I thought Sammut was our starting prop wearing the number 8 jersey?

Briggs number reflects his ability.

Jeffries at 6 is less of a worry than Chev at 4 imo. My heart sank a little when I saw who he'd given the 1-5 shirts to.
Not only is Chev nowhere near good enough to be a starting centre, but if he does play 4 then Kear will also suffer just by playing outside the guy. The only ball he will ever get will be from coming inside to help out at the ptb.

I guess the pre season games will give us some kind of idea, but I would much prefer a back line of BK, Kear, Lulia, Purtell and Ainscough. I'd even take Platt at centre before Walker.

I'm sure I recall Potter saying he thinks shirt numbers mean something. I think they do reflect the coach's thoughts, but they reflect the coach's thoughts just after the end of the previous season. They won't mean much come the start of the next season and they certainly won't mean a right lot a few weeks in.

To be fair to Briggs he has strong parts of his game that would have helped last year (such as a good kicking game) but unfortunately for him they are the same as Gales with Gale being the better overall player. I don't see any benefit in playing them both at the same time and between the two its Gale every time for me.

Burgess has the 21 shirt which could be construed as an honour

Re Jeffries, I will reserve judgment until I see how he plays alongside Gale. However as the established player, it would have been surprising if he'd been demoted unless we had actually splashed out on a marquee 6. Sammut strikes me as a man not lacking in confidence, so I doubt it matters a toss to him, or the efforts he'll be making to get into the starting 13.

But I don't think Jeffries is as bad as some seem to want to make out, I do think he has had too much responsibility and instability directly as a result of our problems at No. 7. He is the sort of player that could grow into a decent partnership with a decent partner. But he will have to pull his finger out from day one, and Sammutt will inevitably get an early chance whatever happens, unless Jeffries and Gale tear down all before them.

exactly what I was thinking. Also didnt potter make a comment last year along lines that existing players had first shot at lower numbered shirts in positions they played over new signings? hence BJ getting first shot at 6. Think people are reading way too much into it TBH.

Yes he did

If that was taken to its conclusion then Sykes and Platt would be 3 and 5, and Lulia and Purell would be 28 and 29

I think thats an obvious exception given they were told to find clubs if they wanted first team rugby

Is probably somewhere near the right answer. If there is a right answer, that is.

not sure there is,once we get a few games in anyway

Higher than almost everybody else?

The thing is, we've got 4 half backs in the side for 2012. That gives us 6 different combinations. So let's see which one clicks the best before bemoaning player selections hmmm?

There is always one person who has to spoil it all by being sensible...

Ten games!

That old chestnut lol

Ah, but is that 10 games of the season or 10 games for each permutation?

Platt was given number 1 last year but played no games at fullback didn't he?

Fact is our squad has a few weaknesses so we can quibble about selections in a few areas. Take Jeffries at stand off, I'm certainly no fan but he is the incumbent. The onus is on Briggs and Sammut to put pressure on him and that's exactly what he needs as I think his performances get stale eithout pressure from others. I fully expect Sammut to figure off the bench at the very least.

In the backs we're short of a specialist centre, Purtell is rated by almost all that have seen him as a better winger than centre so it makes some sense to give him the number 2 jersey. The rumours about Platt and Sykes made it more likely Walker would get the other centre jersey. I think Walker is a much better second row but we are where we are with the squad we have. Ainscough still has a bit to prove though that's more down to him being unlucky with injury and being quite young and not really finding consistency yet in his career.

I guess it is an honour really, though didn't Danny Addy have Karl Fairbank's old number last season? Strangely he's dropped to 23 this time round, which must mean that ability hasn't much to do with many of the ups and downs in squad numbers, or he'd have gone the other way.

Think sammuts low number reflects the one year deal he is on, if he shines this coming season a new deal will be offered, along with maybe a starting number on his back! Same could be said for ainscough!

Has 21 been un-retired then?

maybe the number 21 shirt should go to the young player of the year?

A bit of a status shirt that shows that even though the player might not be an automatic pick, they're wearing the mighty number 21 on their back and are highly thought of by the club.

That's a nice idea.