If that is to be an option...Price isn't taking prisoners!

The problem is similar to GO'B in that neither player did enough to really establish themselves as first choice but both showed some glimpses of potential.

In GO'Bs case this was why he was in and out of the side, spent some time on loan and then was eventually moved on. TS was criticised for this afterwards for damaging his confidence by not giving him an extended run in the team.

I can see Patton going the same way and this will be a charge put against Price if he is understudy to Roberts/K Brown and keeps coming in and out and then at the end of the season gets moved on.

If he does move on, I expect it will be to a club like Huddersfield, Salford or Leigh, and he might get a chance to be first choice there.

Also while I'm thinking about GO'B - if he was still at the club would he be in our current team? Would he by now be first choice ahead of Ratchford at fullback?

GOB has the more raw talent, I feel, than Patton. In fact he's similar to Ratchford in one way: each has looked more effective at FB where they are not principal playmaker but, relieved of that responsibility, can chip in with creative plays/passes/runs from time to time, whilst being pretty sound defensively. He'd be giving Ratch some competition, but the latter's greater size and speed would probably still make him first choice.

I think Ratchford has the greater vision. I didn’t realise until this season just how important he is for our attack. He must have had a hand in two thirds of our tries.

I agree I think GO'B was generally a more effective player and I'd have liked to see how he went at fullback for us. That would still leave the question of where to fit in Ratchford, who is a far greater talent than either GO'B and Patton which is why for all the question marks around him, his right to be a first choice starter in a SL team that wants to compete for trophies has not been in doubt, and if he was to leave us he could end up at a top club, just like Richie Myler.

I also think GO'B came through at a difficult time in terms of the club's ambition and expectations. We were three times Challenge Cup winners and were making Grand Finals so the demand was to bring someone in who would take us that extra level that the existing players (eg Briers and Myler) hadn't. The expectations at the moment are lower - more like re-establish ourselves as a club who can be in the mix for the top four and challenging for making major finals, so Patton has a bit more grace here.

Some of it will come down to Patton's own self belief in his own ability. He could take the route of knuckling down now, impressing everyone with his attitude and being the great club man, who can act as understudy to Roberts and K Brown, knowing that they are unlikely to be a long-term partnership, and look to persuade the coaching staff that he's improving at a suitable rate that he gets the main shot when one of those moves on. Or he could take the Marc Sneyd / Luke Gale route of looking to move on to be a starter somewhere, even if its not a top gun team, and then show what he can do as the main man. Which is what GO'B has done and good luck to him.

Patton played for Rochdale today.

I said last season that I would be happy to move on from Stefan, he's looking a different player this year
In terms of assists, especially to Lineham recently we've stopped asking him to do the hodgson catch and pass which he's struggled to replicate it we're honest. Price has got him doing them long floating passes with a bit more time to play with and pick the pass.

GO’B wasn’t a good enough player for a team with top 4 aspirations, it was the right call to move him on, I’m glad he performed well at Salford, hopefully he can replicate at Toronto - he seems a good guy.

Price has shown early doors that he will reward form by keeping T King in the side. If Patton is good enough, and performs to the standard of a top 4 half, I’m confident he’ll be given his shot.

Had a decent 1st half, then went off injured with a facial injury, shortly after HT.

it was a high tackle?