Hodgson
J.Monaghan
Bridge
Atkins
Riley
Briers
Myler
Morley
M.Monaghan
Carvell
Waterhouse
Westwood
Grix

Ratchford/Higham
Wood
Harrison
Cooper

Solomona/Hill
Higham/Ratchford

Our only 'weak spot' in my opnion could come with the back-up hooker. Higham is good but not excellent, I still think we should have tried to get Withers from Crusaders! Ratchford gives lots of utility on the bench (Centre/Halves/Full-back) but he's not a hooker for me! Possibly we could try Grix at 9 but with the hooking role being so key these days perhaps having Higham on the bench might be best... It's good that there is such depth in our squad that we're having this discussion!

We could put in (almost) 2 top quality 13s

Hodgson
J.Monaghan
Bridge
Atkins
Riley
Briers
Myler
Morley
M.Monaghan
Carvell
Waterhouse
Westwood
Grix


?- Ratchford or Riley could go here too
Williams
Blythe
Evans
?- We could stick Tyke on the wing!!
Ratchford
O'Brien
Hill
Higham
Wood
Solomona
Cooper
Harrison

Agree with that mostly. Apart from solomona. When his comes off in a match it is brilliant but last season he went on an extended (understatement) poor showing match run. He gifted tries to the opposition and didn't provide a thing for us. I am, obviously, not saying we should never see him again but he wouldn't be top of my team sheet this year. This must be his final year too. I have a feeling that, on recent showing, waterhouse will run rings around solomona.

I would also give cooper the nod over ben simply because he deserves it.

i think you'll see less of solo's magic this year, even if he does play good minutes, if waterhouse is as good as he's reputed to be as an offloader, i can't see you having both of them on the field too much at the same time, possibly solo coming off the bench to keep the pressure up replacing trent.

Grix has to be 1st choice loose he had an outstanding year. harrison has a big task to put 2011 and his injuries behind him. He started off the year well but then never got anywhere near his best the back end of season. Grix offers alot more there with his skills and ball handling.
bridge for me has to play regular centre and will do after the loss of king!
the pecking order of cooper and harrison will be interesting and probably be decided on the friendlys but i feel both are musts in the 17!

Good God - 2011 must be a record - I (almost) agree with Sally for a third time this year !!



I'd have Micky in instead of Ratchford but apart from that.....

And if you look at the back up we've got
Williams
Blythe
Evans
Ratchford
O'Brien
Hill
McCarthy
it's a really strong squad.

Undoubtedly we'll miss King - some of the stuff he did last year was incredible.

That is only really off-set by the fact that some of the fringe players have more experience.

Suggest we'll get more 'play' from Waterhouse than Louis, but Louis was in great form for most of last year so I don't see much change there.
Waterhouse has a lot to live up to in defence.