In the event of us having a fully fit squad for round 1, what would be your team

1 Walker
2 T Briscoe
3 Watkins
4 Hurrell
5 Golding
6 Lolohea
7 Myler
8 Peteru
9 Parcell
10 Singleton
11 Ward
12 Ablett
13 Merrin
14 Oledski
15 Cuthbertson
16 Ferres
17 Dwyer
18th man Crosby

I have a feeling Cam Smith might force his way into the 17. Think your team is about right though. To be honest maybe Crosby for Cuthbo because he’s more direct and we have a ball playing back row.

Handley on wing and sutty will be in 17

I too think that Cam Smith will be a big player for us this season and would be great in a back 3 of himself,Stevie Ward and Merrin

IF Ferres gets match fit I would like to see how he goes playing more in the middle of the park rather than out wide,so I would be tempted to give him a go in the front row to see how he handles this new role

JP made this move from back row to front row successfully so IMO it's worth a try due to the reduced interchanges

Walker
T.Briscoe
Watkins
Hurrell
Golding
Tui
Myler
Singleton
Parcell
Peteru
Ward
Merrin
C.Smith

Oledzski
Dwyer
Cuthbertson
Crosby/Jjb/Ferres

Walker
Briscoe Watkins Hurrell Handley
Lolohea Myler
Singleton Parcell Peteru
Ward Ablett
Merrin

Cuthbertson Dwyer Crosby Ferres/Sutcliffe/JJB

Do we think kallum or tui will be kicking this year ?

If everyone's fit hope we go with

Walker
T.Briscoe
Watkins
Hurrell
Handley
Lolohea
Myler
Crosby
Parcell
Singleton
Ward
Ablett
Merrin

Subs
Cuthbertson
Dwyer
Ferres
Peteru

From recent interviews it sounds as if Tui will get 1st crack at being the 1st choice kicker

Providing Watkins is fit and I think he should be by then I would say pretty much the same team as Frosties for me.
If he`s not fit for that game I would go Handley at centre Golding on the wing.

Walker
Briscoe Watkins Hurrell Handley
Lolohea Myler
Singleton Parcell Peteru
Ward Ablett
Merrin

Dwyer Cuthbertson Crosby Ferres- Smith and Oledzski to make up the 19

This is what I'm expecting.

Will be interesting to see what he goes with though and how consistent he is with his choices.

Definately Tui imo at least to start with KW is returning from a big injury.

1. Walker
2. T Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Hurrell
5. Golding
6. Tui
7. Myler
8. Peteru
9. Parcell
10. Singleton
11. Ward
12. Ferres
13. Merrin

14. Crosby
15. Oledzski
16. Smith
17. Dwyer

Just to be controversial.
Golding outside Hurrell because I think Hurrell might need a good defender outside him, and to be fair I reckon I could score a few tries outside Konnie on attack.
Ferres in to 2nd row IF fully fit for once. He adds starch and skill.
We have to play Oledzski, although he needs to reduce his errors, because he's about the only player we have who can bend the line.

Myler played OK last year to be fair, but I wouldn't hesitate to put McLelland in at scrum half.

I like Cuthbo as a bloke but he's caught between two stools for me: I don't like him at prop and we have more mobile back rowers, so...

Fail to see how Ablett or Ferres start 1st up fit or not.

Crosby for Peteru - Smith for Oledzski

As an aside, I don’t think Ive looked forward to a season as much as this for a long while, new players, new stands - just hope it’s not a disappointment! I’m perfectly happy to not win any silverware but really want to see a change in style/culture

Obviously we’ve lost hall and the impact he brings bringing the ball back from our own line at the starts of sets. I wonder if koni will be used in this way instead of whoever plays left wing.

For what it’s worth, I’d go with golding left wing. I think walker is a class above golding, but I think golding is a class above handley and L briscoe.

Walker
T Briscoe
Watkins
Hurrell
Handley
Tui
Myler
Cuthbertson
Parcell
Peteru
Ward
Ablett
Merrin

L Sutcliffe
Ferres
Jjb
Crosby

It is an interesting season in prospect. Much will depend on injuries as ever. Every team thinks it will go well at this point just before the season begins; but you would have to expect Leeds to be at least better than last year and away from any relegation nonsense.

Wire by 24

Question marks on the wings and at prop for me. Not got anything like a replacement for hall and not one prop last year was half decent. Maybe peteru will add some strike and Crosby may stiffen up the defence in the middle. Interesting to see.

Wire faves for title for me followed by saints.

This is a hard first game up. Beat them there last year was it first game then too? But new regime then and this time they are settled and have Austin who i think will tear up SL and win MOS.

Concerned about the front row personally i think we are at least one quality prop light but am excited to see how Furner has us playing and hopefully we will be looking to unleash Watkins and Hurell at every opportunity that is where we will have a clear edge on every team in SL this year.

To be fair I have been banging on about prop for weeks, but we haven't seen enough of Peteru and Crosby yet. Oledzski and Singleton are alright - Singo was winning MoM awards at times when fit last year. With Holroyd and Dupree coming through, and potentially with Mullally and Cuthbo options, we may not be all that bad. Will be very interesting to see what Furner does with Cuthbertson. Our back row should be the strongest in SL this season so we might gain a bit there compared to front row. Parcell needs a good season with Dwyer and Johnson behind him, but again he's more of a front-foot kind of hooker who will struggle to make an impact in a beaten pack.

Words of caution: I think both Marquee signings have had injuries in their careers, and of course are likely to pick up something else through the course of this season. If Hurrell stays fit I would agree he'd have to have a big, positive impact. He won't look so good if we're getting mullered up front again and coughing up stupid penalties and errors again as a team.

Watkins is coming back from a major injury, and each player is different in how they pull through. We should be prepared to be patient with both centres.

Furner has a lot of decisions to make through 2019 on players' futures. We also have to plan to leave some cap space for the academy lads coming through who are going to have their heads turned at some point. The club will be expecting results on its large investment for 2019; I think we're still a few players short but if we play to our strengths and are luckier with injuries, it's not a season to write off yet.

Really looking forward to seeing how the 1st team shapes up with the new signings though I have to say.

The game is on Sky Sports Mix and Arena at 5pm for anyone that cant make it.

Has there been a better opening weekend than Saints-Wigan, KR-FC and Leeds-Wire with York-Toronto thrown in for 4 days of RL on the bounce?

Cannot wait!

its a good start, i am looking forward to the new season but really wish the season would start a month later and even then CC for first couple of weeks then Super league mid march onwards.
Think we will go ok once we get going. Not a bad tome to play them as they have a new halfback combo and injuries i think we may sneak it and set our stall out, but we must get off to a good start and make them chase the game.