Because folk pick with their hearts on occasions which I get. Personally for Hampshire I’d rather he concentrates on the HB roll even if that means a stint in reserve grade, it’s where his future lays for me though he’s a top notch FB.

You are probably right kirmudgeonly
Tangata also know how to really get the shoulder in at the tackle

One more point for fun. Below I've listed my team and then an absolute lash-up of a team with loads of players missing. I've given us the luxury of a loan signing and an emergency NRL import. See what you think but I reckon the second team could cope for a few weeks although I'm not claiming it would do well long term.

Alex Walker (sorry but on end of season form he's way ahead of Jowitt)
Ben J-Bishop
Reece Lyne
Bill Tupou
Tom Johnstone
Danny Brough
Jacob Miller
David Fifita
Kyle Wood
Craig Kopzac
Matty Ashurst
Kelepi Tanginoa
Tinirau Arona

Josh Wood
Joe Westerman
George King
Chris Green

Team 2 the lash up! (not all the players are lash up obviously)

Jowitt
Kershaw
Arundel
Croft
Atkins

Miller
Bailey

Arona
Pitts
Crowther
King
J.Wood
Tangata

Loan Prop
Quota Hooker
Batchelor/Kirmond/Brad Walker
Gwaze

All the above have some SL experience with the exception of Bailey, who can be replaced by Josh Wood if he struggles.
The above is missing 13 of what I called the first-choice players so highly unlikely even based on last season to ever be that bad, yet not a terrible team, certainly no worse in terms of experience than London were last season. The benefit of keeping a quota spot open is obvious, we may even pick up an exceptional player on the cheap who just wants to put himself in the shop window.,

I can't be confident of top five, who can but we really shouldn't be flirting with the bottom of the table either, so no real excuses unless there is a player apocalypse.

Funny how we all see things differently, but a nice position to be in.
For me FB's are Walker and Jowitt.
I agree about Hampshire's future position.

In the 2nd team it's Hampshire at SO? Tangata doesn't count on quota a number of posters said on here, he's still board exempt from his Widnes days apparently and we've got him on loan, he was at Halifax last year anyway , so we've still got 2 left, maybe

.

I thought at the start of this past season we had plenty of depth but I think this year we've brought in some youth and also players who're at their peak playing age wise and we obviously got rid of players who'd become injury prone.

Don't tell him Pike.

DC said on here a few weeks back that we have two quota spots left

Hopefully we’ll find another player of tanginoas ability mid season from the NRL

Yeah, a Tanginoa or a Fifita type player would be very nice.

Most strength in depth we've had since I can remember. The second row is ridiculous. Even if Tanginoa and Ashurst are injured we can get Batchelor, Pitts, Kirmond, King, Atkins or Arundel in there. At centre we can play Atkins, Lyne, Tupou, Croft and Arundel. Three half backs in Hampshire, Brough and Miller. Wing or Prop are the two positions i'd consider should one player who is right for the club become available.

Can't wait for boxing day already. Last season was a sickener on the field in the second half but off the field the club is slowly moving in the rigth direction with good sponsors, good shirts, good merchandise, purchasing the stadium. Just need some good results on the field at the start of the season.

I also said we’ve no money left

You did dc

Think you have assembled a great squad for next season
We are going to go well in 2020

I'm happy with the squad. I think the management have worked wonders to get the players we have.
It's an excellent squad with lots of strength in depth.

Daddycool wrote:
'I also said we've no money left'

No need to be so blunt DC! Gonna miss all those juicy rumours.Ha!

There will still be rumours !!

Anything happening with the NRL player CC mentioned about DC??

My effort guessing TJ and MA won’t make game one with DF:

Walker
Lyne
Atkins
Tupou
BJB
Miller
Brough
Tangatta
Wood
Koppy
Pitts
Tanginoa
Westerman

Arona
Green
Wood
Crowther

I’m interested as to why you think Arona will make it when he had the same injury as TJ and got it later?

TJ did his first I think.

Also didn't TA do more than his ACL.

Ha! Very good point! King instead.

That team is good enough to compete, even with 4 big names missing

If I remember right TA did the lot ACL, MCL, & PCL. Also you're right TJ did his after about 6 games, TA after 14.

Tom injured his knee beginning of March against hull , at time they said 6-8 months so about now, still 2-5 months until start of season so would think there has to be chance that he and possibly others will be fit.

Whilst am really pleased with recruitment pack looks totally different with out big Dave. Personally think without Dave abd arona we’d probably have tanginoa in front row and see batch or crowther in back 3

Time will tell

At the time they reported acl, mcl, and that was in May against Huddersfield so on a like for like basis you would think he’s several months behind tj.

Perhaps we could have something on trin tv about where they are in recovery times - be a bit of interest in what’s a relatively quite time before friendliest start

As much as I can't wait for next season to get started, I'm kinda dreading Pre season games, just so we don't get any silly injuries because you know everyone's gonna be thinking the same - oh no not again.

Not a bad idea at all about keeping us updated on the injuries on Trin TV. I'm sure we had something on with the physio on last year during pre-season, about how the lads were getting on just on general fitness.