Chester to kick the guts out of Johnstone and Batchelor next?

You’d think when our halves are lacking confidence and not playing well that playing Jowitt would be the correct thing to as he adds and extra ball handler to our team.

McNally with Mark Field.
Agar refusing to play Andy Ellis.

I'm sure there are many more examples where coaches refused to change tack even though their jobs were on the line.

Are you seriously suggesting that Chester would simply refuse to play Jowitt? He has picked Grix because he thought he was currently the better fullback. He played RH there because he obviously thought he was the better option? He is the coach, he sees them train everyday. If he was the best option to play there, then why on earth would he not play him there?

No conspiracy theories here, its quite simple. Jowitt is not the best fullback at the club, even without Grix.

That's all great I suppose when everything's rosy in the garden.....but that's the point, we've lost 9 out of the last 11, obviously some very narrow defeats in there, but you can't argue with stone wall facts! What is a coaches job? To bring on young talent and improve them, or to get the first team to perform and win more than they lose? Both in an ideal world obviously. He's tried so many differing combinations now, and it's just not working is it, you can argue till the cows come home who should be playing in certain positions. Grix was first choice, we've won and lost with him at fullback, he gets injured, he has to be replaced by someone. Jowitt's natural position is full back, therefore he should get a fair crack? Has he had that? Not sure, how can you judge someone on a couple of games here and there? This is Chesters' dilemma now of basically a long losing run, he seemingly won't pick the same team injuries permitting, he feels 'forced' into making changes in the hope something sticks, and our fortune turns around.

Looking back, those narrow defeats against better opposition were opportunities, missed opportunities to get wins on the board, he fell into the trap, as did most fans, that the 'winnable' run of fixtures would see us do exactly that, but sport doesn't work like that does it?!! There's just been something lacking, missing this season, a killer instinct, an individual to take the game by the scruff of the neck and turn those narrow losses into wins? We are becoming very infuriating to watch, there's definitely more in those players than they are currently giving, hopefully we can start to perform to a higher standard, 'cause unless we want to be dragged into a dogfight of survival, I think we are gonna have to.

Debatable, but even if so most would suggest that the team would benefit from having Hampshire in the halves and whoever else at fullback with Finn missing out.

There were times last year when Grix seemed to be dying for a rest and still Jowitt struggled to get a game. Not a conspiracy theory but maybe it isn't simply rugby related, nobody would know except them? Happens in other walks of life people generally being disliked by a manager, so cannot see any reason to be 100% sure it would not happen in RL.

More likely though I would say Chester doesn't seem to have faith in the younger lads and hasn't shown much in terms of bringing them through. Seems to have given up on Jowitt which is bizarre considering the form he showed in 2016, Batch has struggled to get a run in the team, Crowther nowhere to be seen after impressing in pre-season and TJ has been dropped a few times.

Read on this forum we have won 7 of last 24 games including end of last season. Would be good to know how many times Finn and Grix have played together in these matches .

Really is strange, the sudden, what would appear a lack of faith, in Max.

Didnt Chessie see him as playing in the halves a while back?

There talk of trying him at hooker in training earlier this year

An old boss of mine once surprised me when he announced to the whole team that he had favourites in every team he managed.
He went on to explain his favourites were always the ones who worked hard, had integrity in what they did, and delivered the goods.
I imagine Chester is the same.

Being young, or from Wakefield, or behind someone who isn't actually playing at their best doesn't guarantee you a place. You have to earn it with hard work, talent and execution. I am not there when he makes those decisions but I imagine that's how he makes them, not just based on whether he likes the person.