Always a pleasure, never a chore.

I think there will be one more signing and expect it to be Hepi

Sounds promising.

Was talking to Stanley Gene last night.

He said the player he has been most impressed by in training is Mickey Paea, who he described as "absolutely awesome"!

Keal carlile will prove to be a terrific signing,you have to remember he was 1st choice at huddersfield in front of shaun lunt and luke robinson until his health problems.The guy is very quick off the mark and if needed could be the man to cover at half back if needed,hopefully not.

Was this in some alternate universe...? Whilst Keal has potential at this stage, the only two starting SL appearances he made were whilst Robinson was still recovering from the injury sustained on tour.., his other 3 SL appearances were as sub..

Would like to think he might turn out ok , but given his history he is a risk and is no banker to make it..doubt we
will be seeing too much of him this season..although if the rumours about Mr S not being a big Dobson fan are true then who knows...

On the whole i think many fans (and others..) are over rating Rovers squad by some way, whilst we have a great opportunity to get off to a good start playing the notorious slow starters of Leeds (with the added distraction of Manly), Saints and Warrington together with perpetual strugglers Wakefield early doors we need to be downgrading expectations of the squad and coach a little.., there are more playing numbers than in previous years but not loads of top quality, Paea could be good but the rest of the new ones probably wouldn't look out of place in Salfords squad..

Personally i have no great hope aside from the top eight and the continued development of the young players and Scott Taylor in particular who i am looking at as Rovers next home grown international...

Typically upbeat as ever Baz. I would love to be round yours over Christmas!

Let us have a couple of months of delusion, we have all next season for reality.

Saw him in town yesterday afternoon. Looks like a brick =#FF0000Edit-AShouse

Indeed. Quite why we 'need' to downgrade expectations I really don't know. Every other team I read about are talking up their chances it's what you do at this time of year.

Think he's going to have to eat his words about players like McDonnell & Mika too. Only time will tell but effectively writing them off as ordinary before they have played a game, well I don't see the sense in that.

What you've got to remember is that under Barry Lilley's stewardship, the club won all the major honours, were financially rock solid, even making a profit and produced loads of talented youngsters.

Isn't that right Bazzington?

Picking the threads of what Sanders has been saying at the various forums I have attended, he favours 3 props on the field of play at all times (I assume he means 8, 10 & 13) and plans to have two nines in the squad.
Looking at the interchanges this suggests at least one prop doing big minutes out of a selection of O'Hara/Clinton/Paea/Taylor/Lovegrove (my first choices).
The remaining bench place will be a combo of Galea/Mika/Cox (again my choices).

My selection for the Leeds opener is:

O'Donnell
Hall, Welham, Webster, D Hodgson
Green, Dobson
Clinton, Withers, Taylor
Cox, Galea
Lovegrove

Bench: O'Hara, Paea, J Hodgson & Mika

Is Watts missing for the first few games?

I would maybe play Taylor in the L/F role if Sandercock is favouring 3 props, he is not as big as the other guys and is probably more mobile. Having Galea in the pack will give us the extra ball handler if needed. Plus hopefully Watts will show more of his end of season form to push for a a starting spot.

Liking the idea of starting Cox in the S/R!

We all know Larry Billey is a complete idiot, if his views were actually that pessimistic he would have topped himself by now!
First 17 I'd go with:

1. McDonnell

2. Hall
3. Welham
4. Webster
5. Hodgson

6. Green
7. Dobson

8. O'Hara
9. Withers
10. Clinton

11. Mika
12. Galea
13. Watts

14. Carlisle
15. Taylor
16. Cox/Lovegrove
17. Paea

Not that I know of.

For me its a toss of the coin between Lovergrove & Watts for that 13 shirt (the extra prop).

I cant understand why Lovegrove is even mentioned in the same breath as Watts.

I hope he plays Lovegrove tbh.

Depends on what style he opts for, if you want a ball handler to create openings, then he has to go with Watts IMO, Lovegrove is not in the same mould.

So Mr S doesn't rate Dobson, let's hope he doesn't give him the captaincy then

1. McDonnell

2. Hall
3. Welham
4. Webster
5. Hodgson

6. Green
7. Dobson

8. O'Hara
9. Withers
10. Clinton

11. Taylor
12. Galea
13. Mika

14. Carlisle
15. Lovegrove
16. Cox
17. Paea

I'd go for that, Watts at 13 gives us the physicality against bigger packs that we lack with Murrell and would be more creative than playing Lovegrove at 13.

Indeed. Larry's on the money as usual, it seems.

Top metre maker at the club usually.
And has more utility

So squad numbers 1-17 is what most people are expecting with the exception of Netherton(16) replaced by paea(23). And Carlile(25) maybe surprise inclusion for hodgson(9)???




(I'm sure I'm missing someone out)

Lovegrove has never been " Top metre maker at the club" in any season he has been here...he was top forward in 2010 but was down the list last year having dropped nearly 1400 metres...

I meant in the forwards as the comparision was between Lovegrove and Watts
Lovegrove made 3029 metres in 2010 for Rovers bettered only by Peter Fox IIRC who made 3100.
As Fox's metres will of included a few length of field runs that was no mean feat by Lovegrove.