A good run out for sure, for 50 minutes we looked quite fluent with the ball and our go forward was as good as last year. The difference this year is how clinical we were but also how much strike we seemed to have with Frank and Carlos providing great offloads and Fonua's great strength, footwork and good handling skills too.

Sneyd and Pryce couldn't ask for a better set of forwards to work behind. Taylor and watts were outstanding, good yards, offloads and punishing hits.

Thought Houghton looked good and washbrook slotted in well running good lines and gave good service.

For me though the team spirit and engagement with the fans was outstanding

A good performance for the middle part of the game and the pack lived up to its billing.
Pivots more fluent without Westerman, general expansiveness had stepped on.
Edge defence not great, conceding 4 tries a concern.
Rovers looked like the Dementors from Harry Potter had sucked out their souls by the end, not speaking, hands on hips.

great display of attacking rugby today impressed the way we came in number to support play when we broke the line which was often really impressed with price he looks full of running and a real handful, all the new guys impressed Frank going to be a real handful hes going to have a ball over here rovers looked very lightweight and weak

1. westerman is not going to be missed
2. taylor and watts are going to cause a lot of problems to a lot of teams
3. fonua is going to entertain - possibly at both ends of the pitch
4. rovers need all their best players on the pitch to stand any chance
5. lets hope injuries don't wreck our season and this squad could go top 4

but it was only a friendly and they don't mean anything of course

For all the woes of last yr we at least have some options that are tested and indeed some good options regarding number 5.
Tala n ellis to come back in for a start as well on today

Thoughts?

We must surely be over the beard quota.

Thought the ground staff had excelled with their pitch marking.

When Talanoa comes back in we're going to have 2 of the fast play of the ball/penalty winning metre making wingers in the league. Both him and Fonua have similar strengths and that momentum is gonna be great for our forwards n Houghton too play off. Fonua showed he's gonna be hard to handle.
All the new signings had great games. Manu looks like he's gonna add some real mongrel to us. Pritchard looks what he promised to be.
watts n taylor were great. But I thought green and Bowden had good spells too. When ellis is back I it will be a strong start and rotation prop wise!

think Bowden will make the starting 17 for Salford

looking forward to some of our attempts to pick a starting 13 for salford

oh and i thought sneyd played really well today considering he had a torn bicep

You still going for Hadley at loose forward?

I for one can't wait to see the battle between Fonua and Carney in round one. Presuming Carney will play on the left. Some big bodies going to be knocked about.

After yesterdays performance, I hope we see Michaels and Carlos on that left hand side. Those two and Pritchard were great. Exciting times, but don't want to get carried away!

Who ever plays on that wing, i'll be amazed if they dont score 20 plus tries in the season. Id go with talanoa, think he'll have a field day. Got grest cover for that posistion though, agree, exciting times

I forgot about him! Radford has some tough decisions to make.

Yes i would play Hadley at 13 in this team.
To be honest i can see four or five players utilised by Radford at 13 this season as i dont think we need a specialised 13 from what we saw yesterday.

Agree, that's one of the biggest things noticeable from yesterday - we looked a lot more fluid and faster with the ball without Westerman's involvement.

Hadley green or Thompson to start games there for me. Hadley is probably out the pick for 1st game due to missing yesterday. Thompson due due his versatility would be better suited to bench imo but that said he went well yesterday there. When ellis is fit as well its a hell of a pack!!

My 17 would be on yesterday performance excluding the injured Ellis

Shaul
Talona (if fit)
logan
Carlos
Fona
Price
Syned
Watts
Houghton
Taylor
Mini
Sika
Thomo

subs Frank, Greeny, Bowden, Washy, 18th man Abdul if Talona not ready Micheals

Can't argue with that

If Talanoa isn't fit who'd you go with Micheals or Lancaster? Micheals looked in good nick yesterday and is a very good defensive back.

Michaels, he's better defensively, and offers the same in attack.

Has much as I love to see young local lads come through I can not see the point in brining Michaels over and not playing him

If I'm really honest I think we should of not resigned him, he is a good player and I like him but I have always thought if you sign an Aussy they need to be someone who's really going to make your 17 every week or what's the point

At the moment I don't think Steve does make the 17, but What do I know we will probably get injuries and be glad we have him in the squad same as Lee Smith

Overall we look very strong squad wise and dare I say it but some of our fringe players like Hadley, Green, Bowden, Whiting, smith, Michaels, feka, Lancaster, Fash, Turgut all look a lot better than Rovers have in there 17 there looking for loan players is the rumour wonder if ...... no surly not lol