19 man squad: 22. James Clare 14. Jay Pitts 3. Adrian Purtell 34. Richie Mathers 35. Rhys Lovegrove 4.Kris Welham 6. Lee Gaskell 9. Adam O’Brien 10. Adam Sidlow 2. Omari Caro 20. Mitch Clark 15.Matty Blythe 13. Danny Addy 11. Tom Olbison 23. Alex Mellor 28. Kurt Haggerty 12. Dale Ferguson 30. Joe Lumb 27. Johnny Walker

I'd go:


34. Richie Mathers
2. Omari Caro
4. Kris Welham
3. Adrian Purtell
22. James Clare
6. Lee Gaskell
13. Danny Addy
35. Rhys Lovegrove
9. Adam O’Brien
10. Adam Sidlow
11. Tom Olbison
28. Kurt Haggerty
14. Jay Pitts.

30. Joe Lumb
12. Dale Ferguson
27. Johnny Walker
20. Mitch Clark

No Lauaki. And Mitch Clark back quicker than expected.

It'll be good to see how Clark shapes up if he makes the 17. Mellor might get in there before him.

Lumb promoted to 19 man squad too over Halafihi. Good to see him progress quickly.

I wonder if Mellor may come in for Haggerty, Blythe or one of the other back rowers. Give them a bit of rotation as we have plenty of good quality back rows that they don't all need to play every game.

Thought Haggerty went well vs Fev. Thought Olbison got some heavy treatment last week so it may be him to make way. Pitts was worked too hard last year so if we can keep him fresh it'll be a big plus.

Surprised to see Clark back so quickly, but not convinced he'll feature.

Mathers
Caro
Welham
Purtell
Clare
Gaskell
Addy
Sidlow
AoB
Walker
Olbison
Pitts
Mellor

Lovegrove
Ferguson
Haggerty
Lumb

Blythe and Clark to miss out. Get Mellor in at loose and Pitts back in at second row where I think he is best suited. Lovegrove and Haggerty to act as bench props, AoB to get a rest and Lumb some first team game time.

So it would seem lowes has stuck to his word, learnt from last year and rotated... Especially in the case of lauaki. I hope it continues.

I would hope after last week, that Lauaki has been dropped rather than rested.

However it's more likely he picked up an injury or something.

If Clark is coming back to fitness and we've got Lovegrove added to the mix then Lauaki really isn't in contension for a spot in the team

Just before Lauaki came off, he was trying to stretch by the post, then as he came off, he attempted a jog along the touchline. If it was a straight forward substitution players don't usually run or jog to the bench. I think its likely he picked up an injury.

Packs puck themselves.

Forwards, rotate them.

Sidlow
O'Brien
Lovegrove
Pitts
Fergie
Mellor

Clark
Haggerty
Lamb
Walker

That's what auto-correct does for you



As for Lauaki, I'd be willing to bet he's injured. I just don't see Lowes dropping him.

Give o'brien plenty of breaks this year no need to flog him, hopefully with love grove lauaki is kept out 10min game time is pointless.

Has anyone else noticed that the Whitehaven website has gone?

They have the internet in Cumbria?

Cameo if injured it would be due to him actually sprinting to make a tackle, his muscles aren't used to it!

34. Richie Mathers
2. Omari Caro
4. Kris Welham
3. Adrian Purtell
22. James Clare
6. Lee Gaskell
13. Danny Addy
10. Adam Sidlow
9. Adam O'Brien
27. Johnny Walker
11. Tom Olbison
28. Kurt Haggerty
23. Alex Mellor

30. Joe Lumb
35. Rhys Lovegrove
12. Dale Ferguson
14. Jay Pitts

Blythe and Clark to miss for me. I think in Cumbria (weather and all) it will be a forwards game. So Blythe usually offers utility off the bench, this may not be needed. And Clark misses due to it being a forwards game (may not be fit enough for a proper arm wrestle) so hopefully give him small spells next week against a potentially easier Swinton team.

Although I can see Lowes keeping Blythe on the bench instead of Lumb.

If he is injured let's hope it's nothing trivial!

Yeah, it's powered by pigeons

I am hoping lauaki is dropped/rotated rather than injured. Jimmy needs to show that no one can just plod around and expect to get picked this year as that person will be a liability come the qualifiers.

Harsh...

... but

Did anyone feel that Ferguson's fitness isn't up to scratch yet against Fev? He didn't drive as hard as we saw last season and though he was reasonably ok in defence, he looked knackered by the end of the first half - if you watch the set where we conceded the second try, Fev ran at him all set and by the end he was out on his feet and his sluggishness ultimately conceded the try.

Anyway, what I was getting on to is that he might be better rested

I wouldn't expect many players to be at full fitness at the beginning of the year. Everything we do will be mainly geared towards the middle 8's and that will include getting the players to as close as peak condition in Aug/Sept. I'm sure the players will be a bit more match fit in a few weeks time.

Big guys struggle on the heavy pitches, he had to do extra minutes because Kavanagh was injured, Lauaki was being Lauaki, and Olbison actually moved to prop at one stage.

Oh, and it was the first game of the season.

I think that's probably enough reasons

Bulls starting line up:

34. – Richie Mathers
22. – James Clare
3. – Adrian Purtell
4. – Kris Welham
2. – Omari Caro
6. – Lee Gaskell
13. – Danny Addy
10. – Adam Sidlow
9. – Adam O’Brien
11. – Tom Olbison
12. – Dale Ferguson
28. – Kurt Haggerty
14. – Jay Pitts
---
15. – Matty Blythe
35. – Rhys Lovegrove
20. – Mitch Clark
23. – Alex Mellor

James Clare try. Addy converts.

Whitehaven 0 Bradford 6