Or even the same position so that is completely irrelevant.

Obviously the constructive criticism worked

Not yet he isn't but he isn't lacking potential in any area IMO, just feeling a bit of pressure at the mo but plays like his cut-out pass for Fox's try yesterday was a glimps of what he has to offer.

And as an overall player, he has a far more complete package than Cooke though just nowhere near as effective yet for obvious reasons.

Are you taking about Cooke?

Surley not after his average perforamances since signing for Rovers.

Wha'? Do you mean I'anson and Cooke are similar or Cooke and Dobson are similar? Either way, you're nuts.

Cooke and Dobson.

They dont work together I have seen them play enough times to see it myself, both players are organisers and have a good kicking game.

Although Dobson has a decent ruuning game, he would work alot better with a running halfback like Horne or Mcguire.

Horne has found his ideal partner in Thorman but neither have a kicking game half as good as Cooke, I'Anson, Murrell and especially Dobson.

Newton vs Radford
Galea vs Manu
Murrell vs Tickle
(think thats right Hull fans???)

Its a tough call, two or three years ago Tickle was GB standard but never stood up when he got his chance. On the field Newton and Galea have paired up better over the last season and IMO start of this year better than Radford and Manu, now I aint seen much of FC so maybe i'm wrong but anyone thats seen Galea would want him in their side even the NRL clubs must be kicking themselves.

As for the front row -

Vella vs Cusack
Fitzhenry vs Berrigan
Fozzard vs Dowes

With replacements

Lovegrove vs Thackray
Aizue vs King
Fisher vs Houghton

Very Very tough to call between these two when both are fully fit and I for one hope they are all fit because it promises to be a battle. Anyone can argue so and so has this and that to his name but on current form and considering its a Derby game in front of 24,000 passionate fans you cant afford a bad performance!

I know stats dont reflect everything about someones game (look at Welham for that fact he's missing more tackles yet still performing amazingly) but they do tell you some things like -

Cusack and Dowes are making more meters than most but Lovegrove is 15th in the whole competition too and is our most meter gaining player at the club, Thackray has played equal amount of games as him yet his stats are woeful compared! I know who i'd prefere on our bench out of the two clubs!

I agree, we would benefit a lot from having this type of no6 alongside Dobbo, we could use Cooke at loose forward and try another option at 6, I have always thought Cockayne has the pace and strength for it, he is certainly a good chaser of the kick through as well.

Because of his defensive lapses when playing centre.
Several people also said he should be giving a run in the pack to show what he can do in fairness to them.

Some good points Nick, I would agrue that Thormans overall kicking game is better than Cookes, Cooke short kicking game is very good but his long kicking game is poor.

Backrow is about equal for me, Tickle, Manu and even Radford have been fantasic this year. In Fact all of our pack apart from the 2nd half on Saturday have been fantastic.

I dont think there is alot between the teams, our aim must be to stop Dobson, and not give him time for our kicking game.

Rovers main aim is to stop Berrigan.

Looking forward to the game and atmosphere.

Yup.

On what i've seen this season, they're both ordinary.

Thanks Dave yeah you might be right about Thorman being better than Cooke in that department although as stated his short kicking game isn't "as" good.

Gordon I dont normally agree with you but yes both teams have been pretty ordinary as I said on another forum our performances this year have been below what we should be expecting, some good indevidual performances just not gelling as a team yet IMO.

I always rated Tickle at Wigan thought he was a certainty for GB/England, he seemed to lose that when he came to Hull. Radford has always only been a solid in defence player, IMO, I would probably put in the same bracket as Jason Netherton only about 30% better overall. Manu can be a freak but his performances are more up and down than a whores nickers!

I wouldnt say stopping Dobson stops Rovers I actually think Galea and Murrell have a lot of say in what happens out there and stopping them is far harder than stopping just Dobson!

The hard bit is getting at Dobson, he get well protected by the likes of Murrell and he is bloody quick himself, its not as easy as you think.

No I know its not easy that wasn't my point I just meant you can go all out to stop "forty twenty" but we have others around that can control the game.

Cooke and Dobson, they get in each others way similar to Monaghan and Briers.

Most folk point out this cliche but having two organisers in Cooke and Dobson gives strength in depth to that particular department and I don't think we'll see the best of the partnership until they have a good run together, playing in their respective orthadox roles of Cooke on the left and Dobson on the right - something they only got chance to do pre-season before Cookes wrist injury as last season Cookie was playing loose-man.

On the subject of props we have club captain and arguably the best prop in the league to return and with Fozzard, Makka and Lovegrove i'll settle for those being a better combination than most others in Super League.

Wheeldon for back up ( sorry Gordon) and i think we are ok in this dept.

Need to keep each other company

That doesn't work, in my opinion. You can't stick a player like Dobson on one side of the field, you're just limiting what he can do in a game and telling defences what they're going to be dealing with all afternoon.

I personally think Cooke's role should be executing plays, not organiser. If he can pop up as and when he spots something and throw out a long pass or place a deft kick we'll see him rack up the try assists this year.

Monitoring their respective channels is fairly flexible anyway.