Originally Posted by magic superbeetle
Correct
Correct
They’ve already binned double game weekends from next season haven’t they?
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If Hopoate isn’t fit I’d go with
FB. Bennison
RW. Makinson
RC. Hurrell
LC. Matautia
LW. Percival
SO. Lomax
SH. Welsby
PR. Paasi
HK. Roby
PR. Lees
SR. Batch
SR. Sironen
LF. Bell
SUB. Lussick
SUB. Davies
SUB. Wingfield
SUB. LMS
If he is fit I’d go with (Hopoate slotting in at FB to keep him out of the defensive line as much as possible)
FB. Hopoate
RW. Makinson
RC. Hurrell
LC. Percival
LW. Bennison
SO. Lomax
SH. Welsby
PR. Paasi
HK. Roby
PR. Lees
SR. Batch
SR. Sironen
LF. Matautia
SUB. Lussick
SUB. Bell
SUB. Wingfield
SUB. LMS
I think they are pretty much the likely line up options assuming Knowles doesn’t get off. I think Bell will start at loose forward over Mata’utia though. Bell has the intensity and work rate to take up that Knowles enforcer role in defence alongside Lees, also has the hands to take the ball to the line and pass.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
I would have Sironen at 13 to replace Knowles he would add more punch in the middle with being an effective prop missing. Matautia to go back to his usual left edge role were he built up an understanding with Percival before both got injured. Batchelor is usual right edge supporting Hurrell in both offence and defence.
Bell to come off the bench against a tiring Leeds defence later in the first half. Wingfield and LMS bench props provide quite a bit of mobility, but maybe Woolf will have Lees doing some long minutes whilst he is on form at the moment.
Why are people suggesting that Sironen or Matautia play at 13? They've not played a single game there all season and we are choosing a GF to try this. Its barmy.
Its very very simple, Bell to replace Knowles at 13, something that we've done a lot this season. Lussick to come on if Bell needs spelling and Roby to 13.
I think we’re seeing a bit of a peak at the minute (I hope it’s the peak, anyway) given 2020 was backloaded to the end of the calendar year through covid and then 2021 was a short turnaround as we thought we had a World Cup, only to do the same in 2022, though who decided 27 regular season games and a double game weekend within fifty days of the World Cup needs shooting.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
Mata'utia on the bench for me if Hopoate is fit. He is carrying an injury anyway and no disrespect to Royle but our bench isn't the strongest.
Although I wouldn't be surprised if Woolf swaps Hopoate with Bennison and leaves the rest, based on this quote
"Put those four together, when you are under pressure and trying to get off your own tryline, those four do it better than anyone else and having those four back in the team was a big difference for us today."
For me our two biggest problems this year have been chopping and changing on the edges, which has caused problems with our defence, and a relatively blunt attack, caused also by changes on the edges but mostly by the absence of Dodd and Hopoate.
For those reasons I’d be against any solution which involves moving around three-quarters and/or second-rowers, which would introduce yet another new combination on the edge. For me the best option is to field the same back line as last week but with Hopoate at full back if fit and Bell at 13. I wouldn’t normally advocate a back on the bench in a big game like this, but as we’re more or less through our top-line forward depth, as having Sione at centre gives us a bit of flexibility, and as we might want to plan for the possibility of Hopoate not getting through the 80, I’d give Bennison that last bench spot.
We need a lot of size and power in the first quarter with the absence of Walmsley and Knowles, Sironen would provide that. in my opinion Bell is a bit light to get us on the front foot straight away in what will be a very tight opening heavy guns quarter,
Bell is an open field runner and doesn't punch big holes in the defensive line. I don't recall Bell being a starting player, will be interesting to see in a few days what Woolf decides on his starting 13. The only concern I have is Matautia's discipline and will be favourite for the yellow card, hopefully he has been given instructions to avoid that.
Thats exactly the issue with playing Hopoate. There's no doubt he's a classy player and offers more in attack than Bennison however there's a very high chance he doesn't finish the game. That then massively influences the interchanges working with 16 and not 17.
It's definitely a gamble, and I'd be nervous about it. But I think we've looked so much better with him at 1 that it's worth the risk.
If hopoate is fit
Hopoate
Makinson
Hurrell
Percy
Bennison
Lomax
Welsby
Lees
Roby
Paasi
Batch
Sironen
Mata’utia
Lms
Bell
Lussick
Wingfield
But me personally I would think about starting LMS in the pack just because the damage paasi does off the bench is frightening for the opposition and can bring a huge lift to the whole team
I get where you're coming from but I think the addition of Percy and Makinson over recent weeks has provided a lot more go forward. If it was a team like Catalans I'd maybe go with Sironen but Bell can hold his own with the Leeds pack, particularly with his defence, and offers a lot more skill in attack.
I just hope if Hopoate does play and doesn’t manage to finish the game we get the shredder out.
It is a gamble but I feel that if we had a creative FB last week we could have stuck a load of points on Salford in the first half and effectively bury them. Maybe he only needs to play half an hour! (A bit facetious, but you get my drift)
Assuming Hopoate isn’t fit.
Bennison
Makinson
Hurrell
Percival/Matautia
Matautia/Percival
Welsby
Lomax
Lees
Roby
Paasi
Bachelor
Sironen
Wingfield
Bell
Scarsbrook
Lussick
Royle
I think we need Percival attacking at centre when we are in attack. Matautia doesn't have the hands or finesse for centre.
I think our gameplan should be start with our best 13 and come out 100 miles an hour and try to get some points on the board. If we can get a lead late in the game we can defend it with Bell and Scarsbrook tackling for their lives off the bench. We need Lees and Paasi to have the games of their lives playing big big minutes.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
I posted a few days ago the same thing. Percy has to be in the centre when we are attacking in their half, he needs more ball than he got last week. Re Lees having the game of his life, I thought he did that last week.
Whilst I feel Benninsons development has been impressive as a full back, I think he has been found wanting when playing on the wing, would be worried if he was picked as winger.
Loyal and true, not a glory hunter.
He did, Belgian. He needs to do it again! We are lacking big men on the bench
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Just as a matter of interest, last season people were calling Paasi “Passive” on here and look how he has been this season…
Hurrell was a stinker of a signing said some, and look how he’s improved.
Of course I could be wrong but maybe an off season with our strength and fitness coaches will make him fitter for next season because there’s a player under those bandages, without a doubt…..
Can't stop the spirits when they need you.
This life is more than just a read through.
I think I'm with you. If anything we might need his mobility in defence as I think Leeds will play more of an expansive game. We've got enough go forward on the pitch including right across the backs. With Bell we know what we'll get and remeber the last time we started a game he was man of the match. If you put Sironen or Matautia there it's likely they'd do a good job but it's not their natural role and could just cause a bit of confusion in attack
I also think its full back or nothing for Bennison. I agree that he's come up a bit short on the wing for us and we don't want any chinks in the armour
I'm not sure how it can be achieved given the above but if we had Hopoate at full back and Percival at centre that gives us more strike than we've had for 4 months. For that to happen Bennison has to play on the wing, that's the conundrum for me
100% this.
This is why I'd keep Bennison at full back and have Hopoate on the wing if both were to play.
It's a tough call for the coach. If we hadn't lost Knowles then it would be simple for me. Bennison or Hopoate for full back and leave 4 and 5 as it was on Saturday, but we're a forward light now and Sione needs to move forward if we have that extra fit back.
I'm with Reacher in that I don't see the sense in putting Sione or Curtis at loose either. For me, I'd be looking at Jake Wingfield, who's been the fill in there before and I don't see much sense in pitching players into positions they haven't played all season when we don't have to.
THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Borussia Dortmund, Preston North End, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football
Passi did show some good signs til he got Covid to be fair
Just watched the Woolf interview and he said Norman and Simm have a chance of coming back into the team alongside Hopoate. If Norman can come back in I would be very tempted to go
Hopoate
Makinson Hurrell Mata'utia Percival
Welsby Lomax
Paasi Roby Lees
Sironen Batchelor
Wingfield
Lussick Bell LMS Norman
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