Was just wondering if we get all of our injued players back before the end of the season what peoples thoughts are as to what the first choice squad would be now. I reckon we have got a squad of about 22/23 players to choose from and it is especially difficult to leave out certain individuals on current form. Shows what a good position we are in anyway and its a nice problem to have. Thoughts?

Mine would be:

Roberts
Pryce
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Sam
Tommy
Fielden
Riddell
Coley
Hansen
Joel
Lockers

O'Carroll
McIlorum
Mossop
Farrell

Players missing out:
Goulding (unlucky just think KP is a better defender)
Bailey (not done anything wrong but think hed be below Mossop, Hansen and Farrell)
Prescott (not sure good enough, may get bench spot over Farrell however)
Paleaasina (seems just not a MM style player, probably off at end of season)
Phelps (players playing better in his position(s), not been able to keep fit and nail his position down despite some promising early season form)
Deacon (way down pecking order now even if fit, still got a lot to offer in a coaching position however)

I would agree with you but have Bailey in instead of Farrell, just because Farrell will get his chance next season and we would be crazy to let a man of Bailey's experience not play week in week out. Also I would have Feka in for Mossop for the same reasons. Mossop will get his chance, but you cant fault the impact Feka has coming off from the bench and as he hasnt played much this year, I'm hoping he will be fit an ready come the business end of the season.

Bailey in for Farrell and for mine McIllorum starting.

He is the ideal type of hooker to start, with Piggy coming off the bench, it worked really well at Wakefield. McIllorum is basically a tackling machine, that is his strength, his ruck control is not great but it is adequate as is his delivery. When he has been coming on a sub we have always struggled, but with Piggy coming on we have a fresh creative 9 entering the field of play once MM has taken the sting out of the opening shots.

Need 4 props. That has been proved altready this season.

Bailey first choice over farrell and hansen all day long, rarely gets dominated and keeps our defence ticking whilst offering options should a back be injured.

When you leave out players of the quality of farrell and mossop it shows how much our recruitment has improved since IL took charge, no longer do we bring in players taking a large proportion of the cap like feilden and barratt - sure wayne bennet offers him lots of advice!!?

I agree, Piggy has much more of an impact when used as a sub, and his superior delivery that MM's against a defence that's tiring a bit is much more useful.

And I'd have Bailey in there too, he's solid and dependable, the kind of player that becomes more important as the games get tighter towards the end of the season. I'd put my faith in him over Farrell or Mossop in play off games, he has that knowledge of what to do in games like that.

I agree with this team. Mossop can cover as prop.

Same team as the OP but Bailey for Farrell.

Bailey brings a lot more to the team in terms or organisation and communication. In my team he would start with either Joel or Hansen on the bench.

Same as the original team for me aswell bar i'd just about have Bailey in ahead of Farrell. I'm a huge Farrell fan and he deserves to get plenty more games before the end of the season but if we had all players fit and had a play off game tomorrow i'd want Bailey in for his experience.

I think Bailey has just quietly got on with his business this season and is having a pretty good year. He's as solid as ever, leads from the front and has produced some super attacking play this year with a few fantastic offloads that have led to trys.

Mossop and O'Carroll.

When is Hansen back playing?We are short of a halfback at Widnes who can kick goals,so can we have Deacon please?

I am happy we have Ben Davies at the moment, but was gutted to lose Farrell.You have a great squad and i hope you win the grand final.

The most pleasing thing about that for me is those 6 players who have missed out.

The fact that we can all argue and counter argue about the 'best 17' proves that we have a great squad.

Very few other teams have replacements (out of their best 17) who are almost or just as good as the main team. I do think however that the nature of Super League means that it will be very rare any team has all their players available, so squad strength is vital.

We are in a great position both in terms of playing squad and league position.

Who would of thought that Karl Pryce would prove to be so popular(not me for one). He is getting better and better and must be very intimidating for opposing wingers. Goulding has also been great, yet at the start of the season it was Phelps/Roberts and Richards who occupied the full back and wing spots. Now we have real options.

My 17 would be

Roberts
Richards
Gleeson
Carmont
Goulding(just shading KP)
Tomkins
Lulu
Fielden
Riddell
Coley
Joel
Mossop
Lockers

Feka
Farrell
Mclorum(sp)
O'carroll(only coz i want 4 props)

Not included

Bailey-solid but not better than Mossop/farrell
Hansen- Tough call
Tuson-too early
Prescott- Not quite there
Phelps-great squad player
Pryce- great Potential , still needs fitness
Deacon-Solid cover when fit

Still think we need a prop or 2 (depending on departures maybe more) and more half back cover if Deacs hangs up his boots.

You can't really name a full 17 for us this season. Yes there are players, who, if fit, will be guarenteed a starting place e.g. the Tomkins' brothers, Lockers, Richards, Carmont etc

But we have good squad depth and a coach who likes to rotate his forwards which seems to work perfectly. It depends who we're playing, and how the coach wants us to play and thats the side he will pick.

I couldn't pick a team as it would depend on who we were playing, if for instance it was for this weekends game I wouls go for:

1- Roberts
2- Goudling
3- Gleeson
4- Carmont
5- Richards
6- Tomkins
7- Leuluai
8- Fielden
9- Riddell
10- Coley
11- Bailey
12- Tomkins
13- O'Loughlin

14- Mossop (prop)
15- McIllorum
16- O'Carroll
17- Hansen

IMO the strongest we've looked this season was in the first 6/7 weeks and thats the squad i'd go with apart from some minor changes on the bench

1- Phelps
2- Roberts
3- Gleeson
4- Carmont
5- Richards
6- Tomkins
7- Leuluai
8- Fielden
9- Riddell
10- Coley
11- Hansen
12- Tomkins
13- O'Loughlin

14- Mossop
15- McIllorum
16- Feka
17- O'Carrrol

FB 2 Roberts
RW 20 Pryce
RC 3 Gleeson
LC 4 Carmont
LW 5 Richards
SO 6 Sam
SH 7 Leuluai
P 8 Fielden
H 15 McIllorum
P 10 Coley
SR 11 Hansen
SR 12 Joel
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 9 Riddell
S 17 Paleaaesina
S 24 Mossop/21 O'Carroll
S 25 Farrell

O'Carrol in for Feka and it's spot on for me.

Roberts
Pryce
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Tomkins
Leuluai
Fielden
McIlorum
Coley
Hansen
Joel
O'Loughlin

Riddell
Mossop (Prop)
O'Carroll
Farrell

Strong first XIII. A few teams do have strong squads. saints would have a very strong first XVII
Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Wheeler
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Hargreaves
Clough
Wilkin
Flannery
Subs
Roby
Fasavalu
Puletua
Soliola

That is HUGE impact from their bench!

My 17 would be

Roberts
Goulding
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Sam Tomkins
Leuluai
Fielden
Riddell
Coley
Joel Tomkins
Hansen
Lockers

Feka
Mossop
McIlorum
O'carroll

Is there such a thing as a first choice 17? Isn't it just the 17 players who are performing the best in training and matches at the time that get the nod?

Roberts
Pryce
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Sam
Leuluai
Fielden
McIlorum
Coley
Bailey
Joel
O'Loughlin

Mossop
Riddell
Prescott/O'Carroll
Farrell

EDIT: - Forgot about HH - he would be in for Farrell

Roberts
Pryce
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Tomkins
Leuluai
Fielden
Piggy
Coley
Hansen
Tomkins
Lockers

Prescott
Mossop
Mcllorum
O Carroll