1. Tansey............ 1. Briscoe
2. Briscoe ........... 2. Fox
3. Whiting............ 3. Welham
4. Yeaman........... 4.Webster
5. Sharpe............ 5. Colbon
6. Horne............. 6. Green
7. Long.............. 7. Dobson
8. Fitzgibbon....... 8. Clinton
9. Houghton ...... 9. Fisher
10. O'Meley........ 10. Vella
11. Manu........... 11. Newton
12. Tickle.......... 12. Galea
13. Westerman... 13. Murrell

14. Washy......... 14. Mason
15. Lauak..........i 15. Lovegrove
16. Moa............. 16. Cockayne
17. Radford........ 17. Wheeldon

A bit early yet but we look very good against the warm up team. Think Hull are saying its a good time to play us as we will be a bit rusty. But man for man we look far superior. For a minute I was starting to feel sorry for them but it soon went. Come on Rovers cannot wait.

Still waiting in the wings are

Hall
Netherton
Hodgson
Watts
and all the young lads.... Justin has a massive job to pick the best 17 from a very strong squad

The only to fear is complacency - we're different class man for man.

It's still the first game of the season though which will be a leveler.

I think we are just about the better of the two teams, but I would say that. That said Hull can't be written off. To focus on their team, Tansey is unpredictable, but when he's good, he's good. Briscoe is forever a thorn in our side but the half back situation at Hull is as unpredictable as Tansey. We know Horne can perform, and Long has more than enough experience but does he have the legs for it any more. In the forwards, I think Berrigan is a big gap to fill in the team, but Danny Houghton is probably the best young hooker in the country, IMO. Fitzgibbon is a match winner on his day, and Manu, again another Hull player who is up their with the best, can turn any game. O' Meley will have a season over here under his belt, and that Hull bench offers plenty in strength and defence but very little in attacking options.

I'm confident of a win, but I wouldn't want to think the team is over confident. Our match winner in all of this is Morgan. And with that, I rest my case.

it's great to be in a position to compete. not just a pre season friendly to swell the coffers ending in a one sided scoreline! we are back!

Different class man for man?

Matt Cook too, and I'd like to think Taylor could push for place this year also. On a possibly heavy and churned-up pitch there might be a case for 4 forwards on the bench. We've got decent depth to the squad now, in any case.

2 things I'd 'fear'. Hull can still put out a decent 17 - their depth won't be too tested in round 1. Secondly their squad isn't complete and I'd expect them to add 1 top player or 2 pretty decent ones.

pure comedy

The biggest advantage we have over Hull at present is squad depth. That is a commodity that will benefit us over the course of the season but wont have a bearing on the result in Cardiff with two fully fit sides.
I still think that our first choice 17 is stronger than Hulls and we will beat them in Cardiff but it will be close. They also have the added motivation of redeeming themselves after the play-off loss.

Its a good 6 weeks away yet, plenty of time for our injury room to become packed to the rafters

1. Tansey............ Far too inconsistent and unpredictable where as Briscoe is a proven international
2. Briscoe ........... Potentially a world class centre but Fox generally played better in the derbies last season (cue the "what about that tackle"icon_wink.gif
3. Whiting............ Lead Wellies is more of a 13 than a prolific try-scoring Welham
4. Yeaman........... Been nothing since Cooke left and never has and never will be in the same class as Webster
5. Sharpe............ Not a bad signing but no where near as tough and durable as Colbon
6. Horne............. FC fans rate him on his performances 5+yrs ago and looks washed up and finished at 27 (no disrespect to the kid) where as Green has everything to prove (and I believe he will do).
7. Long.............. Best days are well behind him (archetypal FC signing). Dobson SL Dream Team 2yrs running (despite James Rule not rating him - "Hello McFly..."icon_wink.gif
8. Fitzgibbon....... An RL legend but injuries now getting the better of him where as Clinton was our best forward last season.
9. Houghton ...... One dimensional dummy-half scooter. Fisher being a proven SL hooker and one who is technically superb.
10. O'Meley........ Still a great player granted. Vella still a great leader.
11. Manu........... A real handful yet Newton probably has the most complete skill set for a 2nd rower in SL.
12. Tickle.......... Fairly consistent but not in Galea's class.
13. Westerman... Poor season last year and allegedly comes with a lot of baggage. Murrell has a superb passing and kicking game, is a great defender (ask Fitzgibbon).

14. Washy......... Predictable right side-step and throws good passes into row Z. Mason is a super-star of World RL.
15. Lauak..........i Hard runner but offers nothing else IMO (spends too much time copying Wrestling moves). Lovegrove is solid workhorse with some expcetional metre stats last season and was Players Player last season.
16. Moa............. Always looked out of shape for me. Cockayne superb pace, aggression and passion.
17. Radford........ Seen better days. Wheeldon now coming into the best form of his career.

Mind you FC are still awaiting their new half-back so I'd expect them to sign someone like Alex Murphy.

How many times have you watched Hull recenty? In your head you think you are talking sense but in reality you know nothing!!! think all the hard drumming behind you in your band has messed with your head

If you'd have done the same at the begining of last season and compared Hull's 17 with saints 17 then you'd have said it would be a walk over for saints. Sometimes results aren't based on supporters views of how much better they are than the oppo. Personally I think we're pretty well matched and FC will have very few changes to their team. Add to that FC have started really well the last 2 years and derby's are always a close run thing and I think it'll be a tough one. I'd take a 1 point win now.

ITS HAMMERING TIME AGAIN. SAME OLD FACES SAME OLD MOVES ONLY ONE FEAR TOM BRISCOE. ONLY DECENT PLAYER THUNDER HAVE. THE AWESOME POWER OF OUR PACK WILL MEAN NO BALL IN HAND FOR TOM.

If we go into the game with the wrong attitude, we are likely to be beat! Our squad does look in far better shape at the moment and player for player, we are the better team. I was confident about beating them every game last season but it turns out we lost both league matches but won the one that really counted, so I am again very confident we will turn them over in Cardiff.

O'Meley is the man for them, led them superbly last season and barring injury he will do that again for them this year.

A side against Hull always must be wary that Houghton and Briscoe are two very dangerous players. Similarly O'Meley and Fitzgibbon can be devastating. However, there are a few too many weak links in Hull's side - both halves have seen better days, and the likes of radford, yeaman, whiting, washbrook are possibly living on yesterdays form, and lauaki has several times (not just against rovers) proven more dangerous for his own side than the opposition with his discipline. This creates an imbalance in Hulls side.

We know what we are getting with the likes of Newton, Galea, Murrel, Vella, Cinton, Webster, Fox etc.
The only question mark for me (not a bad thing, just an unknown quanitiy) is Green. Nobody can say what this guy is going to do, unlike Mason, we know what he is capable of doing.

Looking forward to a very exciting season.

If our halves turn up we will win the game.

Too right, it worked well last time out.



[urlhttp://www.superleague.co.uk/report.php?id=3319482[/url

A Horne and Long partnership might have had the opposition terrified a few years ago, not so much now(I'm afraid for you guys!).

Last season you also came out with a load of tosh, then went missing most of the year...same again me thinks!

No need to be...believe me

I have seen how optimistic you are for the coming season with your final league prediction, many dont agree with you but credit for your enthusiasm. It will come back to haunt you as there is no way that you guys will finish above us in the league this coming season, no way at at all and you can save this quote and use at your will!!!

Why do you say that Rupert? do you think we will break the top 4 once again? If so, why?

My predictions never come back to haunt me ask your mod





Last season I predicted us 4th and you guys 9th. I was so very close maybe if Radders had not lost it who knows, we were never out the top 6 all season...As for you guys I was only 2 places off.

Bookmark the thread and you will see my predictions will not be too far off...Also bookmark this thread because you will not finish above us, just because I go against the grain with my optimism does not mean I do not know my rugby.

I think we will finish 5th but the top 6 should be a little clear of 7th and 8th in the final standings. The top 4 is not out of our reach though.

I just think our squad is superior, we have added in positions that need strengthening and we have a quality coach.