Ive purposefully given myself some 'time out' after Mondays experience so this was a more balanced rant than it would have been.

It would seem to me that we are lacking somewhat in the halves at the moment. Personally Ive never been a fan of Sinny at 6, I dont think he is quick enough, or creative enough but the long list of awards say he does his role well.

But looking at how Sinny and Mags have played together this year they both look shadows of the players they have been. As Mags has clearly lost his pace now he is resigned to the role of moving the team around and throwing the odd long ball which sends Moon or Watkins thorugh a gap (and the odd interception). Whilst both Sinny and Mags are both great at moving the team around I dont think this is enough now. Teams have cottoned on and they are closing them down quicker than ever. If you look through the league I dont see any other top team look so pedestrian in the essential halfback positions.

As for Sinny, well it was always going to be impossible for him to improve or even match last years Golden Boot level of play but he looks totally out of sorts and this is reflected nowhere better than his kicking which from both hand and kicking tee is not at the level he normally achieves.

I would say the answer is Mags at 6, Burrow at 7, McShane at 9 and Sinny at 13 but I accept thats never going to happen so my question is, can either Sinny or Mags be 'rested' for a bit?

You mean play these players in the positions on their shirts? In the positions they have spent a majority of their career paying in?

Madness I tell you - utter madness.

It'll never catch on.

A couple of slightly crappy performances and it's major reconstruction of the side time again.



It wouldn't surprise me if McD instructed Sinfield to kick out on the full just to mess with Wane's mind...

If Burrow gets any sustained stint back at 7 ill seriously consider missing the rest of the games this year.

Depends how you define "major reconstruction" I guess.....and whether you think the current "crappy performances" should be ignored. I always (naiveley?) believed the whole idea of a squad was so that when players are out of form others could be brought in .....



What about giving Sutcliffe a run at SO ? with McGuire staying at SH (in the absence of not much alternative at the moment) and Sinfield playing at LF....with McShane at hooker and Burrow on the bench ???



OR we could just carry on regardless and give the stalwarts the message they will [uALWAYS[/u be selected in their current recent positions whatever they produce on the field........

and the promising younger squad members the message that if they play their hearts out they might just make the one token appearance a season ...and then only off the bench, in the last quarter, where they will be asked to take the ball in like an extra forward. (Unless of course they're an average at best 'winger' from Australia here on a whim...

)

Famous.

Couldn't agree more .Unfortunately I fear mcd will carry on regardless and in a few seasons time we will be up a certain creek without a paddle and have a major reconstruction on our hands .Nobody is suggesting putting our legends out to grass ,just give em a rest and give somebody else a chance imo this all stems from sinfeild not liking the 13 role

I can die happy now...

Anyway, that wasn't even a meltdown. I have a backstory

Haha



Do tell

A lot of the problems in attack start with really average service from dummy half. Even Thurston at the Cowboys has really struggled this year because he's getting slow (and often poorly directed) ball.

Burrow is a lot of things, but regular dummy half he is not. Getting to acting half every now and then with the threat of a run is one thing, teeing up forwards and playmakers through entire sets is another entirely.

As for McGuire/Sinfield, they probably look worse than they are, but when not playing well McGuire tends to either just stand and pass or move too far sideways before passing, running outside men out of room and easily allowing the defence to get in position. What he needs to do - IMO - is straighten up his play, and more than anything get his own team playing off him. Its hard to blame forwards for not making options round him if he either flings it on as soon as he gets it or by moving wide makes their positioning irrelevant.

I don't buy the lack of pace argument either - he's still easily quick enough to be a very effective half back.

Sinfield just looks out of nick.

McD sees a bigger, long-term advantage for the team in players working through adversity on the field - rather than seeking short-term advantage through regular rotation. This might be a counter-intuitive policy for some fans but it's justified until such time as we stop winning the comp: the teams that follow the ideas you're espousing generally don't...