Now the internationals are over it's time to start looking forward to Superleague 2011. How is everyones squad shaping up? What are the areas that still require some strengthening and what are your thoughts on both your team and the league in general?

My team Hull FC have been pretty quiet in the transfer market but have signed a couple of really good prospects. We are also looking at a couple of other players and have got a spare quota place to hopefully bring over a decent halfback. We made good strides last year and with some of our young guns improving all the time I am hopeful that we can push on into that top 4.

Tansey
Briscoe
Yeaman
Berrigan
Sharp
Horne
Long
O'Meley
Houghton
Radford
Tickle
Fitzgibbon
Westerman

Manu
Lauaki
Moa
Washbrook

That 17 looks strong but then we've only really got Dowes, Whiting and Turner with substantial experience as back up, after those it's down to the kids although we do have some very promising ones coming through. If we can have a little more luck with our halfs staying fit then I think we can make the 4.

Wigan
Wire
St Helens
Hull
Huddersfield
Leeds
Hull KR
Bradford
Celtic
Salford
Catalans
Wakefield
Castleford
Quins

I think we are looking stronger, alot more depth about the squad and if our new imports do well can see a top 6 finish, injuries and form permitting.

1. Briscoe
2. Fox
3. Webster
4. Welham
5. Colbon
6. Green
7. Dobson
8. Clinton
9. Fisher
10. Vella
11. Newton
12. Mason
13. Galea

14. Murrell
15. Watts
16. Lovegrove
17. Wheeldon

Wellens
Foster
Shenton
Wheeler
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Roby
Perry
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery

Moore
LMS
Soliola
Clough

Matty Ashurst
Andrew Dixon
Jonny Lomax
Shaun Magennis
Gareth Frodsham
Jamie Ellis
Lee Gaskell
Nathan Ashe
Thomas Makinson
Carl Forster
Scott Hale
Chris Dean?
Tom Armstrong?
Andrew Yates?
Jack Bradbury?

I think you guys have now got one of the better backrows in the competition. Newton, Mason and Galea looks decent.

Absolutely, I can see them forcing their way into the England squad . . . . . oh, hang on.



In all seriousness, can't wait to see Mason in SL, be good to have another pantomime villain knocking about, there are too few these days.

6 thru 13 look strong.


Replacing Cooke, Mills and Walker who for one reason or another managed 3 games between them for HKR in 2010 with Mason, Green and Hall should give us much better options. Cook, Netherton, Cockayne and Hall don't make your 17 but'll do a job. Then hopefully Taylor can do a Watts, or something like it, and a few of the kids might get a couple of run outs from the bench.

It'll be good to see him playing. I just wish it wasn't for KR, tbh, me being an FC fan and all.



With FC, our halves staying fit is massively important to us. Like last season, we so for do not have any real cover for them, meaning that we'll be forced into playing Danny Washbrook, Shaun Berrigan or Jordan Turner in the halves, which isn't the best, tbh. However, we are strongly rumoured to have signed/be about to complete the signing of Grant Rovelli on a 1 year deal, which would be a good cover halfback, and would leave me much more confident of us managing to make it into the top 4.
We're a bit light in the prop department. At the moment our cover for the props is Ewan Dowes, and whilst not being terrible or able to break tackles, he doesn't really strike fear into the hearts of the opposition.
Starting props will probably be O'Meley, Sam Moa, Lee Radford, and one of Craig Fitzgibbon / Hame Lauaki (Lauaki is my personal choice).

We're strong in the back row: Danny Tickle, Craig Fitzgibbon, Willie Manu, Joe Westerman, Hame Lauaki, (admittedly one of Lauaki or Fitz will be at prop), with Mike Burnett, Liam Kent , Chris Green and Liam Cunningham as cover (3 of those highly rated in our u20's).

At fullback we're alright. Jordan Tansey is hot and cold there, but when he's hot he's brilliant. Just needs to stop having the odd clanger every now and then. Richard Whiting is more than able cover for the FB spot, or any other 3/4 position.

Centres: In Berrigan we've got a great, natural centre, as well have having the defensively-strong Yeaman, with Whiting and Jordan Turner to give them a bit of competition. Look decent enough there.

Wings: Tom Briscoe, plus our new signing Will Sharp from Quins seem a good combination, plus both have age on their sides. Looking strong there when you add in Reece Lyne for cover.

So as long as we sign an able back-up half-back - Rovelli, possibley - or manage to keep Sean Long fit for the majority of the season, I think FC will go very well and make the top 4. Improved our squad by making some good, young, and English signings, meaning we should improve on our performances last year.

Looking forward to the new season.

Thoughts?

Edit: Completely forgot about our other weakness - Hooker.

With Berrigan switching to centre - a move manyhave been asking for for a while now - we've only really got Danny Houghton as a dedicated hooker. Whilst, imo, he's a great player with plenty of potential, we can't have him playing the full 80 every week.
This means that unless we sign a back-up half that is capable to play Hooker, we're a bit struggling on that front. We've gone from 3 or 4 hookers in the squad in 2008, to 1. So unless we sign another player - which I'm hoping we do - we're left to pick out of Danny Washbrook, Richard Whiting and Jordan Turner to be an interchange hooker next season.
Out of those, personally, I'd choose whiting, as he has a good rugby brain as well as a decent amount of skill. He's played well in every position asked of him last year (FB, Wing, Centre, SO, Back Row), and so can probably do a decent job there, too.
I choose him over Danny Washbrook, who is a little slow at the ruck and sometimes seems to lack ideas, imo, or Turner.

My choice lineup for FC for next season:

Jordan Tansey
Tom Briscoe
Shaun Berrigan
Kirk Yeaman
Will Sharp
Rich Horne
Sean Long
Mark O'Meley
Danny Houghton
Lee Radford
Danny Tickle
Craig Fitzgibbon
Joe Westerman

Sam Moa
Hame Lauaki
Willie Manu
Richard Whiting (also cover the backs, as well as Hooker).


Second edit: I realise that I have gone into more detail of the FC squad than many non-FC fans would care to read.

seems a fair assessment. With Berrigan moving to centre it only leaves Houghton as a natural hooker - If Rovelli can play there it'll be a big help. I can see Whiting or Turner playing a fair bit at centre and Berrigan being moved about, tbh.

edit - I snipped and replied before your first edit addressed this.

Bradford have a decent sized squad to pick from for 2011.

1. Kearney
2. Ainscough
3. Ah Van
4. Walker
5. Raynor
6.
7. Herbert
8. Scruton
9. Diskin
10. Lynch
11. Hall
12. Elima
13. Langley (H)

And to fill out the subs bench

Backs: Royston, Platt, Crookes(H), Sykes(H), Halley(H), Finnigan(H), Southernwood(H)

Forwards: L'Estrange, Godwin, Hargreaves, Kopczak(H), Crossley(H), Whitehead(H), Donaldson(H), Addy(H), Sibbit, Olbison(H), G & T Burgess(H), Worriency, Sculthorpe.

We've apparently still got some signings to finalise within the next 2 weeks so the Bulls will have one of the bigger squads in the league, fair from last year's effort with all our eggs in once expensive, homesick basket.
We've also a high number of home grown players in our squad (marked with a H on the list)

a season of change for us i feel. i would think we will bring two more players in yet but our two best from last year, mcguire and peacock will be out till may and nobody knows how they will recover from the knee injuries.
with webb,smith, senior,delaney and hall at the back its solid if not spectacular. both jones-bishop and watkins are big hopes. great talent but as yet unproved,. i think its a big year for those two.
burrow was poor last year and with mcguire out he needs to step up to the mark.
cross, bailey,burgess and leuluai will make up the front row. again solid and hard hitting if not spectacular. young kyle amor was supurb for cumbria against england so hopefully he will get some game time this year. ambler is another who deserves some game time, quite why he was ignored last season is beyond me.
ablett, lauitiiti,jjb,kirke and sinfield will make up the pack. if big ali can stay fit he is a supurb gamebreaker. sinfield is, well sinfield, a class act in the super league. the others are all solid players. buderus should play more this year. the dual hooking didn't work and we looked far better with him on the field.

all in all its a transitional period coming up. the squad is solid and hard to beat but i think we just look short of real quality in certain places. no doubt we will benefit from only hall going to the four nations and i'm sure we will be fitter and stronger under brian mac this year.
last year we were dogged by an horrendous injury list all season so if we can stay fairly healthy i'm sure we will be there or thereabouts come october.
wether we have the quality to win at old trafford is another matter.

The 1,7,9 positions are still up in the air at Wigan.

1. S. Tomkins/A. Roberts
2. D. Goulding
3. M. Gleeson
4. G. Carmont
5. P. Richards
6. B. Finch/Sam Tomkins
7. T. Leuluai/P. Deacon/B. Finch
8. S. Fielden
9. M. McIlorum/T. Leuluai
10. A. Coley
11. R. Hoffman
12. J. Tomkins
13. S. O'Loughlin

J. Lima
P. Prescott
H. Hansen
L. Farrell
C. Tuson

O'Carroll, Pryce, Charnley, Mossop, Marsh, Mellor etc

Kearney
Ah Van
Walker
Sykes
Raynor
??
Herbert
Scruton
Diskin
Lynch
Elima
Hall
Langley

L'Estrange
Hargreaves
Kopzcak
Whitehead

Halley
Platt
Sibbitt
Worrincy
Godwin
Royston
Ainscough
Sculthorpe
Halley
Finigan
Addy
G Burgess
T Burgess
Donaldson
Olbison
Crossley
Southernwood
O'Brien

For Leigh, we're looking good too. We will be getting 4 DC players to add to.
1. Donlan
2. Maden
3. Nanyn
4. Littler
5. McGilvaray
6. Ridyard
7. Paul
8. Bibey
9. Duffy
10. Hill
11. Littler
12. Goulden
13. Thornley
R. Nicholson
R. Taylor
R. Higson
R. Nash

Squad- Pownall, Briscoe, Hopkins, Meekin.

Add to this 4 good young Super League prospects and we look a decent side for the Championship.

I notice that that both Bradford fans have put a ?? for your 6. Is this because you personally are undecided, or the club is rumoured to be signing someone else, or because there just isn't anyone for the spot?
If it's the latter, isn't Halley at Fullback and Kearney at 6 a likely option?

Edit: Also, are the Burgess twins anywhere near the 17? Quite a bit of expectation with those two.

Bit of a heavy workload you're putting on Littler there

Briscoe

Fox
Welham
Hall
Webster

Green
Dobson

Vella
Fisher/Hodgson
Watts

Newton
Mason

Murrell

Galea
Clinton
Lovegrove
Cockayne

Royston is more likely to get in at FB ahead of Halley should Kearney be played at 6

We are still rumoured to be signing at least one more halfback, the Burgess twins are possibly another season away from being able to cement a consistent 1st team spot but it's likely they'll feature in the cup, depending on who we get or depending on how injuries/form affect our pack

Warrington

1. Brett Hodgson
2. Chris Hicks
3. Chris Bridge
4. Ryan Atkins
5. Matt King
6. Lee Briers
7. Richie Myler
8. Adrian Morley
9. Michael Monaghan
10. Garreth Carvell
11. Louis Anderson
12. Ben Westwood
13. Ben Harrison

Paul Wood
Jon Clarke/Micky Higham
David Solomona
Simon Grix/Michael Cooper/Chris Riley

Got to be one of the best on paper.

Our first choice 17 come mid-season could just be simply ridiculous.

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Amos Roberts
3. Martin Gleeson
4. George Carmont
5. Pat Richards
6. Brett Finch
7. Paul Deacon
8. Stuart Fielden
9. Thomas Leuluai
10. Jeff Lima
11. Ryan Hoffman
12. Joel Tomkins
13. Sean O'loughlin

-----------------------------------
14. Mike McIlorum
15. Andy Coley
16. Gareth Hock
17. Harrison Hansen/Lee Mossop


Frightening.

I can't wait for our matches next year now that our pack can finally muscle up to yours and you've brought in a decent fullback!

It is isn't it!!!

But for all the wrong reasons.

Oh do we really have to go through all this s--t again.



I think I'm going to setup a website (part of my degree at Lancaster anyway) for people like you explaining the overseas/homegrown situation at Wigan. I'll then link it in my signature and I can point you (and the many other people engrossed with Wigan RL) to it in the future so I don't have to go through these irritating, small-minded, ill-informed conversations on the VT with people who don't have a clue.

Wigans imports are all quality. Its the cack that Hull KR bring over that is the problem

Harrison Hansen is Home Grown and in no way counts as overseas

England RL just got walloped AGAIN!!!

Frightening isn't it!!!