a try imo, and better than trying to play 2 scrum halves at half backs.

He wont play sam, he will play the same side as he did against wakey! Have you learned nothing from watching nobles wigan side!

If this is the case we have a potentially serious situation at hand. Personalities aside there have been cases in Wendyball when the Owner/Chairman has tried to pick the team and overrule/undermine the coach; sadly I can't recall an occasion where this has worked.

Assuming Charlie's statements to be true and again, personalities aside, should the owner/Chairman be dabbling? Even if it IS to bring the player most of us want into the 17? Personally I belive the owner/Chairman should leave team selection to the coach and stand by his appointment of the coach. If he doesn't agree with the coach he needs to butt out or fire the coach.

Oh well thats great. Chairman now wanting to pick the team. Noble is the coach not IL. Wether you agree with Noble not wanting to play Tomkins or not,it is Noble who should pick the team and IL should keep his nose out. Noble is the coach not IL. Maurice Lindsay got blasted for this.

Brian Noble has every right to not play Tomkins. Infact,well done to him for standing up to IL and not allowing him to interfere in team selction.

Leon played most of his junior rugby as a 6, and a bloody good one at that, he has always regarded himself as a 6 hence the reason he chose to leave Bradford.

When he first started first team he was promoted from playing 6 and introduced on the Wing, he occasionally got the chance to play 6 but only when Bradford picked up a knock.

Karl is a utility back, but he is a specialist outside back, never in a month of sundays is he a 6 unlike Leon who always has been despite a certain coach deciding a one paced Welsh boy from Union was a better option at 6, and in the bargin lost there best Prop/second row because the signing was made. Still we can only talk of the miracles he performed at Bradford.

Charlie, can you substantiate your claim of a rift in any way? I'm not doubting what you're saying as such but haven't read/heard this anywhere else and therefore would be grateful of something to add credence to this.

I believe that is part of the tension between the 2. IL as you say cannot interfere directly and he has to allow Noble to select whom he wants but in less direct ways and bhind closed doors IL expresses his views. If we accept that IL is a 'fan' then that gives him the mentality of a fan. we often pick the team hypothetically etc.

Behave yourself





If true. Noble should resign and explain why he is doing so. Noble is the coach and IL should stay as far away from that process as possible. If he has such serious with the way Noble is doing his job, he should sack him.

If this is true, god help us.

Yes, but the difference is, it really doesn't matter what we say, because we aren't involved in the process. As such he should act accordingly and leave it to the coaching set up to deal with. Owner or not.

Most RL media employees would confirm it.

Unfortunately, I cannot print for a example a comment because by doing so it would become evident to IL/Noble who said it.

Other than Wane, everybody at the club tip toes around stroking both IL and Noble's Egos.

Massive massive MASSIVE "if" there.

There's only one winner there then, he who pays the piper etc.......

True. But IMO if it wasn't true, Charlie has already "slurred" both their characters sufficently to see some kind of comeback.

It would make sense tbh in terms of team selection and Noble seemingly wanting to get a 6 in.

Very true but never under estimate how much politics goes on at a professional sports organisation.

An example of selection politics. we played Catalan. A forward had an injury doubt. So a reserve forward was given the reserve spot. At the last minute that was changed and Sam T was given his place. The forward with the injury doubt broke down within minute of the game starting and we had no reserve for him on the bench.

Just as a really silly example. The reserves drew a game v Bradford last season IIRC and Sam T bombed a try when all he had to do was pass the ball. He was told not to turn up at the post match video evaluation and when the rest of the team were shown the plus/negative points they ended the analysis before the last couple of minutes so to avoid showing the error by Sam T. How crazy is that



What we as fans do not realise is that sometimes coaches make promises to players and then if they break that promise it becomes an issue.

You complain if I post as regards you and yet you are here again.

I would be interested to know who gave Cruncher my IP addresses also. Invasion of privacy?

It seems IL deliberately didnt sign a 6 thinking it would force Noble would play Tomkins.

Noble was obsessed with signing Bird. However, the rumours re unloading other plyers cause a great deal of unest.

Just to back you up on this Charlie, I was told of friction between them last season.

I agree that Sam should be given a proper chance as there is absolutely no spark in our attack what so ever!!

However we had one of the best stand offs in the world here last season and our attack was still very very poor. I think Nobles coaching style is killing us more than just simply not having a decent 6 or giving Sam a go.

Agree with all this, but what is the reason for the obvious "flatness" in the team? Their body language was terrible yesterday, plodding around everywhere with no urgency. Could it be the way they are being coached that is getting them down?

The only time we saw what Trent could do at his best was usually when the game plan went out of the window and we were playing catch up rugby, i feel sure had Trent been playing yesterday we would be talking about a garbage performance but a narrow win, i am affraid Noble has lost his major bit of paper to cover some significant cracks in his approach to the game losing TB.