Quote thebloodbath="thebloodbath"Not a droppable error, just in your mind.
What are Ward and Walters' tackle stats like compared to numbers? In terms of tackle efficiency etc? As you can't proclaim Ward to be doing a better job than Bailey defesivley? I bet Bails has only just missed 7 or so tackles this season let alone in one game! I like Walters and I like the way he has been dripped into the team, one for the future.
For me Bails has had plenty of rests this seasons so he's good to go, and Mac seems to be getting his preferred 17 out there now. So we'll see what he runs with. Could expect a couple of key rests next week before the big semi.'"
If you care to read my post you will see what I actually said was
Quote thebloodbathI would be tempted to start Delaney at prop and with Kylie off the bench as impact prop and drop Bailey after he deserted his post and left a huge gap under the sticks against Cas. However we will be up against a fired up and inform Salford who will need a win to have a chance of a top 8 place, so we need to start well.
Therefore I would start with JP, Aiton and Kylie in the front row with JJB & Delaney in the 2nd row and Ablett at loose.
In Sinfield's absence I would play Burrow at 7 and Mags at 6 as we will need play makers on the field for the full 80 in the skipper's absence. If Aiton needs a rest or gets injured then Burrow to 9 and Sutcliffe on from the bench.
Walters deserves a bench spot as he has put in an enthusiastic stints with a high tackle and marker tackle count over the last 5 games he has played. That leaves two bench spots from Ward, Bailey, Singleton or Minichella. I would give the latter two the chance to make an impact and rest Ward and Bailey.'"
The key word was "tempted" I then went on to still include him in the selction process but argued that he and Ward be rested to give Singleton and Minchella a chance to prove themselves.
On current form (last 5 games played each) Walters has made 147 tackles & 36 marker tackles, Ward 124 & 33MTs and Bailey 122 & 21MTs. Apart from being important in themselves the marker tackles show that the player was most likley to have been 1st or 2nd into the previous tackle.
Walters has only missed 3 more tackles than Bailey but has made 25 more (5 per match) so hence I suggested he should play on merit. Ward has missed 2.2 tackles per game more than Bailey but I cannot recall that they cost us 6 points and a victory like when Bailey vacated his post last week. You may not want to record this as a miss but I regarded it as a mess!
Like I said we know what Bails can do and he has the big match experience so Big Mac will have him penciled in so all the more reason to make a decision on Singleton and Minchella.
Ward has been unfairly picked on IMO. True he has not shown the same form as when he first broke into the side. But we know he has handling ability but is averaging 28.5 tackles per game and he has made 30% more tackles (457) to Bailey's 347. Bailey may have played a couple of games less but still puts in fewer tackles per game than Ward. In addition Ward is our 2nd best forward offloader equal with Ablett and Ward makes 11 times more offloads, 200% more clean breaks and more tackle busts per game than Bailey.
Overall this season Ward has missed 2.87 tackles per game and Bailey 1 missed tackle per game however with our rushed defence he is in good company with Ablett, Delaney & JP. So although these missed tackles stats are of concern his positives easily outway his negatives.
By the way BB apart from Ward for Delaney I picked the rest of the team right!
