Leigh Centurions.

1. Mcnally
2. Maden
3. Littler
4. Gardner
5. Mcgilvary
6. Ridyard
7. Brierley
8. Bibey
9. Duffy
10. Parker
11. Goulden
12. Taylor
13. Beswick

14. Pownall
15. Hopkins
16. Gallagher
17. Gerrard

Still a few to be confirmed, but looking very competitive at the mo.

How is your financial situation looking- have you turned the corner?

Squad does look competitive, you're right.

Better than it has been for years in my opinion. The plans at the moment are at last to run the club properly and not overspend. We relied too much on Arthur Thomas to keep lumping money into us and when he went, we were stuffed. Last year we had to average crowds of 4000 to break even, the figure i've heard this year is 2k.

We have a cracking looking team, great stadium, running the club properly under hard circumstances and international RL being played in our town.

And still some people arn't happy.

You are playing Brierley at 7? I would prefer him at stand off, but i'm sure he will be a success for you next season. Looks like a decent team.

Depending how the injuries are at Cas, with the 'agreement' we have you might see players like Clare, Blackmore or Orange coming your way on Duel reg. All of who will be playing in SL in the next year or 2.

Any of those a big prop?

We could probably do with a centre too.

Clare is wing, Blackmore is centre, Orange is back row/centre.

Clark Thomposon is probably our best young prop. He was on loan to Gateshead last I knew. If he lost a bit of weight he might be able to step up to championship.

Who cares about the championship pfffffffft lower class scum.







Only joking my championship friends, we haven't forgot ya, my opinion is Halifax will scoop the lot this year with Fev close behind, then Batley, Leigh etc to battle it out for the rest. Fax certainly have the attacking players to destroy anyone in that division. Leigh are looking strong though considering all what's gone on.

I think Swinton will have a strong season. Can't see past Featherstone though, with Fax and Leigh fighting it out with them.

Probably a fair assessment that mate.

Sheffield have retained all their squad bar Danny Mills and Jamie Cottle whilst adding depth with the likes of Dom Brambani and Micheal Knowles to name a few.

We got to the final last year, it was a game to far but with playing some friendlies this year and no dual reg players to worry about we should be there or there about again.

We've already got a great Championship stand off in Martyn Ridyard, and we lost our Scrum Halves with Hull taking Jamie Ellis and Robbie Paul retiring. So I would imagine Brierly will play at scrum half, hoping for a good season from him as he sounds like a very good prospect.

[uYork City Knights[/u

1. James Haynes
2. Waine Pryce
3. James Ford
4. George Elliot
5. Dave Sutton
6. Chris Thorman
7. Gareth Moore (likely)
8. Paul King
9. Jack Lee
10. Alex Benson
11. Rhys Clarke
12. Matt Garside
13. Tom Haughey

14. Adam Sullivan
15. Jack Stearman
16. Tom Bush
17. Lee Williams

I reeeally hope we don't get any injuries.

Glad to hear it. It was seriously sad to have to put money in a bucket to help you out, but for the grace of God go the rest of us.

Keighley Cougars

1. James Haythornthwaite
2. Richie Barnett
3. Jake Normington
4. Ben Sagar
5. Gavin Duffy
6. Paul March
7. Danny Jones
8. Michael Korkidas
9. Sam Obst
10. Neil Cherryholme
11. Oliver Pursglove
12. Chris Clough
13. Jason Demitriou (unless he retires)

14. Jamaine Wray
15. Andy Shickell
16. Brendan Rawlins
17. James Feather

EDIT- We've signed Sam Obst today so I've stuck him in at hooker. I'm getting optimistic hence the little flutter in my sig.

Saw the Sam Obst signing and thought, great signing, pity about the rest of the squad.....

I stand corrected, that's a cracking looking 17, some real danger men in there.

I'll take a punt at

Featherstone Rovers

1. Ian Hardman
2. Tom Car
3. Sam Smeaton
4. Tangi Ropati
5. Tommy Saxton
6. Danny Grimshaw
7. Liam Finn
8. Stuart Dickens
9. Ben Kaye
10. Dom Maloney
11. Jon Grayshon
12. Tim Spears
13. Jon Hepworth

14. Andy Kain
15. Michael Haley
16. Nathan Freer
17. Greg Worthington

Also got the likes of Bostock, Chappell, Lockwood and Muvududu to rotate in! Looking like a strong squad for 2012

If i'm honest I can't see past Fev winning the league again this year. Fax will challenge but don't think they will be as consistent as Fev over the course of the season.

EDIT: Also who is Tom Car? Don't think i've ever heard of him, is he a Fev academy lad or has he come from somewhere else?

He is an academy lad yes with Powell retiring I think he's ready to step into the first team, also a handy goal kicker by all accounts too.

What about charlie martin, a DR loan might be very good for him as he is unlikely to get much game time next year but is in full time training, would help his development and give leigh another prop.

Leigh have made another couple of signings since this thread started so here is the updated team.

1. Mcnally
2. Clay ( signed from salford )
3. Maden
4. Gardner
5. Mcgilvary
6. Ridyard
7. Brierley
8. Parker
9. Beswick
10. Ostick ( signed from fax )
11. Goulden
12. Littler
13. Taylor

14. Pownall
15. Bibey
16. Hopkins
17. Duffy

Still 3/4 places in squad to be filled prob by loans or D/C players.

fev team for next year:

1 hardman
2 carr
3 smeaton
4 ropati/ worthington/ chappell
5 saxton
6 grimshaw
7 finn
8 maloney
9 kaye
10 dickens
11 dale
12 spears
13 hepworth

14 kain
15 haley
16 england/ freer
17 grayshon/ bostock/ lockwood

fringe players: muvududu, hemmingway

fev looking very strong again for next year, imo the team to beat again

, fax have a good squad but its a whole new team nearly and not many of them have played together so for me they will have to gel quickly to make a challenge, leigh assembling a good team to say the troubles they've been in but i fear for them if they get injuries as they have'nt got alot of depth to the squad, batley will do well again and have kept alot of the squad together like fev so i expect them to be up there again and sheffield will be similar to last year. think swinton might make the six then the others will be battling it out to finish as high in the table as they can.

Swinleigh looking quite strong , could put in a serious challenge

On paper, the division has never looked so close in my opinion. Featherstone and Leigh have lost key players and the likes of Keighley + Swinton have recruited well. It's going to be a great year in the championship!

although i can see the theory behind Fax maybe not gelling from the off as we have alot of new players, and fev being a side that have played mostly together for afew years and would likely carry on their consistincy from last season. however i believe on paper we have the best squad outside SL.

its not how you start, its how you finish the year, and for me this squad (playing to their potential and not unlucky with injuries) will be very, and i mean very tough to beat.

added to that the experience of Rhino and Brian noble - htings looking good at the shay!

FB Ryan Fieldhouse
RW Rob Worrincy
RC Mick Nanyn
LC Ste Tyrer
LW Paul White
SO Anthony Thackery
HB Paul Handforth
PR Sam Barlow
HK Sean Penkywicz
PR Sean Hesketh
2R Iain Morrison
2R Ross Divorty
LF Dane Manning
-------------------------------
14 Joe Chandler
15 Ben Heaton
16 Makali Aizue
17 Callum Casey
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18 Anthony Bowman
19 Craig Ashall