with Crossley now officially gone and recruitment sort of over, the cover at prop looks bare, so we will see what happens when the young/fringe players are tidied up. With only 5 it looks as if cover will come from elsewhere in the pack as suggested previously, such as Langley or Elima.

I agree, but I don't like that approach as I don't think it will work. Hopefully Potter proves me wrong.

On the strength of reading that article the props are a gaping hole in an otherwise improved squad. Koppy, Scruton, Hargreaves, Burgess, Manase + Langley or Elima at a push leaves us massive hostages to fortune. If Scrutes and Langers stay fit and healthy, if Manase is any good, if Burgess kicks on, if Hargreaves improves 50%? Not only are there not enough numbers if we get the normal level of injuries or suspensions there is no chance whatsoever of rotating the props as the succesful clubs have always done and that's before we get to discussing actually quality.

Yet in the second row we have Elima, Whitehead, Langley, Sibbit, Walker, Donno, Olbison, Addy. So in a 17 man matchday squad you would normally include 4 props plus 4 back rowers (3 starting plus 1 bench). Even allowing for the fact that Whitehead and walker can cover centre and Addy can (barely) cover hooker why would you have a squad with 5 props and 8 back rowers. What is the point of Ian Sibbit and why on earth did we sign him on a two year deal? I ask because with a little bit of forward planning and foresight we might be in a strong position for challenging for the 8. I don't think the teams above us are anything to write home about and see nothing to fear in Cas, HKR and Hull.

Peter Hood says that any fairminded person would say we are much stronger. On the whole I agree, halves, centres, even the back row with Walker now there looks stronger, but the props are the engine room of the whole team and overall they look far from top 8 material.

Yes a lot of ifs, mbugs. dont forget we also have Bateman (and now Murphy) in the development bit of the squad for the back row! one question, when was it announced that Walker is 2nd row?

platt
ainscough
walker
lulia
purtell
gale
jeffries
scruton
lestrange
koppy
elima
whitehead
diskin

bench :
sammut
burgess
manuokafoa
donaldson

personally i'd go with,

Kearney
Ainscough
Lulia
Purtell
Kear
Gale
Sammut/Briggs
Koppy
L'Estrange
Scruton
Elima
Whitehead
Langley/Diskin

Diskin/Sammut
Burgess
Manu..
Addy/Langley

Me too, other than swap Gale and Sammut/Briggs as iirc it was reported that at the forum they said thats where Gale was going to play, and I would give Hargreaves a run of a few games at the start of the season to see if he can get into better form, if not then play Burgess more games but Langley would have to be at 13 for his tackling.

1 - Brett Kearney
2 - Shaun Ainscough
3 - Keith Lilia
4 - Adrian Purtell
5 - Elliott Kear
6 - Kyle Briggs
7 - Luke Gale
8 - Bryn Hargreaves
9 - Matt Diskin
10 - Nick Scruton
11 - Olivier Elima (c)
12 - Craig Kopczak
13 - Jamie Langley

14 - Manase Manuokafoa
15 - Chev Walker
16 - Heath L'Estrange
17 - Jarrod Sammut

Diskin to take control early, Heath to mix it up and tire opposition forwards and Jarrod on 10 mins before half time to run at the opposition with Disko also resting backrow for a while. Elima is great as French captain, plays well and stays calm...Roll on 2012 and hopefully Rhinos in season opener and sort some things out!