What are your thoughts? From the few pics I've seen of players in new training gear so far there are some big players down the pecking order.

6 Gaskell
10 Matagi
12 Mellor
13 Bruno
16 Fergie
18 Smith
21 Grix
22 Rankin
26 Seb

Some important numbers in the starting 13 up for grabs...

1 - I'd assume would be Darnell going by Grix and Rankin numbers.
4 - up for grabs, will it be Turner or will we sign Ross? Will it be a Wardle?
8 - presumably Taai or Clough
9 - Leeming or O'Brien
11 - Taai / Murphy /Roberts?

interesting

yes id say darnell will be the full back, or be given first crack at it anyway for 2019

the number seb has says it all really, hes going, not good.

Also
1 Darnell, 2- Jerry, 3-Leroy, 5- Uate 7- Frawley 19-English

I would imagine taai will stick with his favourite number 17. Murphy will get 11.
I reckon leeming will be 14 and OB 9 on last year

From pics ive seen:

1. Darnell
2. Jerry
3. Leroy
4. Turner
5. Uate
6. Gaskell
7. Frawley
8. Clough
9. Leeming
10. Matagi
11. ????
12. Mellor
13. Bruno
14. Murphy
15. Roberts
16. Ferguson
17. Taai
18. Smith
19. English
20. Wardle
21. ???? Havnt seen but guessing AOB will keep his same squad number
22. Rankin
23. Ollie Russell
24. Tom Holmes
25. Roche
26. Seb
27. Walne
28. ???
29. ??? Senior
30. ??? Senior
31. ??? Hewitt
32. ??? Kirby
33. Butterworth
34. Farrell

Suggests to me we could potentially have another 2 new faces in???

maybe nathan ross to come in still

turner still first choice centre then...

further update:

1. Darnell
2. Jerry
3. Leroy
4. Turner
5. Uate
6. Gaskell
7. Frawley
8. Clough
9. Leeming
10. Matagi
11. Murphy
12. Mellor
13. Bruno
14. AOB
15. Roberts
16. Ferguson
17. Taai
18. Smith
19. English
20. Wardle
21. ????
22. Rankin
23. Ollie Russell
24. Tom Holmes
25. Roche
26. Seb
27. Walne
28. ???
29. ??? Senior
30. ??? Senior
31. ??? Hewitt
32. ??? Kirby
33. Butterworth
34. Farrell

2 squad numbers to fill......

Cheers Giantjake, squad looking good, with depth!

Grix? He had 21 on in one of the pictures published recently

further update:

1. Darnell
2. Jerry
3. Leroy
4. Turner
5. Uate
6. Gaskell
7. Frawley
8. Clough
9. Leeming
10. Matagi
11. Murphy
12. Mellor
13. Bruno
14. AOB
15. Roberts
16. Ferguson
17. Taai
18. Smith
19. English
20. Wardle
21. Grix
22. Rankin
23. Ollie Russell
24. Tom Holmes
25. Roche
26. Seb
27. Walne
28. Wood? does he still get a squad number if hes on a season long loan?
29. Senior
30. Senior
31. Hewitt
32. Kirby
33. Butterworth
34. Farrell

That’s a pretty big squad!

For the first game I think we will line up like:

Darnell
Jerry
Turner/Wardle
Wardle/Turner
Uate
Gaskell
Frawley
Clough
Leeming
Matagi
Murphy
Mellor
Bruno

Taai
Roberts
AOB
English

Ferguson, Cudjoe supposed to be out for start of the season. Jerry also a doubt.

Holmes could be back but I think wed give him another month into the season before we consider him for selection.

This is definitely the most depth we've had in a squad yet for me. I just feel we lack some quality in the forwards.

No Ikihihifo?

He has a squad number- is it 29

Seb has squad number 26. From my understanding, Woolford rates neither Seb or Walne (27). Even if Seb stays he is very unlikely to be picked unless there is injuries. A good player to bring in mind due? Seb & Walne combined is 200k + of salary cap on prop forwards who aren't now expected to play, which is a bit of a joke!

Ferguson has now moved to prop but is supposed to be out for the start of the season.

Bruno is now training solely for the 13 role and won't be used as a utility anymore.

Woolford rates Colton Roche above Seb and Walne.

There is still chance Walne will go back to Leigh on a season loan (or so I've heard) with Ollie Russell.

From what ive hear it has been difficult for Woolford move on Rankin and Walne this time as they have 2 years left on a good deal. It will be easier to move them on at the end of this year.

Main thing for me now is getting AOB and Mellor signed up who are both OOC this time.

Roche OOC too this year - can't see him getting a new deal.

what can ferguson have injured to be out for so long?!

def need to sign up obrien and mellor on new deals next year

confirmed today

1. Darnell McIntosh – sponsored by Marshall Wooldridge
2. Jermaine McGillvary – sponsored by Lynda’s Transport
3. Leroy Cudjoe – sponsored by Giants Legends Club
4. Jordan Turner – sponsored by David Burdsey
5. Akuila Uate – sponsored by Rhino Precast
6. Lee Gaskell – sponsored by Fork Truck
7. Matt Frawley – sponsor still available
8. Paul Clough – sponsored by Steven Hirst
9. Kruise Leeming – sponsored by Tony & Sharon Fell
10. Siuia Matagi – sponsored by Penine Weavers
11. Aaron Murphy – sponsored by Capri Restaurant
12. Alex Mellor – sponsored by PPS
13. Michael Lawrence – sponsored by Selbie Opticians
14. Adam O’Brien – sponsored by PMW Quarries
15. Oliver Roberts – sponsored by Bridge Pallets
16. Dale Ferguson – sponsor still available
17. Ukuma Ta’ai – sponsored by Greg Roche
18. Daniel Smith – sponsor still available
19. Matty English – sponsored by Helen Whiteley & Paul Tunnacliffe
20. Jake Wardle – sponsored by Scholes Cricket Club
22. Jordan Rankin – sponsored by David Burdsey
23. Oliver Russell – sponsor still available
24. Tom Holmes – sponsor still available
25. Colton Roche – sponsored by Helebn Thewlis
26. Sebastine Ikahihifo – sponsor still available
27. Adam Walne – sponsor still available
28. Sam Wood – sponsor still available
29. Sam Hewitt – sponsor still available
30. Jon Luke Kirby – sponsor still available
31. Louis Senior – sponsored by Graham & Jeanette Wittrick
32. Innes Senior – sponsored by Graham & Jeanette Wittrick
33. Reiss Butterworth – sponsored by Cheryl Halloways
34. Isaac Farrell – sponsor still available


mcintosh gets the shot at full back

no number for grix

ikahihifo and rankin way down the pecking order as expected with woolford wanting them out

turner keeps the centre number

im excited to see uate and mcgillvary on the wings and to see how frawley goes but abit underwhelmed by the rest of the squad really especially second row/props

may aswell add joe wardle and delete rankin now

Is there any substance to this one? Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy enough with it from a Cas point of view, but I believe Wardle has gone to Lanzarote with the squad for training camp

could be announced today

Cheers

adam walne apparently has been released

have to fear for sam wood, will we see him play regular again at the giants now hes gone out on loan ... not really a good sign, he never let us down when he played too, we shall see

alot of players get shipped out on loan and the parent club/coach doesnt even watch the game or how they are doing..

liam johnson and mikey wood at bradford two recent examples of just being forgotten about and never to return

They werent forgotten about. Steve Hardisty is in charge of player performance. Just because the head coach doesn’t go doesn’t mean no one is- or that the loan coach isn’t giving his feedback. The two you mentioned must have been deemed not good enough for SL. If they aren’t standing out at champ level then they won’t at SL.
Darnell had two loan spells- and there he is making first team- with no. 1 on his back!
Matty English went to Dewsbury on loan- now he’s in first team.
If Sam does well he will be back.

Steve hardisty is education and welfare now, there is no player performance manager and when steve was it was for scholarship and academy not first team

Surely it is simply a case of getting a recording of each game and the coaches watching how these players perform. I can’t think of many that have been loaned out as they can’t make the first team coming back to haunt us when they are sold.

Yeah think it was confirmed on the full 80 minutes podcast that Wood and Johnson were never watched by Stone or Woolford.

Think it will be different for Sam, from what I've read he's had a really bright start at Batley, I'd be disappointed if he didn't have a future with us... However, in saying that it does make you wonder given Woolfords comments when we resigned wardle,about us needing depth at back row / centre when we've sent Sam out.