Bullseye wrote:I'd agree with pretty much all that apart from Crossley. I'd keep him. He's been out of form in recent weeks (who hasn't) but apart from that he's been really solid and makes more metres than any other prop.
He's been out of form for most of the season. I get he has come back from off season surgery and is PT so that can't have helped his recovery, but I just don't think he's doing enough to help a team which looks slow and lethargic in both attack and defence.
Yes he might get an extra couple of metres per drive (I've looked for stats but can't see any for Championship so it cannot be verified by us mere mortals) but watch him when the tackle is completed. He loses the battle pretty much every time ending up on his back (rather than elbows and knees) and being a bigger guy this means the play of the ball is far too slow. It allows the opposition defense time to get set and it detracts from any good that he's done in the drive.
Prop forwards are evolving especially with the introduction of fewer subs. He might do long minutes but are they helping us when he is as slow as he is. He's been a great servant to the game but we need forwards who are more mobile, athletic and enthusiastic to speed up the play.