Our 17 doesn't look any better in real life than they do on paper.

Lynch will be captaining the Bulls with Langley as vice-captain

Although the above is a possibility, i'd like to see:

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Fozzard
Flannery
Puletua/Clough
Wilkin

Roby/Moore
Puletua/Clough
Fa'asavalu
Wheeler

We have quite a few options through-out the team this season and it will be interesting to see what Potter decides to do on Saturday against Hull. The problem with Saints is the strength in depth, we seem reluctant to sign players, and are relying purely on youth, which although many will say is a good thing, if there not good enough then it is not good for Saints. I can't see all of them making it and being good enough.

I think the Hull fans opinion of what is the best 17 is changing daily. It seems like a long time since we've had a full strength squad to choose from and our strength in depth is one of our best assets this year. For the Saints game I would probably go with:

1: Tansey
2: Calderwood
3: Yeaman
4: Hall
5. Briscoe
6: Horne
7: Long
8: Dowes
9: Berrigan
10: Radford
11: Manu
12: Fitzgibbon
13: Washbrook

14: Lauaki
15: Moa
16: O'Meley
17: Houghton

That leaves out Burnett, Cusack, Whiting, Turner and Tickle, all highly regarded players.

Huge bench at Hull.

It is.

Dowes and Radford (or possibly Cusack) to start the game and get through some graft, then bring on the big guns to really hammer into the opposition.

I can't decide whether to go for Turner instead of Houghton though, it depends whether Berrigan is capable of 80 minutes. The fact that he hasn't played a pre season game means that he will probably need spelling, thats if he makes the game at all (he is our only injury doubt afaik).

Hull's pack is immense and you can tell that's where the cap was spent, as their backs are pretty poor IMO.

no doubt Agar will have them running it up the middle all game, stand by for another season of free flowing RL FC fans!

If the derby was anything to go by it will be anything but, for every try we scored we bombed another two, we played some really smart and expansive stuff but the final pass wasn't quite there at times but hopefully that will come.

Fear the vee, our pack is obviously our strength, but I think you do our backs a disservice. I reckon it's easily in the top 6/7 set of backs in the league.

Hudds look to have great depth but I don't think the first 13 is the best out there. I think they'll probably drop a couple of places this year.
I genuinely think Crusaders will not finish bottom, Quins and Salford will

Joint?

That must be very unlikely, why don't you see what the odds are at the bookies?

Quins or Celtic will come bottom for me. Both teams lack quality and have no real depth to their squads.

I'm undecided about bottom, If Noble can get that much effort every week, and their fitness improves Celtic could get ahead of Quins and Salford, however I think those 3 will defniitely be the bottom three

Salford and Crusaders will struggle again, though I think Quins could end up bottom of the pile this year (although I'm surprised not to hear McDermott claiming they can win it this year, after all what's the point of playing otherwise?).
Unfortunately I think Cas will also struggle, smaller squad than last year and look completely unfit and out of condition. Though I'll be happy if I'm wrong.

Thats what I meant to say!
You just put it a bit better

. I've done that plenty of times, typed something fast and when re-reading it sound either stupid or with some sort of unintended pun.

Our pack is deffinately one of the best in the league, we have size, power, aggresiveness the lot this year. There's nothing wrong with our backs either. Plenty of speed and players who can go the length of the field. Tansey will link up with our halves greatly and can see him been one of our top try scorers this season. Our pack will lay a great platform for our backs to cause havock near the line.

I'm confident this year

I personally think Fitzgibbon and O'Meley are well past it. Your bench are monsters though.
Personally I reckon you'll finish about 6th

O'Meley is, Fitzgibbon isn't.

O'Meley is 4 years younger than Fitzgibbon?

Yes. Paul Deacon is 5 years younger than Steve Menzies, who is more past it?

To be honest I hope most people write us off and think some of our players are past it, as I have no doubt that they'll prove hell of alot of people wrong this season.

Fitzgibbon isn't a BAD player, he just isnt the player he was imo, O'Meley just looked to have lost the passion.
Both could be VERY good signings however I dunno, I just get the feeling you could be expecting more from these guys than they'll deliver, Matt King style.
Like I said, 6th imho

Leeds, Saints, Warrington, Wigan, Catalans, Huddersfield and Hull can all win each other this season. Leeds will finish 1st but any of the above teams are capable of getting second.

Deal, I would take that now, I think a few Hull fans are getting a bit carried away, we have had the most positie pre-season that I can remember, for the first time in years the coach has signed players that we really needed, also a top assistant coach will also help Agar.

All very exciting, got a tough first game, where I think we will get beat, be interesting to see the reactions from our fans if this happens.