id be more confident at their ground,our home form is still poor.

Looks pretty ominous that Houghton will be at 9 on Sunday.

Interview from Smith saying Danny back in at 9 on Sunday if he's fit, so Nu back in the halves with M.Smith and Hoy back to the bench?

In the same article Tony alludes to keeping M Smith at 7, FWIW I thought he looked more comfortable there compared to playing at 6 in the derby.

I wouldn't be shocked if Hoy remained at 6 and have Nu Brown come off the bench for Houghton, which in my opinion is something we should utilise more often.

I'd like him to keep Brown at 9 tbh but reading the latest article sounds like Houghton comes straight back in at hooker.

Think it'll be Hoy that makes way.

I can't see Smith dropping his captain from the starting line up, which is going to mean one of the more creative players are dropped to the bench, can see it been Brown, Hoy and Smith has a better balance than Brown and Smith.

If Danny is starting, stick Nu Brown at 13 to give us a bit more creativity. Feels like a waste having two quota players on the bench

Seems strange that without any real recognised LF and with Houghton being back along with Nu Brown that TS is looking at Houghton starting at 9 when he's spoken plenty of times about how Danny can/will play at 13 (and he's our best option there currently). Think Hoy & Smith offer us more and actually seem to work better. Get a feeling Balmforth isn't going to feature sadly.

100% this, we aren't in the position to have a NZ international sat on the bench for 30 minutes, if he wants Houghton at 9, then have Brown at 13, think he gane would suit that position more than Houghton.

They can interchange throughout the game

Expect Carlos to be named, whether he plays is a different story.

Think Carlos will get another week, if not 2

Walker
Russell
McIntosh
Carlos
Martin
Hoy
Smith
Ashworth
Houghton
J.Brown
Okunbur
Staveley
Sao
Subs
Bullock
F.Brown
Lane
Gardiner

Is this a prediction or info?

I'd go

Walker
Russell
Mcintosh
Carlos
Martin

Hoy
Smith

Ashworth
Brown
Brown
Okunbor
Staveley
Houghton

Sao
Bullock
Lane
Balmforth

Litten for Carlos if he's out. Might have gone a bit too heavy on the hookers though

I'd swap Sao and Brown, that's not a bad side with the players we have out.

Having Bullock and Russell gives us much better depth, hopefully we can get them both until at least the end of the year.

Think this might be the way we are going. My feeling is we will get the best use out of Brown by bringing him off the bench at that 20-25 minute mark when the game intensity level drops off a touch, and move Houghton to 13 at that point. Reckon Brown's energy and creativity will best best served in this game plan.

I'd also keep Hoy-Smith as the half-pairing, persevere with them and hope they can strike up an effective understanding which at least gives us some direction on the park, especially once we have our first-choice pack back on the pitch. It's not perfect, but we can only work with what options we have at the club right now.

What we don't want to do is start chopping and changing the halves on a weekly basis looking for some magic combination which suddenly works. Clearly, Truman isn't going to be back any time soon, so, think Smith needs to pick his pair and stick with them and trust that a relatively settled side will at least make us competitive in the months to come.

Considering all the players missing not a bad squad.

walker
Russell
Carlos


Mcintosh
Martin
Hoy
Smith
Ashworth
Houghton
Brown
Ock
Staveley
Brown

Bullock
Gardiner
Lane
Litten

Its not the squad but all the tinkering it looks like Smith will do because of Houghton being fit.
Use Houghton at 13 leave Brown at 9 with Balmforth on the bench,and Smith and Hoy in the halfs but we all know what will happen it will be musical chairs and i cant see Balmforth making the squad.

If it's just starting Houghton and putting brown on the bench then it's hardly musical chairs. Am hoping he leaves Smith and Hoy in the halfs . I agree we don't want players moving around so hopefully that's not the case.

Have to agree with you, it's just not worth the hassle of all that chopping and changing, and Houghton at 13 probably suits the team better at the minute anyway. I thought Hoy and Smith played fine together considering the trying circumstances, Brown looked good at hooker before the red card, and Balmforth played well enough too. Houghton slotting back in at 13 just makes sense.

The problem I have with Houghton at 13 is he still thinks he's playing at 9 and tries to be the dummy half, leaves the hooker confused about what to do and affects our go forward. Just spell Houghton and Brown rather than sticking Houghton at 13

Agree with bonaire

Whats balmforth done to deserve dropping?

Whats houghton done to deserve walking straight back in at hooker?

Ask Smith. In a must win game he's bringing his captain back. If fully fit he still gets in ahead of Balmforth. Definitely Balmforth time will come but ATM Houghton gets the nod. I'm really hoping Balmforth gets more game time this year and think he will but for this Sunday it's Houghton for me.

Balmforth has done nothing to deserve being dropped but with a dozen first teamers out then of course the club captain and most experienced member of the squad comes back in.

Obviously Hull being Hull we have a third of the squad out but still have four hookers available.