A preview of Silsdenbulls squad list for 2012 based on known signings and extensions, Connors tweets, guesswork etc. as its a squad I have divided it into two teams with one the likely preferred first team choice (thats pure conjecture and made a bit more difficult by the injuries to see who Potters first choices are) with bench from the other. reserve/developing players make up the balance. obviously some question marks as info not available as yet. The first team is therefore not necessarily what I personally would choose, it is is first of all for discussion and secondly up to the players themselves next year. a ? means out of contract at the end of this season, three at the moment ie Walker Finnegan McAvoy all others ooc 2012 or beyond, per Silsdenbulls thread.

Kearney Platt
Ainscough (Crookes bought out???)
Lulia Walker
Purtell Sykes
a signing???

Sammut Briggs
Gale Jeffries

Lynch replacement? Kopczak
Diskin Lestrange
Scruton Hargreaves
Elima Olbison
Whitehead Sibbit
Langley Donaldson

Murphy Burgess, Addy, Southernwood, O'Brien, Bateman, Crossley, McAvoy?, Finnegan?

I will update as announcements are made, its not as informative as Silsdenbulls but gives a good idea of the season to come. and there is no info yet on the coaching team so I have not included it yet.

Look about right

Personally I wouldn't be surprised to see Royston leave. I think, from memory, he's about 28-29 and I'm not sure he'd want to spend any longer as a fringe player in SL getting an odd game here and there. I could see someone like Wakefield, who are now obviously going to be looking to sign players, offering him a deal.

And I'd be surprised to see Crossley, Finnegan and McAvoy still here next year

I have not put a question mark against Royston as the rumour is that he Walker and Ainscough have all had extension talks, so not for sure at this point. And he has proved himself in SL after the first few settling in games, so it would not surprise me if he wanted to move to a team where he thought he could be a regular first team member. tho if the money is right and he has confidence in his abilities, being a utility back has its benefits. Hes always given 100% so I would really like him to stay as a "supersub" - like a versatile Fairclough

Think truthfully that Raynor will definately have a starting jersey next year. with out a doubt due to him bringing urgency speed and agression. he is one of our only players who does this. I think the debateable decisions will be the other wing and centre.
I know Sykes has played out of his skin last few weeks but it wont mean a thing! Depending on this new back, think who ever he is if he has some size he will be in the centres no doubt. toughen up our edges

Purtell rumour added

Purtell confirmed and put in as first choice centre based on the announcement saying he is a centre/wing ie centre first wing second.

Now will anybody who says get rid of any current back PLEASE SHUT UP, the club have recruited virtually an entire new back line which I include Ainscough in due to his few appearances this season.

the squad is shaping up now but I'm thinking our wingers are a bit vertically challenged. might give the opposition a bit of ammunition (thinking of wigan and pat richards)?

Kearney
Raynor
Lulia
Purtell
Ainscough

It's not a bad back line is it?

and also, if we've signed two then what will Platt and walker be thinking? If walker signs up then he'll be in the second row now?

Platt will be waiting for injuries to get in the team although given how this year has gone he'll end up playing every game.

Walker shouldn't play anything other than 2nd row. His centre days are long behind him which we all knew before the Bulls signed him. I wouldn't be disappointed if we gave him another year but only if its in the pack.

For me, Platt can think what he likes. He's had more than long enough to prove himself.

I can't comment on the shape of next years back line. I don't know anywhere near enough of Lulia or Purtell to comment. I do think that Ainscough gets bigger wraps than he probably deserves though. He has potential.

there may well be several shapes. Lulia and Purtell can both play wing, so if you want 6'4 wingers for a specific game rather than 5'8" speedsters the option is there. If Royston is leaving then Platt may well be first cover for Kearney and then centres. still plenty of announcements to be made especially the younger players that are staying/leaving.

Is there only me who thinks Platt has had a decent season?

Yeah he's gone ok.

Depends how high you want to set the bar really. A lot of the team are alright.

I thought Platt and Ainscough were starting to form a good partnership until Ainscough got injured.

mostly decent, and exactly who is first choice is up to the players themselves, so i would hope to see his very best performances in the next four games as we mathematically can still get into the playoffs however small the probability is. Hopefully there will without injuries be real competition for startin places next season.

and having said Ainscough will be like having a new player, Walker has played exactly the same number of games so far this season, 9.

Decent for Platt's standards, which are fairly poor...

Yes. Average, in an average side.

Expected? Yes
Acceptable? No

Apologies if I've missed this, but has Herbert definately been released ?

No official announcement yet, but according to Connor he won't be here next year.

Updated for Ainscough and Royston, and no extension yet for Walker hence a ? against him. and ? a new winger as no news on Finnegan etc.

Well looking at this and the squad thread. I think there's only 6 players left OOC from the squad list, two of who are reserve graders who I'd assume would get new deals as they're still being developed.

Out of the rest only Walker has a deal still on the table. So we may only be losing 3 players at the end of the year unlike the last few years where we've had half a side walk out the door which has put us on the back foot before the new season has even started.

Having a settled squad is the first step towards being consistent on the field.

For all the talk/speculation about Purtell being a centre I note he's wearing no. 5 this year and appears to be playing right wing (I think the Aussies reverse the no.2, 3, 4 and 5 positions, or at least, Penrith do). Looks to know where the line is too.

He played centre all last season, and stated that it is his preferred position, so I have put him as centre for that reason, but Potter likes players that can cover several positions so who knows, other than he will score whatever position

updated for Jobe Murphy new full time contract - 2 years. I wonder how Hood categorised this one - new signing as its a full time deal, or renewal?

updated for fans forum re half backs and Crookes rumour. for the sake of clarity Lynch replacement could be an indirect one eg Langley to prop and a replacement for him.