Quote FlexWheeler="FlexWheeler"Using subs for the sake of using them because they are there is archaic thinking, unsurprising from the dinosaurs on here.
Mcdermott had his data, he knew that 83.2% of injuries against hull occur in the backs due to their powerful islander backline, furthermore he knew that despite a big pack hulls vulnerability has been mobile players with 77% of tries conceded as a result of pace rather than power and quick play the balls. Therefore having walker on the bench was a good move both in terms of tactics and injury contingency.
So it proved a master stroke, as not only did walker have to come on to cover injury, he scored the winning try.'"
If it is archaic thinking then why is it so rare for other coaches to not use a sub on either side of the equator? I would actually say not using your interchanges properly is the true act of a dinosaur as it shows a lack of understanding for how fast and energy sapping the game has become.
Macs poor use of interchanges has cost us in many games in the past, the one that sticks most strongly in my mind was 2015 against Cas where we only used one sub for the first 50 mins and the Cas halves managed to tear our middle unit to shreds at the start of the second half until 2 of the other subs were put on, but by then the game was already lost.
They are very nice stats but if Mac just wanted pace then why not start Walker and move Ward to the second row?
I know that the injuries meant the subs proved useful, but by the end of the game Hull were easily getting down field as our forwards tired, and with better finishing they would have converted this field position into points, so only 2 forward subs was not a masterstroke.
Having said that I do have to credit Mac with instilling some pride back in our defence after last year.