Coach Mogg in no rush to finalise spine

REDCLIFFE coach Adam Mogg says he will not be forced into any selection decisions around his spine for Sunday’s finals showdown with the Sunshine Coast.

With a place in the Intrust Super Cup grand final on the line this weekend, Mogg knows he has to get his team line- up perfect to keep the Dolphins’ premiership hopes alive.

Due to injuries and the movement of Broncos affiliates, Redcliffe have had to use 31 players this year, with most of those changes affecting their spine players.

After star half Darren Nicholls left the club at the end of last year and hooker Shane Pumipi underwent an off- season shoulder reconstruction, it was always going to be a tough task for Mogg to find the best spine combination.

Before last week’s finals loss to PNG, the Dolphins had been running with Zach Strasser at fullback, Tyson Gamble and Jack Ahearn in the halves and Pumipi at rake.

But Gamble’s suspension ahead of the Hunters clash coincided with one of Redcliffe’s poorest attacking displays this year, as they finished with a 50 per cent completion rate.

Despite this, Mogg has named the same line- up that took on PNG, but said Gamble is still in the mix and that he wouldn’t rush the decision.

“We have used 31 players this year and a lot of that change has been through our spine,” he said.

“We’ve had three different fullbacks, three different fiveeighths and halves, and four or five different hookers.

“It’s about the fluency. Some of it’s been injury- driven and some of it’s been a development phase, I guess ... It’s been one of those years.

“We won’t finalise that spine until later in the week.”