The 1st 17 Next season ... : Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:47 pm  

What do we think it will look like? Will Potter play it safe and make as few changes as possible or will he shake us up a bit .. my personal view is he will stick with the tried and tested as much as possible (not saying I agree with it). SO when we have a full compliment who is gonna miss out ? Clough? Flannery? Moore? Roby? we seem to be blessed with number in the back row ...

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:20 pm  

POTTER OUT !

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:20 pm  

1 - Lomax
2 - Gardner
3 - Gidley
4 - Soliola
5 - Meli
6 - Pryce
7 - Lon.... Eastmond
8 - Graham
9 - Cunningham
10 - Fozzard
11 - Puletua
12 - Wilkin
13 - Roby

14 - Moore
15 - Fa'asavalu
16 - Clough
17 - Flannery

Leaves out Wheeler, Wellens and Hargreaves that I can think of. We simply can't stumble through another season with no pace in the backs. If Wellens is at fullback all year again it's a massive disadvantage for us. Even him playing centre would be a boost.

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:35 pm  

No way will he drop Wellens.

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:20 pm  

1. Wellens
2. Wheeler
3. Gidley
4. Pryce
5. Meli
6. Moore
7. Eastmond
8. Fozzard
9. Cunningham
10. Graham
11. Soliola
12. Puletua
13. Wilkin

14. Roby
15. Clough
16. Flannery
17. Faasavalu

I think it will be similar to last season, but the addition of Moore is going to create the biggest dilemma. Stuck him in at stand off with Pryce at centre, probably not the best option but it's something to try, the more probable line-up will be using Roby at loose forward and Moore rotating with Cunningham.

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:24 pm  

If you keep playing Wellens at FB you will really suffer at times. I don't see why some people think he will be a good backrower either, I have seen nothing at all to convince me of this. He should play centre and he will be solid, Gidley can create everything on the other side.

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:56 pm  

Odemwingie wrote:

If you keep playing Wellens at FB you will really suffer at times. I don't see why some people think he will be a good backrower either, I have seen nothing at all to convince me of this. He should play centre and he will be solid, Gidley can create everything on the other side.

While he lacks the pace and dynamism of a Slater or, in SL terms, a Webb, he's still as safe as houses at the back. We don't lose anything by keeping him there for the time being, whereas moving him to centre would make our attack completely one-sided. We were predictable enough last season without adding that to our problems.

I agree with you on the back row thing though - nothing to indicate that he'd set the world on fire in the pack. I'd be happy to see him carry on at full back, but give Lomax a start there for 5-10 games (a bit like we've done with Eastmond and Long). If it turns out Lomax is too good to be left out, then so be it.

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:45 pm  

Not sure what Potter will go with but I'd like to see:

Wellens
Lomax
Gidley
Wheeler
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Soliola
Wilkin
Roby

Flannery/Clough
Fa'asavalu
Moore
Puletua

Still leaves the likes of Hargreaves, Gardner, Flannery/Clough, Ashurst, Dixon sweating on a shirt and gives us a bit of pace in the backline as well.

Would guess Potter will go with:

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Fozzard
Cunningham
Graham
Flannery
Puletua
Wilkin

Roby
Moore
Fa'asavalu
Clough

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:07 pm  

He doesnt have the balls to mix it up it'll be a side with little disruption

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery
Roby

Moore
Clough
Fa'asavalu
Fozzard

: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:22 pm  

Personally I'd go with :

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Soliola
Meli
Pryce
Eastmond
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Flannary
Wilkin
Roby

Moore
Clough
Fozzard
Fa'asavalu