BJB positional play was poor tonight but he hasn't been playing for weeks so that could be his excuse. I think Kallum Watkins could be outstanding at FB.

BJB was awful but he's a class player and should have another week at full back to show it. Briscoe poor form has been going on for much, much longer and is more of a worry long term. He and Watkins just do not seem in sync.

I think you are spot on with that bit.









I don't think you are correct with that bit. They certainly looked in sync earlier in season. Think it is more to do with the ball coming across that way rather than the players playing there.



Also partnerships take time. I seem to recall the same said last year about Hall and Moon, wrongly IMO, but all the same they look very good together now.

BJB wasn't great, but as has been pointed out the two kicks by Brough were pretty exceptional pieces of skill.



Briscoe's form is indeed as much of a worry. He looked fantastic at the start of the season but seems to have lost confidence since a period of time out when the backs were rotated. That said, Moon has been inconsistent, Hall's role as an extra forward is bringing diminishing returns, and Watkins is not getting enough quality ball at the right time. I suspect these performances are underpinned by the disruption to the spine of the team. R. Ward isn't able to impose himself in the same way as Aiton or Burrow, and while Sutcliffe looks a good runner his passing and kicking are definitely inferior to those of McGuire. As has been mentioned, BJB isn't really a good full back (whatever he may think), and Hardaker was another huge miss in this respect.

I actually think Robbie Ward has looked pretty good in the last two games. he seems to be coming along quite nicely.



Sutcliffe drifts out of games for too long with moments of class in between. that is to be expected for his age.



We desperately miss Burrow. His absence demonstrates how much. Interesting considering how so few on here have ever rated him.

BJB had a nightmare. But I saw no evidence in our game plan that anyone had really considered the possibility that Brough just might attempt the odd 40/20 on any other tackle than the last. Then again, I saw precious little to indicate that anyone had given much consideration to our own kicking game either.

I can forgive the 40/20s because there wasn't much to get at before it went out, but I thought he ended up taking two kicks into touch which weren't even 40/20 attempts. Either take it on the full or leave it and we'll at least get the scrum! Hardaker plays last night and we probably would have won.



He's a great winger, but not a full back.

The first one was the on the 6th tackle. It was poor play from BJB, he had no reason to catch it on full. It would never have gone out, as the ball landed nearly 20 yards infield, it was only the bounce off his legs that took it to the touchline.



The second one I agree with you totally on.



The last one though, was extremely poor play.

Just highlights why Hardaker is so clearly better than BJB at FB. I would say they have similar speed, possibly BJB is faster but Hardaker's quick reactions and speed of thought and reading of the game would've meant he was off and heading off in the right direction by a few strides to catch/stop the ball before BJB has even made a move.



You want your pivot players to have this kind of confidence in themselves that sets them apart from other positions but BJB always look a bit timid and not like someone who'll go out to grab a game by the throat like Hardaker would try to do.

Agree with all of that Printer.

I would say that maybe Hardaker has had more practice at FB recently than BJB that might explain things a bit.

But without doubt we would have been in safer hands with ZH and he might have come up with something different in attack.

Granted Hardaker has had more time there but from what I remember from when he first switched there in 2012 he looked just as comfortable without really a 'bedding in' period.

I agree, and that's what, in my opinion, has marked out Hardaker as an exceptional player.