The season kicks off a week today, what do we expect? How would you line them up? I think Salford are in for a bad year with Koukash leaving and them losing Carney and Dobson, plus Lui unsettled to say the least. I'll predict 10-42 and would line up as such:

FB 20 Escare
RW 2 Davies
RC 3 Sarginson
LC 4 Gildart
LW 5 Burgess
SO 6 Williams
SH 1 S.Tomkins
P 8 Clubb
H 9 Leuluai
P 10 Flower
SR 11 J.Tomkins
SR 12 Farrell
LF 30 Hamlin

S 7 Powell
S 16 Nu'uausala
S 17 Tautai
S 19 Isa

Hamlin played his way in front of Sutton in the Leigh friendly for me

Sam will start as FB, Powell will be SH, Joel will play LF with Isa in at SR. Morgan will be on the bench with Sutton. Hamlin may not feature.

I suppose it’ll come down to Fitness. We know Lockers and Bateman won’t play and I agree Hamlin has probably earned his place. The feedback from preseason is that he’s really shone, as has Tom Davies.

Tomkins
Davies
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess
Williams
Powell
Clubb
Leuluai
Flower
Tomkins
Farrell
Hamlin

Escare
FPN
Tautai
Sutton / Isa

I think Sutton will start at "loose forward"
Personally I would like Escare on the bench but cant remember the last time that SW had a back on the bench. I suppose if SW is planning this switch of ST to the halves etc when TL takes a breather then if he doesn't do it against Salford then when will he make this play?
A back on the bench gives us more options and gives us some cover for in game injuries.
Like a lot of people I took to Hamlin straight away and hope he also gets the nod for a bench place.
How long is SOL out for?

I understand he may be fit for the Hull game and if not, the week after against the Rabbitohs. Personally there’s no way I play him in that game regardless of his fitness with Warrington coming up the week after.

Not a good start for Salford. I’m hearing that Manu Vatuvai has sustained a serious Achilles injury today. Will need to be scanned to see the extent of the injury. I wish him well.

What I expect

Tomkins
Davies Sarginson Gildart Burgess
Williams Powell
Clubb Leuluai Flower
Isa Farrell Tomkins

Sutton Nuuausala Tautai Escare

What I’m hoping for-

Tomkins
Davies Sarginson Gildart Burgess
Williams Powell
Sutton Leuluai Flower
Isa Farrell Lockers (Joel if Lockers is out)

Subs
Nuuausala Clubb Hamlin Escare

SOL will potentially be ready for the Warrington game (23/02) but most certainly Widnes (02/03)

Is that from inside the club Richie? I'd be disappointed if Hamlin doesn't feature but I guess that's competition for places in action.

Hamlin will have a place in the squad of that im sure, doubt he will feature though come Friday.just a hunch.

I guess the perceived wisdom is to give the incumbents the opportunity to retain the jersey before bringing someone fresh in but I just think Hamlin has something different which, in the absence of SOL could prove useful. I'd be tempted to give him a run. As you say, I doubt that'll happen though.

Being the first game and with Salford being at home they will give it everything.
I think we will win it in the last 20 mins through fitness and a bit of class showing through.
Tough game ahead.

I reckon Waney will go with -
S Tomkins,
Davis, Sarginson, Gildart, Burgess.
Williams, Powell,
Clubb, Leuluai, Flower,
J Tomkins, Farrell,
Isa.

FPN, TT, Sutton, Escare.

Thanks for that hadn't really been aware that SOL still wasn't fully fit.
Agree no point in playing SOL against Souths in what is a meaningless friendly.

If we beat an NRL side in their back yard, I would hardly call it meaningless. It would be the first time an SL side has done it in two decades, and an even bigger achievement now than then, given the difference in salary caps.

If Bateman and/or Lockers aren't going to be fit for the Hull game in Wollongong then I would leave them at home to try to be ready for the Wire game.

I agree but Lockers will probably travel as captain of the club and as he’s on a lot of the promotional images. Maybe they could rehab in South’s (assumingly) superior facilities.

What do we get out of it if we win? Prestige? I assume there will be no limit on substitutions and that Souths are using it very much as a warm up therefore, it wont be competitive in the purest sense. Don't get me wrong I love beating the Aussies but on this particular occasion I don't think that it will haver the same kudos as a WCC. I think that this will be the first friendly for many years as I don't think that there have been any since Saints played St George some years ago??

I understand why the club are going to Australia and I don't have a beef with the club's rationale in tagging on the Souths game if it brings in some needed income however, if we get even one long term injury with say ST, Gildart or Williams then many people will be questioning why we included this game along with the Hull game. Potentially a high risk strategy but easy for me to say that without knowing the financial details.

I'd say so, yes. I hadn't thought about the substitutions. I hope they go full strength, four subs, ten interchanges. Otherwise it's only on a par with us beating New Zealand Warriors in 2013.

The South’s game is a game that isn’t needed end of.

Exactly. Complete waste of time. For South's it is a pre-season friendly. Zero prestige in winning it and just risking our players for nothing.

If Manu is our only casualty id assume we’d line up like

Obrien
Olpherts
Sau
Whelham
Johnson
Lui
Littlejohn
Mossop
Tomkins
Tasi
Jones
Huaraki
Flanagan

Brining
Kopzcak
Burgess
Nakubuwai

We ought to be able to beat that side.,

E-ticketing site says no seats available for Salford game. Surely we haven't sold all our allocation? What's going on?

Thanks!