The starting 13 is pretty much sorted, except the battle between Atkins and Riley, but what about the bench. I'd say Higham, Wood, Solomona and V. Anderson. Any thoughts??

It will vary i think itll be higham wood solomona then the last 1 will change depending on the conditions/who we playing etc

i think you missed cooper out.

For me it's between V. Anderson, Grix, Cooper and either Atkins or Riley for the last spot... With injuries Blythe, McCarthy, Thompson and Mitchell have a shot...

atkins or riley ? are you serious ? do you think che is gonna pay all that money and leave him out? atkins every time for moi,

Same for me, I just think Riley can't just be left out of the equation!

me too . just shows you how good our squad is this year. bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!

injuries and form will dictate who plays and who's on the bench.

Riley is a great young player, with huge potential why watse that on the bench? ROTATION.

I'll get hung drawn and quartered for this but I expect to see Clarke on the bench for probably 60% of games.
Like others are saying it will depend on injuries, oppostion and of course form, Smith showed last year he wasn't afraid to drop players. At the end of the day it's a squad game and for all the years we've banged on about having a 13 to match most, we now look like we have a squad to match most.

Can't wait for the season to get going now.

Be a shame if Riley misses out.....he's improved massive over the last 2 seasons.

Hicks, Bridge, King, Atkins, Riley, Grix, Penny all playing for wing or centre position.

Then there's Monas, Higham and Clarke fighting for Hooker.

Stand off and scrum half almost guaranteed to be Briers and Myler.

Be interesting if we get anyone not pulling their weight.


Bring it on...

So you would have a bench with 1 interchange prop on it ?
You must be seriously deranged or have no conception of rugby league or both , think I would guess at BOTH ! on reading most of your previous attempts at posting !

higham, wood, solomona and cooper

Higham (interchnage hooker) Wood, Solomona (both prop rotation plus Solomona can cover back row positions) VAnderson (utility cover can play centre, stand-off, second row etc).

I couldn't & wouldn't leave Cooper out. He surely must be ahead of Wood now in every aspect, has age on his side, is stronger, quicker etc.

I'd be disappointed to see Cooper miss out regularly I have to say, similarly to Harrison, he did enough to cement himself in the 17 I thought, I think you could make a decent argumant to see his form has been far, far superior to that of Paul Wood.

I think we'll go Higham, Carvell, Cooper, Solomona.

Solomona is that versatile, he can cover backrow, prop, loose, stand off & centre. If he played in the halves he's a matchwinner, that's how good he is.

You've confused him with someone else, JWP. We've signed a useless, workshy, sicknote waste-of-space who'll do nothing but sponge off us. Che Smith can't half pick'em...

double post! see below instead!!

Who would you have as your other starting prop with Mozza then JWP if Carvell is starting on the bench?

Sorry, my bad.

I'd start Carvell & Morley. I'd have Cooper & Wood as bench props.

Bench of Higham, Cooper, Wood, Solomona.

If as Smith said in an interview, he sees Solo' as in interchange prop at times, so if it became an either or, I'd play Cooper. I actually think he's better than Wood, I think he's got the ability to be up there with the best.

I sort of, daft as it sounds, I wouldn't want Wood holding Cooper back now.

i couldn't agree more.. as much as i like wood.. i just don't think he is the best man for the job anymore... Cooper has so much potential, picking wood over him would be a mistake for me.

Smith doesn't strike me as the sentimental type. Who was it he left out of the squad for a major final that Leeds figured in? Can see Smith picking players on performance rather than reputation, unlike previous coaches - reckon we'll see a lot of Coops this year.

No back cover there Chief. I think you would have to have VAnderson (or maybe Mitchell or McCarthy) there as cover.

With regard to Wood over Cooper, Wood has the experience and Cooper is still a young developing player in a role that players generally improve with age. Still one for the future.

All conjecture anyway as it the team will be selected to who is fit.

I expect a few suprises - and by no means do I see the 13 fixed - let alone the 17.
There's at least 20 players who have a realistic chance of playing in the first game (injuries permitting).

Smith has a habit of looking at things differently - look at the England squad where he left out many including Gleeson.

Really am interested to see who he chooses.

I'd have Solomona as my back cover. He's good enough to win games from halfback, I've seen him do it for Wakefield. Last year, when we pummeled Bradford at Odsal, they wouldn't have scored a point if he hadn't played. He' smore than just a forward, much more.

You wanted Chris Bridge at prop last year.