apollosghost wrote:
Burgess to fullack, Davies on the right, Marshall on the left, Tomkins to the halves and Leuluai to hooker (80 mins).
Absolutely nothing to lose now for this season and I'm sick of watching the same turgid rubbish week in week out.
Burgess struggled to adapt to centre so I don't see why he'd be more comfortable switching to fullback part way through the season. I'm sure he'd be capable but I don't think a mid-season switch is going to produce great results. The best fullbacks are quality ball players which Burgess isn't.
Also, moving Tomkins to the halves is something I wouldn't mind seeing, but I don't think doing it mid-season and moving someone out of position into the fullback role is going to help. Leuluai has struggled this year but I don't think it's been easy for him given how many positional changes have happened outside him; Marshall and Davies have been on the wing, Gelling, Forsyth and Isa have been his centres and J Tomkins, Isa, Wells and Bateman have been in the second row. Throwing another change into the mix could just make things worse.
I don't think the answer to a disorganised attack is to just throw players here there and everywhere and expect it to work miracles.
I would be intrigued to see how Powell does at scrum half and Leuluai at hooker, as when Leuluai played hooker previously he was very good at throwing some short passes to the forwards and creating good momentum down the middle. It's something a little bit different to the wide passes usually favoured by McIlorum and Powell. Having said that I'd also like to see Josh Ganson in the first team as he's a natural attacking hooker.
Even small changes like playing Jack Wells (or even Nick Gregson) at second row and moving Isa into the middle might make a difference. I really couldn't understand why Wells was used at prop against Wire when he's an outstanding back row forward whose best games have been in that position, while Isa was used out wide when he's actually had some good games down the middle (and he was apparently brought in to play down the middle).