Half Back Problem.

[Antisuperleague]

SN doesn't know what half back partnership to use. Recently, it has been changed for every game and it still hasn't worked.

When we were doing well we had Roper (the old head in the side who would have calmed things down at Blackpool) and Palfrey at out half and Owen where he is most affective at number 9.

There is a need for stability and others knowing how to play off these three key positions at present they don't.

[TOSH1960]

SN doesn't know what half back partnership to use. Recently, it has been changed for every game and it still hasn't worked.

When we were doing well we had Roper (the old head in the side who would have calmed things down at Blackpool) and Palfrey at out half and Owen where he is most affective at number 9.

There is a need for stability and others knowing how to play off these three key positions at present they don't.

I think that is mainly down to our poor kicking game and shuffling the pack hasn't solved the problem. 

[Connor mcb]

Lewis needs to be picked as every team needs a good goal kicker and Lewis is ours

[TOSH1960]

Lewis needs to be picked as every team needs a good goal kicker and Lewis is ours

His goal kicking is fine but no one is kicking well for field placement. Defenders are not being made to turn and we are not kicking into space, also we've had very few 40/20s. Nor do we make many yards kicking to touch. This isn't about Lewis missing one kick to touch against Swinton. 

[Tony Mac]

Looking at our performances to date my view is that our most successful half back pairing has been Roper and Palfrey, with both players sharing the responsibility of leading the team around. When they are split up, the two that are paired seem to struggle with who should be leading us round the park and the rest of the team don't seem sure either.  I also think that opposing teams quickly pick up on this and find it easy to target the one play maker we tend to have and close them down.  But it is not just about the half backs, I believe it's about the number of play-makers we have playing.  Most teams have play-makers in the halves, Loose, Hooker and F/back but we don't.  My view would be that, when available, those key positions would be:

 

Halves        Palfrey & Roper

Hookers      Owen & Hughes or Leeming

F/Back        Lepori

Loose         Grimshaw - Yes Grimshaw

 

Think playing the above, especially Grimshaw at Loose, would make it difficult for the opposition to target any one player and give us a number of options on attack which we seem to have lacked recently.

 

Well,  I've said my bit now,  but really feel Grimshaw at loose would give us a bit more flair.

[kroy1978]

I agree, when Palfry and Roper play at 6 and 7, the team seem to perform better.

Although Simpson has done a good job for us, we've missed Lepori, especially putting us on the front foot with his kick returns. Hopefully he should be fit for Batley on Sunday.

Grimshaw at 13, I think he would do a good job for us in this position. Much prefer him at centre rather than stand off.

[Dave Naylor]

Not a bad shout that, Grimshaw at loose-forward.  

 

Owen has done well for us in the halves but I agree that the Palfrey/Roper combination seems more settled.  

[D1041]

The Palfrey / Roper combination not quite good enough for Championship level.

[Dave Naylor]

Was good enough for Hull KR though

[HARRYRUBY]

Of the three half backs I prefer Roper and Grimshaw. If we had Palfrey on with them we could have two in the halves and one at loose forward. Palfrey is a good goal kicker but his open play is not as good as Roper vand Grimshaw. Naylor needs to decide which is his best combination and keep to it.