The Ferres debacle has got me thinking about our squad for 2016, the team we can put on the field and who will fill in given injuries.

I see the starting 17 as follows

Grix
Jerry
Leroy
Connor (think he is out for the first month or two)
Murphy
Brough
Ellis
Crabtree
Hinchliffe
Huby
Wardle
Ta'ai
Lawence

Rapira
Smith
Patrick
Leeming

Reserves:
Robinson - Will probably get picked over Leeming.
K.Wood - Will return a couple of months into the season I think, good player but do we need all these halves?
Roberts - Apparently bags of potential but he's never played first team for us.
Simpson - Looks a great player for the future, not sure if he's enough cover in the back line.
L.Johnson - Don't know much about him but heard good things, will probably get 1/2 games this year.
J.Johnson - Has played some Super League and I liked the look of him at Loose Forward I'd imagine this is his opportunity.
Dickinson - Out on Loan to Keighley.
M.Wood - One for the future, might get a game this year.

2015 Outs: Lunt, Koppy, Mullally, Hughes, Broughton, Bailey, Fairbank, Learmoth, (Ferres)
2016 Ins: Hinchliffe, Rapira, Patrick, M.Wood

We have lost a lot of quality there with lot of SL experience (Learmoth aside) and while I'm confident the young lads can step up and we can potentially shuffle about if required, I think we are slightly short in the centre/wing, back-row and prop area, more so given that Anderson has said Rapira has been struggling for a while with injuries.

Any thoughts on potential line-ups, or rumours of further signings, with pre-season underway i'd imagine our options are limited, unless we can get someone in a swap deal for Ferres, or we splash a couple of quid?

think connor will be fit for start of season, hes just abit behind in pre season

wood too i think will be ok for the start but no need to rush them

we have cover in the half back roles with robinson and wood which is good.

will be relying on the youngsters to come good if we get some injuries in the pack

who knows what we will do to replace ferres, the club doesnt rush to make signings bit like when lunt left.

How do you guys think Patrick will go for you?
He clearly wasn't in Baloo's plans last season when they allowed him to go to Wigan in exchange for Jack Hughes in a loan swap

Word was that you wanted him off your cap space and wanted Wigan to keep him after the loan spell
If this isn't true then what are you gaining by getting him back that you wouldnt have had last season if you had kept him?

He wanted to go, Wigan didn't want to keep him. I can't see we've gained anything apart from perhaps cutting down an ego.

That squad will win nothing this season.
Although i would love it absolutely love it if this turns into my Alan Hansen moment.

Patrick is in a difficult position. He has to perform to get a contract at the Giants ( unlikely ) or if he plays badly no one will be offering him big bucks anywhere else.

So he will have to play out of his skin to put himself in the shop window for 2017.

We are still a back row forward and a wing / centre short in the squad in terms of numbers.

The only hope is that we can manipulate a deal to get someone in exchange for Ferres. Lots of clubs would want him but who would they offer.

Personally i would phone Rusell Crowe up and tell him we will help him out by taking Sam Burgess for a year but he will have to pay half his wages then send Ferres to OZ for a year.

patrick has alot to prove, thought the grass would be greener

looks like he will get his chance though and being in last year of a contract is always a good thing as they will be trying their best to get a new one

I hope he has a grear season and then we let him go and get someone on who wants to play for the club and not a contract

There isn't many who play for pride in the shirt anymore. RL is a short career and money more than often rules over anything. I'll take Patrick playing for a contract if it meant we won something.

I do fear us to be short on the second row though unless somebody comes through who isn't expected. Roberts should get a chance but would still like to see a second rower with experience playing at a high level signed. Even just a squad player.

You are bang right there but IMO that is more to do with a clubs culture in keeping players happy in their working environment rather than chasing the bigger salary elsewhere and being enticed by the lure of the Koukash dream
I know you've heard it all before but the Rhinos have kept so many players over the years because they were happy to be playing where they were happy
Sir Kev mentioned this in one of his GF winning speeches when he said that they could have all earned a few more quid elsewhere

The Giants have got so much going for them if they control and manage it right, If the players buy into it as a collective group then the rewards will certainly come to those that decide to stay on the ride rather than those that decide to jump off at the first opportunity of more money elsewhere

Lee Smith is on trial at Hull FC, worth a punt as cover at the right price? Plus he's won some big games which is what we need...

No.

+1

We either give youth a chance or add some quality.
Smith is not a centre or a second row which is where we may struggle.

There seems to be a few very good NRL centres up for grabs at the moment, whether we could land them is another question, but at the moment there are James Roberts, Peter Hiku and Tim Lafai all looking for clubs, hope some enquiries are being drafted.

Thought some announcements would have been made by now in all honesty with regards to the squad, ferres etc.

A top quality centre would be great as currently i don't think Connor is good enough as first choice.
That would allow Wardle to move to second row and along with Lawrence,Taai,Patrick and Roberts we should have enough cover in this area.
I would also expect Hinchcliffe is an 80 minute player so during games if Robinson or Leeming come on from the bench he could move into the back row for this part of the game.

Pomeroy also without a club...

looks like hinchcliffe will be given the number 9 shirt and playing hooker for next season, good news

ferres given the number 11 squad number for 2016.

ferres has to have a sq. the legal in and out. the key is who can we get to replace him the squad even with ferres looks light in the back row and backs

yeh does look abit light

we are relying alot on hinchcliffe this year i think

some of the youngsters are going to have to step up too i feel which is no bad thing. roberts could be the one

wardles brother even brought in we are that light in the backs

huby broken his wrist



out for first 6 weeks of sl season

rapira, crabtree, smith with maybe taai filling in at prop now? anderson might go with josh johnson too

You would think we might be trying to bring someone else in now, second rower perhaps, otherwise we will be expecting BIG seasons from one or two of the young forwards.

Huby. broken wrist or is it hand.? What is it Coach Anderson and how did it happen????????
Ferres saga???? Going to be lightweight thinks.

I'm really worried about our strength in depth particularly now Huby's out for 6 weeks.
A lot will depend on Rapira and his fitness and I wouldn't want to put my mortgage on Rapira's fitness, I'm afraid.
Suspect the club are happy to take Ferres' contract off the cap as - unfortunately, as usual, season ticket sales have been nothing to write home about and we're skint.
Not all that optimistic for the season (can you tell?)

Oh, and whilst I'm on my high-horse, In my opinion, once again the club (Thewlis) has been appalling in it's communication with the fans since the end of last season which does nothing whatsoever to foster any spirit of 'togetherness'.

I've been of the quiet opinion for a while that Thewlis is the weak link in the giants chain

I wasn't optimistic last season either, but I'll wait to see how we run before I make judgement

think last season alot were thinking we werent even going to make the top 8
but they surprised us and may very well do so again!
when you have danny brough in your team there is always a chance!