Picking Carney on the bench would be stupid. He can really only play halfback and five-eighth, with fullback at a pinch.
If we want a five-eighth who can also play centre/backrow adequately, then Sutton is the go. If we want a backrower who can also play centre/five-eighth adequately, then Graham or Mateo would be the go.
All three have good ball skills, size, strength, an offload, and ability to create havoc anywhere on the field.
Would definitely prefer Grant, Woods or Mannah over Hoffman though. No problem with Gallen at prop, but we are still a prop short. Watmough should be starting.
Merrin isn't a prop. It is very obvious now that he has become accustomed to first grade. He is a sizeable lock, but a lock nonetheless.
Gallen
Farah
Tamou
Watmough
Lewis
Bird
Graham/Sutton/Mateo
Merrin
Fifita
Grant/Woods/Mannah
That is definitely the way to go. I know I mentioned it before, but I find it strange that less than a year ago it was a bit beyond a joke that the Country forward pack had far more depth than the City pack, and yet not with the rapid emergence of Woods, Grant, Fifita and Tamou (along with the stagnation of Weyman, Snowden, White, Hunt, TLL, and to a lesser extent Tolman), the City props are the first choices.