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

Just like Roby, Pryce has suffered from the slower PTB this season. He is a player who comes to life when there is broken play or a QPTB and he can look world class. As an actual half-back he can look very average at times. I personally would rather see him at FB, centre or loose.

Pryce
Gardner
Gidley
Meli
Lomax

Wheeler
Eastmond

Fozzard
Moore
Carvell
Puletua
Soliola
Wellens

Cunningham
Wilkin
Flannery
Clough

i love your sarcasm

Ban him

I agree with you.

I think Longy's presence may have been holding Kyle back to some degree although I'm sure Longy will have been unable to resist giving him hints and stuff while he was here. But with Longy gone, Kyle may be able to stamp his presence on the team and be more confident in terms of organising the lads around the park, which is the aspect of his game we haven't seen at first grade yet in spite of the fact that he must have done it in the academy, as you suggest.

Just a word of caution.
We thought the same thing would happen when Luke Robinson replaced Lam.
Luke was much better all round scrum half than either Eastmond or Tomkins, but when push came to shove he couldn't handle it.

I'm not saying Kyle or Sam will fall away in a similar fashion but it is a possibility.

Anyone pciking TP at prop obviously didnt watch any matches last season

What? He was pretty good last season? Sure he didn't do the damage he did running wider and less often in the second row, but when asked he rolled his sleeves up and did the hard work very well IMO.

well yes and no. He is much better in second row imo, but at prop was still our no2 prop last year

True, but Eastmond does seem to have the kahoonahs to step up. His play has a confidence and swagger about it.

I was concerned when he first came through that he just wasn't tough enough, he seemed to limp off injured a lot but always be fit for the week after. Although that sort of thing seems to have gone, we haven't had the luxury of seeing him in many fight scraps of games (although the home game against wigan, were he scored the winner wasn't far off).

Wellens - still reliable
lomax - faster than Gardner, needs more game time
gidley - still class
pryce - more pace in the centres
meli - let's just hope he learns not to be a clown every now and again
wheeler - no point in him sitting on the sidelines for another year, he needs games!
Eastmond - obviously
graham - same
Cunningham - still the master
fozzard
soliola - def will be better in second row
wilkin - needs a big season
roby - good enough to play loose

puletua
fa'asavalu
Moore
clough

I think my 17 would be:

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

14. Roby
15. Fozzard
16. Clough
17. Fa'asavalu

Pryce needs a spell on the sideline to realise that he is supposed to be a Rugby League player. Wheeler cannot do any worse than Pryce did from July onwards. Until he decides he wants to play he shouldn't be in the 17, and even then i'd only consider him for the bench.

Moore/Roby could be on the bench or Flanno could miss out. I don't like the idea of three hookers in a 17 squad though.

He was pretty good last season, but why pick him at prop when everybody recognises he is more dangerous at in the back row???

If needs must because of injuries then so be it, but when we have a fully fit squad to choose from he's got to be the automatic choice for 2nd row.

I'm sure that will be the case. Foz and Carve.... Graham will be our props with Maurie and Hargreaves.

We're still one light.

I am inclined to agree but I think if the Leon thing was going to happen it should have happened last season before the play offs (it might have had we had cover at 6). Potter won't do that from the start of a new season as he won't rely on last years form and unless he has grown a huge set of cojones in 3 months its a none starter. That said if Leon bums around and doesn't have renewed intensity about him in pre-season it certainly wouldn't hurt us/Potter or Leon to have him on the bench a time or two kick him out of the comfort zone. Wheeler should be given another couple of games at 6 as well as first team exposure at centre if we want him to kick on in 2010.

I would love Sia to see at centre but am a bit worried by what i saw in the 4 nations in that i think Potter will see him as another second row. Hopefully he won't though with his size and strength & importantly some good service he would be near impossible to stop 10m out against a lot of teams and in defence the opposition would certainly be wary about whats coming to tackle them.

Like you i've no idea on the 3 hookers, its good to have cover in the squad but unless Roby steps in to try LF there is no point all 3 in a match day 17, but if Roby does play 13 it leaves us with a plethora of second rowers for 2 spots with Clough, Wilkin, Flannery, Puletua & Soliola, Dixon, Ashurst.

On top of that I would certainly like to see more of Lomax in the first team, hopefully a physically improved Frodsham and maybe some of this Magennis chap everyone seems to rave about!

At the start of the season:
Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery

Roby
Fa'asavalu
Clough
Moore

By end of season:
Wellens
Foster
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Wheeler
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Puletua
Wilkin
Roby

Moore
Clough
Fa'asavalu
Pryce