It’s not a “new” 4G pitch they’re training on, it’s Dewsburys 4G pitch which is around 4 years old now, they also train at Belle View so are training on both Artificial and grass

I absolutely agree with this

I’ve being wanting to see Hampshire tested as a hooker for some time now as I think he’d be excellent, certainly from an attacking point of view especially if Woody is on the last year of his contract

Lots of half in the nrl convert to hookers really successfully (Peter Wallace and Ben hunt)
It seems that Chester has finally settled on jowitt at fullback and I think we are all hoping that Milky and Lino are going to make a really successful long term halves partnership which

Hampshire is an excellent player and I’d love to see him in a settled position long term in our team

Is see Hampshire as natural fit for both parties playing him at hooker

Agree with this completely

Assuming everyone is fit then Hampshire isn’t going to play , I d say he’s second choice full back , second choice stand off and probably third choice winger. Tbh he’s one of the few players we have that can create something from nothing and really needs to be in match day squad. Kyle wood is probably in his last season so why not give Hampshire a shot

I certainly think Hampshire has the attributes to play at 9. He could certainly take advantage of some quick ptb too.

However, this is the sort of testing and training that needs to happen in pre season and not experimented on in a superleague season unless we have no other options through injury.

If we were at full strength I’d take advantage of the 2 week loan period and get Hampshire 2 games at a league 1 club at 9 and see how he goes. Less risk, we get to see how he could go as a 9 and he gets to stay match fit.

I said previously that 9 looked our weakest area after prop with our main 9 in his twilight years and our second 9 seems to pick up a few injuries. I certainly think it needs some investment next season though Bowes looks promising for the future.

Hampshire is a tough one. He’s too good not to have in the team but it’s very hard to find a place for him all the same.

You mean third choice FB if Walker plays?

I personally think he’s second choice and Walker third, I suppose we will soon see what CC thinks.

I agree about Hampshire at 9 but it’s odd nobody has ever played him there, maybe coaches see something we don’t. For me he is ripe for conversion, maybe the player himself isn’t keen.

He most certainly wouldn’t be the first HB to make the conversion.

Closer to home, didn't Kyle Wood start out as a half back

He definitely did. It may be down to defending as to why Hampshire hasn’t been tried there. What I seem to notice is that 9’s have a lot of forward traffic come at them down the centre.

True but you look at Hampshire and physically he's as big if not bigger than both Woods, so it's not his physicality. Also can't say I've noticed any deficiencies in his tackling style, though I do think Josh Wood is an exceptional tackler.

If I were to suggest anything it's Hampshire distribution, the same issue in truth that stops him from being a great HB, though that's just my opinion. I see the same fault with Ryan as I still do with Miller and that both have a yip, a moment of indecision when deciding whether to run with the ball or let it go. I suspect it's because both players are clever and both are nice guys and those kinds of players overthink at times, I know that from my own experience (not me personally).

People say Brough was a great thinker, ditto Gazza or Best etc, IMO they were quite the opposite, they could think strategically obviously but when quick decisions were required they didn't think at all, they just did. It's something I always wished I could do and I'm convinced it's what separates good players from genius players. On the plus side, if you want to view it that way, is that to a man, they are all virtually useless off the pitch.

It's a hard balance to find, especially when like Ryan and a fair few others you're not short on talent.

I agree, Josh Wood is exceptional in defence, his technique is brilliant and he`s as tough as the come, you don`t see many about like him anymore.

Kyle Wood gets targeted in defence a lot but still always defends down the middle, I have seen teams push hookers out to ease there workload in defence but we just seem to compensate with an extra man in the tackle but Wood usually goes up top, clings on and that to me allows the opp to get a bit of a roll on with a couple of extra yards and a quick play the ball. I don`t necessarily think he is a bad defender, I just think he is genuinely a bit light weight for defending down the middle, still he gets on with it.

Hampshire, I haven't seen defend down the middle although he does seem a bit more physical and stronger than Wood, he does at times seem to get bumped off of tackles, he`s never particularly struck me as a good defender.

Defending down the middle is physically more demanding no doubt but it's also much easier than defending wide or at least that's what I always found.

When the traffic is coming down the middle channels you have no time to think you just have to go for it, sometimes you affect what looks like a great tackle by simply being in the way. Out wide it's more tricky, it's all about speed and timing and if you get it wrong you can easily get bumped off. For me Lyne is our best tackler out wide but limpet though he is he can get owned, it's the nature of things.

What makes you a start down the middle is partly technique as pers J Wood but also bravery, I reckon Ryan has that and eventually the technique will follow.

That said I'm not especially interested in making Ryan learn yet another position when for me he's pretty damn good at the three he already does.

Finally, they don't come much lighter than Kyle Wood who still looks as boyish as he did 1n 2004 when I first saw him play, as a half back as it happens.

Sounds like Gale is playing on Saturday.

Yup, both he and Lino suddenly seem ok

Where did you get that from?

21 man Squad

Tom JOHNSTONE
Bill TUPOU
Reece LYNE
Liam KAY
Jacob MILLER
Mason LINO
David FIFITA
Tinirau ARONA
Matty ASHURST
Kelepi TANGINOA
Joe WESTERMAN
James BATCHELOR
Chris GREEN
Innes SENIOR
Jordy CROWTHER
Joe ARUNDEL
Alex WALKER
Adam TANGATA
Josh WOOD
Brad WALKER
Yusuf AYDIN

Shame Hampshire didn’t make it but it gives Walker a shot to impress and we should be thankful we have that depth.

I think it mostly picks itself tbh.

Walker
Johnstone
Tupou
Lyne
Senior
Miller
Lino
Fifita
Crowther
Arona
Tanginoa
Batchelor
Westerman

Green
Tangata
Wood
Ashurst

Aydin, Kaye, Arundel, Walker - to miss.

I’d be happy with any of that 21 tbh. I’m confident they can go to Leeds and bring back the win.

Leeds have quite a few backs missing - walker hurrel Newman handley plus McLelland
2 Tom Briscoe sponsored by Wetherby Whaler
7 Luke Gale (c) sponsored by Vale Services
8 Mikolaj Oledzki sponsored by BadRhino
9 Kruise Leeming sponsored by Fenton Finance
10 Matt Prior sponsored by K-Bins
11 Alex Mellor sponsored by Horbury Dental Laboratories
12 Rhyse Martin sponsored by The Ortus Group
13 Zane Tetevano sponsored by NIC Services Group Ltd
14 Brad Dwyer sponsored by The Artisan Drinks Co
15 Liam Sutcliffe sponsored by Mtech
16 Richie Myler sponsored by Y F Furniture
17 Cameron Smith sponsored by Warners Fish Merchants
19 King Vuniyayawa sponsored by Vale Services
20 Bodene Thompson sponsored by ACS Stainless Steel Fixings
21 Alex Sutcliffe sponsored by Alternative Windows
22 Sam Walters sponsored by Warners Fish Merchants
24 Luke Briscoe sponsored by Roxy Ball Room
25 James Donaldson sponsored by LR Motors (Yorkshire) Limited
26 Jarrod O’Connor sponsored by Leeds Rhinos Supporters Club Kirkstall
27 Jack Broadbent sponsored by Johnstone’s Paint
33 Kyle Eastmond sponsored by ACS Stainless Steel Fixings

Both teams have a similar amount of injuries with wakey missing Jowitt, Hampshire, Wood, Battye, Pitts.

All points to a pretty even contest to me on paper certainly. Looking forward to this game and seeing what wakey can do.

For me it’s a first game of the season whoever wants it most type game.

If we play Leeds with the same hunger we have in the past few seasons we are in with a shout.

Win or lose these games rarely indicate how the season will progress. Though winning is clearly better.

It’s a shame Hurrel is missing, Leeds fans are desperate to love him but against us at least he always looks a liability.

Kyle Wood is a big miss, Josh Wood is a good defender but a terrible passer. I hope Liam Kay plays as he can defend, was really surprised that we took Senior on loan as in the games last season it showed he either cant defend or didn't want to defend. Liam Kay started out as a half back he came through the Bradford Academy as a 7 and I think also represented England academy at 7. I remember it was a real coup when we signed him first time round. Hope Arundel gets a start. I like the idea of Rocky playing at 9, he is a natural footballer, he is rapid, has a great fast pass both left and right and is a top defender. That said I think he is joint first choice full back with Jowitt , he is obviously our first choice 7 given that no one has seen Lino play I simply don't understand how Lino is some posters first choice, Rocky would also be my first choice 6, Jowitt would be 2nd, Walker 3rd, Kay 4th, Westerman 5th and Miller 6th

Hurrel must be the most overrated import playing at the moment.

Would think their backs would be myler at full back , briscoe and briscoe on wings , jack broadbent in one centre Alex sit life in other with east mind and Gayle in the halves or east mind at full back .

Significantly weaker than walker , briscoe , Newman , hurrel lui and Gayle although we are lacking jowitt other than that it’s our first choice backs so really will be interesting to see if we play to our theoretical strengths

For me the biggest miss is jowitt and hampshire as it means walker has to play who was shocking v dewsbury

No, he isn't our first choice HB and never has been in all the time he's been with us or with any other club, wanting it to be so doesn't make it so.

You may not have seen Lino play but you must realise CC will have, he doesn't strike me as a man who would sign a player blind. Nobody is going to bring an NRL HB all this way and not try him straight away, come on. If he's gash then nows the time to find out, then I suppose Ryan will get another go.