With you 100% Ted re our props need to play like props but I don't have the same enthusiasm for playing JT in the front row. I would have him starting in the second row because I think he lacks that bit of mongrel for a prop and I am with you our starting 13 needs to be bigger than we have been in the last few seasons.
I would put Bateman at centre when SOL plays and second row when SOL doesn't play with Farrell going to 13 when SOL is absent.

he said last week he already knows his team for the upcoming year

I think that is not far off what it will be except Cubb to replace J Tomkins. Joel might find his way onto the bench at the expense of one of the props as he can play prop or back row so it gives some cover in the pack. The wild card missing is Hamlin. He's a signing so he bound to figure sooner rather than later IMO.



I agree about starting big but it won't matter how we start if the tactics don't change and the props are always aiming for quick PTB's when tackled.

It is nice, for once, to be able to think about our strongest 17. As we found out last year it won't be the first 17 who decide if our season is a success but the whole depth of the playing squad. Hopefully, if players like Cain Barnes get a run out of will be as the most junior members of the team and not as one of many. I just hope that no one gets to say the average age of the team is just 21 again.

Hamlin will play when lockers doesn't;. There is also Isa as back up and Macaulay Davies who is also read for 1st team.

Why will Hamlin do that automatically? He's got no 1st grade experience at all. If Lockers is out we still have Faz, JT, Isa and Bateman going for the three back row places. Which two of that four miss out if Hamlin gets one of the three back row places and why?

Good point. Far too many times last year the physio picked the team rather than the coach.

After two horrendous years surely we’re due some luck on the injury front.

Will be nice to see the likes of Ganson, Sharrocks, Field, Forsyth, Wells, Woods, come in to a team loaded with first team talent. Rather than all being in the team at the same time due to injury.

Think the likes of these players can we like new signings if we bring them into the team correctly. Watched the under 19s GF the other day. Ganson, Field, Wells and Woods were outstanding.

Saw Hamlin the other day in the flesh, surprised how small he looked. Looks stocky on his frame, but he looks undersized to be a modern day prop. Honestly looked around 5'9/5'10.

He’s certainly not the biggest but after watching the YouTube footage of him that certainly isn’t a surprise. It’s impossible to tell how good a player he could be from Just highlight clips but he looks a bundle of energy.

A bundle of energy would be very welcome in our pack.

After watching the clip Ive got a feeling that he could be a very good acquisition. As you say someone with energy in the pack is very welcome. My concern is though why did MM never select him for the Rabbitohs?

Some bloke called Burgess playing his position?

they had a terrible injury crisis last year and he never got a game

I must admit this has crossed my mind too. The logical conclusion is that the Rabbitohs don't think he is good enough for the NRL. Of course that doesn't mean that he won't be good enough for Super League, and he may yet grow and also improve with age. After all, he is very young still.

From the YouTube clips he looks a lot like Ben Flower in stature and style. Not sure if that is a good thing, but he seems to run hard and tackle hard. The clips don't show the number of times he drops the ball or misses tackles and they don't show him offloading either. So I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Oh dear.

I think there is plenty of evidence to show that HE DOES know what he's doing and it resides in the DW trophy cabinet.

As for not giving the WWC too much credence. You really take the biscuit with that response. We try each year to win Super League. Having scaled those heights with a horrible injury crisis we get to play the Aussie Champions. Only one team gets that chance. One game. We won. It is the pinnacle of the game. The very top.

You can argue that the Aussies are not prepared, that maybe it should be at a neutral venue or played in November, and they would all be valid points, but in the end we beat Cronulla who have three times the salary cap to spend on a team - and our lads beat them. And Wane gets the credit, from me at least.

Wane is a World Champion coach. Suck it up.

Waneys record stacks up against most. And as for the world club champions, i think the title itself explains the importance of it???

Are you expecting Tomkins to move into the halves with Williams this season? Could joe Burgess play as a flying full back given how many wingers you have? None of my business really as a Leeds fan but think it could give Tomkins a new lease of life and let him get more ball and play more off the cuff. Him and Burgess seem to really read each other already.

One possible option is

1 Escare
6 Williams
7 Tomkins

I think, personally, this is most likely.

Other options could be

1 Tomkins
6 Williams
7 Escare

or even

1 Tomkins
6 Powell
7 Williams

Not heard much talk of Burgess to FB, I'd expect him to be a starting winger.

Fairly sure we’ll start the season with the third one with Powell and Williams in the halves, Leuluai at 9 and Escare on the bench.

Think we might see this at some point during the season, but I suspect if Wane saw Powell as our starting 7, then he probably wouldn't have let McIllorum go and leave Tommy with so much responsibility.

Do you not think that’s because of our salary cap issues and we have Ganson who’ll probably be our #9 either next year or the year after?

Possibly, I think Ganson was probably in his thinking, but moving Powell to 7 in effect takes out 1st & 2nd choice hookers from last year. You could be right, but with what's coming out of the camp, I'd think that we'll at least begin with Morgan/Sam in the halves. Hope so anyway.

Quote ="Cherry_&_White"Possibly, I think Ganson was probably in his thinking, but moving Powell to 7 in effect takes out 1st & 2nd choice hookers from last year. You could be right, but with what's coming out of the camp, I'd think that we'll at least begin with Morgan/Sam in the halves. Hope so anyway.'" https://twitter.com/WiganWarriorsRL/sta ... 4932801537 Right on cue! Sam Powell gets the 7 jersey, looks like you're right.

Quote ="Cherry_&_White"Possibly, I think Ganson was probably in his thinking, but moving Powell to 7 in effect takes out 1st & 2nd choice hookers from last year. You could be right, but with what's coming out of the camp, I'd think that we'll at least begin with Morgan/Sam in the halves. Hope so anyway.'" https://twitter.com/WiganWarriorsRL/sta ... 4932801537 Right on cue! Sam Powell gets the 7 jersey, looks like you're right.

Only other change I would have done is given Bateman number 11.

1 Escare
2 Burgess
3 Gildart
4 Sarginson
5 Davies
6 S Tomkins
7 Williams
8 Clubb
9 Leuluai
10 Flower
11 Bateman
12 Farrell
13 O’Loughlin

14 Hamlin
15 Powell
16 FPN
17 Sutton

I would like to see Navarette kick on and also a few more of the youngsters (Wells, Bretherton, Shorrocks and Field) because FPN needs drastic improvement from last season as does our pack in general.

I like the look of that back line to be honest, I think it’s got good potential, especially when Manfredi is yet to return and compete for his place back.