What do we think it will look like? Will Potter play it safe and make as few changes as possible or will he shake us up a bit .. my personal view is he will stick with the tried and tested as much as possible (not saying I agree with it). SO when we have a full compliment who is gonna miss out ? Clough? Flannery? Moore? Roby? we seem to be blessed with number in the back row ...

POTTER OUT !

1 - Lomax
2 - Gardner
3 - Gidley
4 - Soliola
5 - Meli
6 - Pryce
7 - Lon....

Eastmond
8 - Graham
9 - Cunningham
10 - Fozzard
11 - Puletua
12 - Wilkin
13 - Roby

14 - Moore
15 - Fa'asavalu
16 - Clough
17 - Flannery

Leaves out Wheeler, Wellens and Hargreaves that I can think of. We simply can't stumble through another season with no pace in the backs. If Wellens is at fullback all year again it's a massive disadvantage for us. Even him playing centre would be a boost.

No way will he drop Wellens.

1. Wellens
2. Wheeler
3. Gidley
4. Pryce
5. Meli
6. Moore
7. Eastmond
8. Fozzard
9. Cunningham
10. Graham
11. Soliola
12. Puletua
13. Wilkin

14. Roby
15. Clough
16. Flannery
17. Faasavalu

I think it will be similar to last season, but the addition of Moore is going to create the biggest dilemma. Stuck him in at stand off with Pryce at centre, probably not the best option but it's something to try, the more probable line-up will be using Roby at loose forward and Moore rotating with Cunningham.

If you keep playing Wellens at FB you will really suffer at times. I don't see why some people think he will be a good backrower either, I have seen nothing at all to convince me of this. He should play centre and he will be solid, Gidley can create everything on the other side.

While he lacks the pace and dynamism of a Slater or, in SL terms, a Webb, he's still as safe as houses at the back. We don't lose anything by keeping him there for the time being, whereas moving him to centre would make our attack completely one-sided. We were predictable enough last season without adding that to our problems.

I agree with you on the back row thing though - nothing to indicate that he'd set the world on fire in the pack. I'd be happy to see him carry on at full back, but give Lomax a start there for 5-10 games (a bit like we've done with Eastmond and Long). If it turns out Lomax is too good to be left out, then so be it.

Not sure what Potter will go with but I'd like to see:

Wellens
Lomax
Gidley
Wheeler
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Soliola
Wilkin
Roby

Flannery/Clough
Fa'asavalu
Moore
Puletua

Still leaves the likes of Hargreaves, Gardner, Flannery/Clough, Ashurst, Dixon sweating on a shirt and gives us a bit of pace in the backline as well.

Would guess Potter will go with:

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Flannery
Puletua
Wilkin

Roby
Moore
Fa'asavalu
Clough

He doesnt have the balls to mix it up it'll be a side with little disruption

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery
Roby

Moore
Clough
Fa'asavalu
Fozzard

Personally I'd go with :

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Flannary
Wilkin
Roby

Moore
Clough
Fozzard
Fa'asavalu

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham (capt)
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery
Roby

Bench

Moore
Clough
Fozzard
Fa'asavalu

1. Wello
2. Armstrong
3. Gidley
4. Soliola / Pryce
5. Meli
6. Pryce / Wheeler
7. Eastmond
8. Fozzard
9. KC
10 Graham
11 Puletua
12 Flannery
13 Wilkin

14 Roby
15 Maurie
16 Hargreaves
17 Moore / Clough

I'd like to see some games Pryce in the centres with Soliola in 2nd row..
Also KC given rest every 4 games with Moore 1st choice 9.
This coaching lark is easy



Oh yeah... No Gardner?? = No mistakes

<cough> Meli ... <cough>

Mine would be

1. Wellens/Lomax
2. Gardner
3. Gidley
4. Wheeler
5. Meli
6. Pryce
7. Eastmond
8. Graham
9. Moore
10. Fozzard
11. Soliola
12. Puletua
13. Wilkin

14. Roby
15. Hargreaves
16. Fa'asavalau
17. Clough

It's not Pryce's fault that he couldn't work miracles last season at six. Every team in the league knows to target him in defence because he is so influential (and dangerous). What we need is to do is take the pressure off Pryce. Another attacking axis would put a huge amount of uncertainty in the opposition and free up Pryce to do what he does best. No point shifting him to centre where he has rarely played and wouldn't be happy about.

He would never do this, but i'd personally go with

Pryce
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Armstrong
Wheeler
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Flannery
Wilkin
Puletua

Clough
Roby
Hargreaves
Moore

No Wellens, Meli (harsh but cost us the last 2 grand finals), Fa-asavalu (loses the ball a lot). Pryce moved to full back. We've got plenty of strength in depth.

I'm agreeing with Dux, let Wellens stay nice and safe at 1 and we'll improve other areas first.
I'd also leave Pryce at 6. Eastmond's pace at first receiver will add some unpredicdabilty about our attack which should stop the defence rushing Pryce at 2nd without reprise. Let's not forget he was still our top try scorer last year.
Soliola in the back row for me. As solid as are forwards are, it can all be a little pedestrian at times, Sioliola would spice things up well imo - I also completely trust Wheeler to do a good job in the centre.

If I were the board, I'd be banding Garder about as available if any wants him. We could pick Tom Armstrong for safety, or Lomax for flair who would both give as much if not more than Ade can on less wages. I'm sure there's clubs out there who would benifit from Ade's experience.

Meli I'd keep. He may be able to up royally, but he does have big plus points to (occasionally) counter them.

The hooking thing, I don't know, it would've been a lot easier if KC had retired, I'll leave that one to the coach. I don't really know what their strategy is, though.

Props are a question mark for me. Jammer and Faas are up to scratch, Foz has been brought in and will do a job, but if Hargreaves is the forth, then its looking a little uninspired. The roles of Clough and Puletua will have an effect, as will the abilty of either Frodsham or Emmitt to mature in SL players.

So, assuming KC becomes a squad man (sounds wierd), I'd go with:

1. Wellens
2. Lomax 3. Gidley 4. Wheeler 5. Meli
6. Pryce 7. Eastmond
8. Graham 9. Moore 10. Fozzard
11. Wilkin 12. Soliola
13. Flannery

14. Roby 15. Faasavalu 16. Puleatua 17. Clough

If, say, Frodsham began to perform, I'd like to see him put pressure to push Flannery out of the side (with a bit of shuffling) by the end of his contract.

It is his fault he didn't look interested and went missing for the last 2 months of the season though. An aging Long was far superior in the halfback stakes towards the end of last season. I'm sure Long was targeted in defence as well.

Pryce certainly has the X factor, but losing his organiser is going to heap even more pressure on his shoulders. Eastmond can't be expected to come in and step straight in to Long's shoes. When Longy took over, he had Tommy at his side, who had had Goulding before him. It's the first time in umpteen years we're going into a season without a recognsied organising half back. Time will tell how costly that may be, or if one of them will take the reins immediately.

Your scrum half is your organiser (if you play 1st and 2nd receiver like we do). Kyle has been a scrum half through the ranks, I can't beleive he hasn't had to do that role in the other teams he's played for, so I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be able to do it when surrounded by all the experience that our first team has. He's certainly not scared of souting the odds and instructions.

I'm also baffled by peoples insistance that he's definatley not an organising player and won't be a scrum half. I'm sure that people just decide that because he's got pace, he can't have an organisational game aswell.

Spot on.

He has a very good passing and kicking game that will only improve.

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Fozzard
Flannary
Wilkin
Moore

Roby
Clough
Fa'asavalu
Puletua

Any changes can be made during the season. Lomax, Wheeler and Frodsham need to be brought into the first 17.

The following are out of contract at the end of 2010 so we need to bring on the young guys to fill the positions of the players that will not be renewing their contracts.

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Meli
Eastmond
Cunningham
Fozzard
Flannary

Lomax moved onto one of the wings would be a good start.

I'd like to see

1 Pryce (in attack)
2 Gardner
3 Gids
4 Soliola
5 Meli
6 Wheels
7 Eastmond
8 Fozzard
9 KC
10 Graham
11 Wilkin
12 Flanno
13 Wellens (full back in defence)

14 TP
15 Roby
16 Fas
17 Clough

I like this, but it'll never happen

I think potter will stick with his tried and tested.

I think Potters 17 will be....

Wello
Gardner
gidley
soliola
meli
pryce
eastmond
fozz
KC
graham
tony p
flannery
wilkin

roby/Moore
maurie
clough
bryn


If he does pick this 17 I think we will be in same boat as last year.

No attack!

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond

Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Flannery
Wilkin
Roby

Moore
Clough
Puletua
Fa'asavalu