what is it? I reckon:

1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
18. Sutcliffe
13. Sinfield
17. Cuthbertson
9. Aiton
10. Peacock
16. Achurch
12. Ablett
15. Delaney

7. Burrow
8. Leuluai
11. Jones-Buchanan
20. Singleton

There is no way McGuire doesn't start in the halves.

I'd like to see us lineup as:
1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. Sinfield
7. McGuire
8. Cuthbertson
9. Burrow
10. Peacock
11. Ablett
12. Delaney
13. Ward/Walters

14. Sutcliffe
15. Singleton
16. Leuluai
17. JJB

I'd like to see Sutcliffe come on in the halves (or with halfback responsibilities) in most games either with Sinfield shifting to either LF or a spell at hooker, or as a straight swap for McGuire.
It then leaves us with both Leuluai & Singleton who should make a decent impact at prop and JJB to come in and give us a bit of pace and enthusiasm in the pack.

1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6.McGuire
7. Burrow
8. Cuthbertson
9. Aiton
10. Peacock
11. Ablett
12. Delaney
13. Sinfield

14 Achurch
15. Sutcliffe
16. Leuluai
17. Singleton

Personally can see sutcliffe fitting Into loose forward role in the sinfield style of Lock

Strongest team is the 1-17 squad numbers, with one change and that's Sutcliffe for Ward.

Then it's just a matter of who starts, and I'd expect that to be Burrow at hooker and Leuluai at prop, Sinfield & McGuire in the halves.

Yeah I think that's probably what will happen, I just think Sutcliffe needs to be in the halves role more. Doing more of the playmaking and kicking. We play a different game to what we did when we had McGuire at 6, Burrow at 7 and Sinfield at 13 which means the 13 is used much more as a forward than as an extra half. Plus with Sinfield being captain and a senior member of the team he was involved enough in the playmaking/kicking etc wherever he played. Whereas I can see Sutcliffe at 13 just doing tackling and running and not much halfback stuff.
Whereas if he's put in at halfback he'll have to do some.

I see this as my side Aiton to only play if injuries dictate he does - I would like to see better sub rotation and some of the youngsters getting a game against the weaker sides. With Sinfield a definite regardless of form McGuire will have to raise his game on a more consistent basis if he is to keep Sutcliffe out

Fooking heck Burrow to hooker?
He is at best a scrum half he is certainly not a first choice hooker.
Robbie Ward is a better interchange hooker with Aiton.
Sinfield as no other choice at 6 with Burrow or McGuire at 7.
Personally do not think that will send shock waves through our opposition but that is what we have.
1 to 5 speaks for itself.
Cuthbertson and JP as prop
Delaney and Ablett SR
Sutcliffe at Loose
Kylie, Singleton, JJB or Achurch R Ward, Burrow or S Ward warming up the bench

Now that Handley 'looks the part' I would like to see Moon making way in the 'obvious choice' 1 to 5 and being given a good run at SO alongside McGuire/Burrow at SH. (Not gonna happen though I know). If McGuire starts then Burrow as "super sub"; but not vice versa.

Sinfield would be my starting hooker with S.Ward or Sutcliffe being given an extended run at LF.

Achurch should start as right side second row with Ablett of course on t'other side.

A beefed up Delaney would be moved up to prop for me with Cuthbertson (Peacock and JJB should be used sparingly; Mulhern and Singleton given plenty of opportunities either as starting props or on the bench and Kylie trained in water carrying duties.)

A slight over reaction here - Handley played one friendly against the worst side in the top flight and he should now be a starter. The player he is replacing moves to a position where he failed before at two clubs. The person who has played that position his whole career is moved to a position where he has barely played and where the one thing he doesn't want to do - lots of tackling - is required.

Is this a wind up?

It's xmas (and my birthday today) .....lighten up!



I said it aint gonna happen and is only a forum to express ideas. (McDermott beware)

... If Handley/Moon was not to prove successful then you could go back to the boring tried and tested no-quicker-than-a-pair-of pensioners half back paring.

My personal choice would be..
Hardaker
Hall
Moon
Watkins
Briscoe
Sutcliffe
Mcguire
JP
Burrow
Cuthbertson
Ablett
Delaney
Sinfield

Jjb/Walters
Aiton/R.Ward
Singleton/Yates
Mulhern/Leuluai

Ideally i'd have Burrow on the bench but that won't happen and i doubt Sinfield will move back to 13 for Sutty but having both in the 13 makes those positions interchangeable during the game.
For me (although it won't happen) Kylie should be used as back up only we really need to get minutes into Mulhern,Singo and Yates imo.

Personally, I'd now seriously consider moving Sinfield to start at 9 and have Burrow on the bench. Leave Aiton out of the 17 altogether with the ASADA stuff hanging over his head.

Sutcliffe needs to be given his head to go out and play as a half-back, add some running threat that we don't have otherwise.

The team I expect (preferred in brackets):
Hardaker
Hall
Moon
Watkins
Briscoe
Sinfield
Mcguire
Peacock
Aiton
Leuluai (Cuthbertson)
Ablett
Delaney
Cuthbertson (Sutcliffe)

Burrow
Sutcliffe (Leuluai)
JJB
Singleton

If we are short of a prop Yates, Mulhern and Minchella. If a second row Achurch, S Ward and Walters. Backs covered by Handley, Keinhorst and Goulding. Although there are the players at Featherstone but I would prefer them to get regular game time. Robbie Ward for Hooker although I don't mind if Sinfield goes there and Sutcliffe in the halves.
For the people that argue the younger players need more game time I am certain they will get alot the chances are six of the regular team will be injured as they are 30 or older. Alot of players in the squad who are forwards of or playmakers will get a decent amount of game time.

I agree with you regarding what to expect from Brian Mac. I expect Cuthbertson to be used as a 3rd middle man at #13 rather than a traditional loose forward ala Sutcliffe or even Stevie Ward.

The thing I believe the coach may opt for would be McGuire and Sutcliffe in the halves rather than Burrow.

For what it's worth I'd go with:
1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. Sutcliffe
7. McGuire
8. Kylie
9. Sinfield
10. Peacock
11. Ablett
12. Delaney
13. Cuthbertson

14. Burrow/R. Ward
15. S. Ward/Walters
16. Mulhearn/Achurch
17. Singleton/JJB/Yates

Mcguire to be used as a sub in my book this season

I think a better question would be "What would be our best team for 2016"? Now that's going to take some answering.

I'm still not sure why people think having a ball-player at 13 is still a "traditional" loose forward.

The closest thing to it in SL at the moment is O'Loughlin, but he's the exception. Most teams in SL use an extra ball-carrier at 13 these days.

When do trends become traditions? I'd say the most prominent loose forwards of the last 20 years have been big ball handlers rather than ball carriers (Handley, Farrell, Sculthorpe, O'Loughlin).
Would I be wrong in thinking that this was the traditional archetype of a Loose Forward?

I think some teams, including the Leeds team of 2015 are best suited to a ball carrying 13 due to the well highlighted light weight pack.

My team with back-ups in brackets:

Hardaker (Golding)
T. Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall (Handley)
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Delaney (Achurch Walters))
JJB
Ablett (S. Ward)

Bench: Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Aiton (R. Ward) Singleton (Mulhern (Yates))

that's my view too as i have posted on here and on numerous occasions

lets hope that brian mac reads our comments on here andy

There's some logic behind Sinfield to 9 as in the last two years he's been doing enough tackles that he really isn't being 'hid' in the way a normal halfback would, compared to his lower numbers in 2011/12.

However he (like most people playing hooker) couldn't do it for 80 mins at his age. So what do you do? Sub him off? Not for me, his needs to be out there for his captaincy and leadership and from what we saw at times last year from the back-ups....his goal kicking.

To you shunt people around? Bring Burrow on for example to 9 and sub McGuire off with Sinfield moving to the halves? Again not for me. How often do you see teams alter their halves mid-match? Very rarely.....especially not by putting a guy there who'll have just done a gruelling stint at hooker making a load of tackles.

The problem with Sinfield at halfback is that he still does big numbers in the tackling department. There is a reason or two why the halves are 'hidden' in the defence......firstly obviously they aren't the strongest defenders typically, but also crucially to keep them fresh for attack.

No stats to back this up but I would assume when burrow is at hooker sinny covers his tackling?

i have no worries whatsoever that sinny can manage the majority of the 80 minute game time whilst playing at 9 and especially should we reach any big play off games, i believe that a move to 9 would also prolong his career,he also played his best games for england at 9 imo

however my major concerns and why i ultimately believe that he has to go there are that we haven't been successful in the 9 role with direction from the acting half since buderus and then lunt for one season left the club, we are also one of the weakest sides whilst attacking in the oppositions 20m zone as we totally lack half backs that can attack the defensive line constantly,i dont want to disrespect sinny but the defense have known how to deal with him for a while now

i would have liked us to have signed burns and dobson but as that hasn't occurred then i believe that we need to give sutty a roving and attacking free role to see if he can do the damage