Is now a good time to point out that when the sides were read out on Sunday Washy was named at 6 and Horne at 7. I know Washy tried to play something more resembling a scrum halfs role but was this because he had taken it upon imself to do so with Horne being so uncreative? Who actually played 7 on Sunday?

These days I think 6 and 7 is interchangeable even down to who puts the ball in the scrum. 7 tends to be the first receiver but not always. As much as anything it's the directing of play that is important and it would appear no one was really doing that on Sunday as you imply.

I've said all along washbrook should be LF and fitz 2nd row. We shouldn't really have signed another back rower but you can understand them wanting to bring someone of fitz's standing in.

As it is we have good quality SL players sat in the stands because we have too many forwards and we have no cover at HB and not enough quality in the 3/4's

Washbrook isn't a massively creative nor and organiser. he shouldn't be anywhere near the halves. He does have the occasional creative input into a game and his workrate is excellent which is why I'd play him at LF. You wouldn't lose too much in defence and he would offer another option in attack

Exactly right, but the problem then is who loses their place in the 2nd row? unless you're going to use Manu and Lauaki off the bench.

We just have too many 2nd rowers. Squad balance isn't right as was highlighted pre season by pretty much anyone who looked at it

Think that will be rectified during the coming off season. At least I hope so.

The squad was so badly broken that fixing it in one off season simply wasn't possible IMO.

Agreed and I think we have enough evidence now to suggest he shouldn't be played there in the future. As to whether he is good enough to oust one of Tickle and Manu (Fitz must play) from the back 3 that is a big call. When Tickle leaves at the end of this season his money should go on a top back as you say.

Think we should be trying to keep him he will be a big loss

We have 11 players OOC at the end of the year so a big opportunity to make any necessary changes.

Not so sure on that anymore, in the 2 games so far this season his tackling has been poor IMO. He tends to go too high now and bounce off the tackle. He missed 4 tackles on Sunday which isnt great.

James Smailes from the HDM has said he will be at training this lunchtime and will ask Agar why he has left Tansey out of the squad for Friday, he will post his reply this afternoon.

Will be interesting to see what the reply is or whether Agar/The Club try and avoid it. For me they do not have give full details just simply state injury, disciplinary or other reason. Saying nothing will just add to the rumour and speculation and in some ways undo some of the good feeling between the fans and club after the much improved communication by the club.

Just think it is very strange that no statement/reason has been made after all the info that has been giving by the club and the introduction of Captains log and Coaches Blog etc

If it's a minor disciplinary issue then the club generally don't make it public. Other clubs are the same - unless the offence is serious or already in the public domain it's kept internal. I don't really have a problem with that TBH as I can see how making these things public can just escalate the issue.

Can he play 7 ??

i agree, don't know why people want details published, should be a private matter between the club and tansey, after all, if you or myself got disciplined at work, you wouldn't expect it to be published on the noticeboard so all can see, just a statement saying he has been dropped for disciplinary reasons is enough

One of his missed tackles was while defending our line and resulted in a try.

It's not always about being the MOM is it. What Washy offers at 13 is a little more mobility, an extra kicking option, a player that runs good lines and a good pair of hands. He is not creative enough for 6 but at 13 he can offer something extra whcih can help the halves. He also hasa very good workrate and his defence is usually very good.

Judging him on Sunday's game is harsh as it's his first runout and maybe the reason he has not progressed as much as he could have done is partly down to the fact that he has been moved about quite a lot and has also had a long injury.

It would be criminal to give up on the lad but he ain't gonna hang around for ever and the same goes with Hall. They should both be play in their best positions and if in 6/7 games time they have not met the right standards then drop them. But lets at least give them the chance.

That is how I have put it in my team selection.

Fitz in the backrow, and Washy at loose.
Gives us a bit more chance of getting over the line.

Debatable. Moving Fitz into the back row would mean either Hame, Manu or Tickle not playing, thinking back to the first few games of the season the majority of tries have come from these players. Hall's try against Hudds was made by Hame, Hame made a few against Saints as did Manu. We look most dangerous on the fringes when one of these 3 have the ball, Fitz is most effective in the middle and should be left there imo as he wouldn't have the same impact in the second row.

As per sporthull.uk Tansey dropped for disciplinary reasons

I wouldn't want to move Fitz to the 2nd row just to accommodate Washy at loose all because he isn't good enough to play in the halves. If it isn't broke, don't fix it! The pack have been great this season, it's the halves who let us down on Sunday.

Turner will be playing stand off. Been training there today.

It isn't all about being MOM but it is about performing to a level worthy of selection. You talk about kicking game and good hands but he has very few try assists and kicks in attacking play for the number of apperances he has made in the last 3 years. Defensively he isn't bad (Sunday notwithstanding) but not good enough to oust a back row of Manu Tickle and Fitz, who are all reasonably mobile IMO and tackle well enough. I am just going on the evidence of what I see when he plays. Where are these good hands and kicking options ? We haven't had a decent kicker or playmaker for a long time including many games which he has played in.



I wasn't judging him on Sunday's performance, but more on what I've seen since he came into the first team squad. The harsh facts are he hasn't been knocking on the international door and isn't talked about across the game as a budding prospect. For whatever reason they are the facts and when he gets the opportunities, which he has had many, it is only him alone who can take them and show that he has the right to a first team shirt.