Another good test in store. They've shown up well in friendlies up to now. Lee Greenwood is a coach I rate. Wonder if Walshaw is playing. We owe him one.

Weren't we due to play our reserves team in one of these games?

That'll be versus Hudders on Sunday.

It will be interesting to see the Dewsbury line up. At the last count they had signed 5 players who had been on our books at some point last year.
Andrade
King
Burnett
Johnson
Brown
They certainly won't lack for motivation in any case, but it should be at its maximum if that little lot play.

Andrade and Brown played yesterday, along with Lucas Walshaw. Don't know why the others didn't get a game...

So our reserves play Huddersfield the same weekend, but presumably a few lads knocking on the door will be in this game instead.

Anyone want to have a stab at putting together 2 teams, one for each game?

I'd be tempted to go strongest possible (maybe with some rotation) for the Dewsbury game, and then fringe & reserve players for Huddersfield.

We'll know more on Thursday when the squad for Dewsbury is announced I guess.

Go on then (I'm bored)...

I'd go for the strongest squad possible for Dewsbury (or at least most likely to making the game day squads initially) with a younger squad for Huddersfield scattered with some experience.

Dewsbury Squad
Brandon Pickersgill
Ethan Ryan
Rhys Evans
Ashley Gibson
Jy Hitchcox
Joe Keyes
Dane Chisholm
Liam Kirk
Matty Wildie
Jon Magrin
Connor Farrell
Elliott Minchella
Mikey Wood
George Flanagan
James Green
Callum Bustin
Matt Garside

Huddersfield Squad
Alix Stephenson
Dee Foggin-Johnston
Ross Oakes
Elliott Culling
Josh Rickett
Jordan Lilley
Rowan Milnes
Oliver Wilson
Sam Hallas
Trae O’Sullivan
Matty Storton
Vytas Vaznys
George Milton
Thomas Doyle
Keelan Foster
Ebon Scurr
Brad Gallagher
Luke Punton

I think that Crossley, Peltier and Hodgson are all definitely injured, and given past squads I think Webster and Grant are carrying knocks too.

Garside's coming back from shin splints too apparently.

Wanna see Hallas in the strongest team personally. Proper leader is that lad.

Not sure. Certainly not at hooker. Wildie looked excellent there against Fax. Back-row we have Minchella, Farrell, Wood, Storton and Garside.

We didn't look to lack leaders against a firery Fax side.

I'd be surprised if any of them get through the same amount of work Hallas does.

I don't know his best position though.

Hallas has to be at loose forward IMO so it's between him and Wood and that's if Minchella stays in the second row.

We've got real competition for places in the backrow with Minchella, Farrell, Wood, Storton and Garside. I expect one of those 5 to be a regular bench player so someone misses out even before Hallas gets in.

I think he's 3rd choice hooker now. Wildie is quicker and is a better passer. Flanagan has more impact off the bench.

A good squad player to have though. We are spoilt for choice in all positions this year except FB.

for my money Minchella is better at loose than second row. It gives him a little bit more freedom and a better chance to get on the end of things. Not that he really needs a better chance, of course, he's doing alright as he is.
I really do like the look of our squad though, the possibilities are pretty open ended.

I dont get why people still group loose forwards and second rowers together.
The role of the 13 these days is down the middle as an additional prop.
Its a very different role playing on an edge like the second rowers do compared to playing in the middle third.

Loose forwards are essentially an additional prop for a lot of teams nowadays but they didn't used to be.
I do wonder if the reduction in subs might see a change in how the loose forward role changes in the near future, perhaps leaning towards a more athletic player who can do long minutes rather than just another big lump to drive the ball in.
It's no surprise to me to see Sean O Loughlin still in the international spotlight despite his age. There aren't many LFs playing the game with anything close to his ball handling skills and it's a shame imo.

Well Minchella is accomplished in both positions.

It’s a question of whether Kear wants him to remain where he is as right sided second row or whether he plays him down the middle. The partnership with Keyes there has really paid dividends so I'd keep him where he is I reckon. Then it's between Farrell, Garside and Storton on the left.

Hallas as a former prop I think is more suited to the down the middle role of a loose forward rather than on the edges. I like his enthusiasm, his charge down at our first league game at York last season was a big moment for us. Wood's a former prop too and well suited to the loose forward position. He's a tough lad who can be a bit of an enforcer for us I think.

Many players in the LF position in the NRL are essentially long-minute props who normally get subbed for 10 mins either side of half time. Players like Taumalolo, McGuire, Gallen, Klemmer etc. all fit this bill.

I wouldn't be surprised if this approach is duplicated in the English leagues too.

Hallas isn't a runner of the ball for my money. He's a defensive workhorse in the middle, which will be useful for us if selected at 13 especially in tight games. I wouldn't be surprised if he is selected there more often just for his defensive grit.

I'd agree with all that. The NRL is a good guide to how we'll develop now we're moving to 8 subs.

Am I missing something or should we not have announced our squad for this game by now? 48 hours prior isn't it?

Do those rules apply to friendlies?

I wouldn't have thought so, to be honest.

Not as strong a squad as I would have expected to be honest

Looks like we are sending quite a strong team to Huddersfield