Lam has got some decisions to make this week in terms of hooker and halfback positions, also I’d be starting French on the wing and I’m pretty sure Clubb will be banned for the Hastings elbow during his try but my team would look something like

Hardaker
French
Hankinson
Gildart
Marshall
Williams
Tommy
Flower
Borough
Partington
Farrell
Isa
Smithies

O’Loughlin
Greenwood
Byrne
Sammut

Sammut on the bench would allow Amir to have a breather whilst Tommy/Williams went to hooker and Sammut slotting in at halfback

Hardaker
Marshall Sarginson Gildart Burgess
Williams Leuluai
Flower O’Loughlin Partington
Isa Farrell Smithies

Subs
Clubb Byrne Greenwood French

Navarrete for Clubb if he’s banned.

Playing either Amir & Sammut in a game like this would be suicidal. I prefer Williams at six to french however lets give French a shout at hooker. If we can get quick play the balls he would be lethal. If it isn't working out then put leuluai to hooker but lets leave Williams at six.

So playing an actual hooker or halfback in their correct positions would be suicidal but playing someone at hooker who’s never played there in his life wouldn’t be?

French can’t do the level of defence required in the middle. Likely neither can Borough for the minutes required and Tommy can’t do a lot of minutes at 9 anymore. It has to be Williams.

Yes. Amir isn’t yet ready for this level of intensity and Sammut hasn’t played for 5wks or so and would be gassed after 20 mins.

Putting Williams at nine would nullify a lot of our attack. Our most potent attacking weapon at dummy half doesn’t work for me.

French to FB. Big call but I wanna roll the dice. We play split halves rugby. We desperately need an attacking linking FB. French can play the position very similar to Tomkins. That’s what we need.
This is no knock on Zak, but the system doesn’t lend itself to his style of play. Ask yourself... how often have you seen Zak link out wide and go through a gap or feed the outside backs? Doesn’t really happen. With Frenchs style and pace with our back line that move would give us something we’ve rarely seen in 2019.

French as a play making first receiver doesn’t work just yet. He’s a strike weapon not a creator in a split halves system. This means we stick with the tried and tested GF winning pair of Tommy and Williams at 6 and 7.

Hardaker must play. Fill in in the centres or on the wing.

Only other issue is 9. Go with Amir or Lockers. Personally I’d interchange both from 9.

Hardaker
Burgess
Gildart
Sarginson
Marshall
SOL
George
Clubb
Tommy
Partington
Isa
Farrell
Smithies

Flower
Byrne
French
Greenwood

I think Hardaker could play hooker at a push.

I'm sure we'll bring Shorrocks or Sammut in on the bench - I'd probably prefer to start Sammut over French in the halves. French is what was advertised - a full back or winger.

All assuming Powell can't play of course - if he's avoided a break you know he's the type of bloke who will want to play.

For me until fitness or otherwise of Sarginson and Powell is confirmed it is a little pointless in trying to speculate team selection.
This is further compounded by Clubb's availability also perhaps being in question.
Powell for me would be a bigger loss than the other two.

I wouldn't play Zak at 9 personally. I don't think he's ever played there in his life; I could be wrong though. It's a position which is vital to the attack and of course is a key part of the defence playing in the middle; I wouldn't feel confident asking this of Zak.

I want to see us with French at the back. As much as I rate Zak; which I do, under our current system with our style of play it just doesn't suit him. His shows up week in week out. If you're playing split halves you need that out wide link man, we've got a glimpse of how French can attack given space, just imagine him put through gaps outside of either half.

Our attack has stuttered all season. Try French at 1 and see the difference.