Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:28 am  

I think a lot of this season will come down to luck on the injury front. We've got a decent starting 17 but a few injuries, particularly in the pack and we'll struggle. That said we're in a better position that I thought we would be in after last year, which is a credit to the efforts of the club.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:13 am  

Elima and Hargreaves will be big losses to our pack in my opinion. Overall the pack is weaker but we're probably slightly improved in the backline with Blythe and Foster replacing Ainscough/Pryce/Crookes. Get our strongest 17 out and we look well in the mix for the 8, but 3 or 4 injuries to the key players and we look in trouble. Lets not forget BJ either, he was in superb form for us at times during last season.

Ideally I'd love to see another Prop brought in and perhaps another option at halfback but I just don't think they quality is out there right now. Perhaps some players will unexpectedly become available but if not we'll just have to be patient and get through the season the best we can.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:32 am  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

Elima and Hargreaves will be big losses to our pack in my opinion. Overall the pack is weaker but we're probably slightly improved in the backline with Blythe and Foster replacing Ainscough/Pryce/Crookes. Get our strongest 17 out and we look well in the mix for the 8, but 3 or 4 injuries to the key players and we look in trouble. Lets not forget BJ either, he was in superb form for us at times during last season.

Ideally I'd love to see another Prop brought in and perhaps another option at halfback but I just don't think they quality is out there right now. Perhaps some players will unexpectedly become available but if not we'll just have to be patient and get through the season the best we can.

Tend to agree with that. Lets face it we're in a lot better shape than we could be given wht we've been through. Other thing that people are overlooking is likes of Bateman,whitehead,Olbison,addy etc being a year older and more experienced. IMO their all better players now than they were at start of last season and that can only help us.

[Bulliac]

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:52 am  

jockabull wrote:

I think a lot of this season will come down to luck on the injury front. We've got a decent starting 17 but a few injuries, particularly in the pack and we'll struggle. That said we're in a better position that I thought we would be in after last year, which is a credit to the efforts of the club.

I think that will be the crucial element to our campaign next season. Overall our starting seventeen is not that dissimilar in quality to last season but we do seem to have a thinner reserve strength.

In the argument about whether we're better with or without Elima, I agree he did give away more than his share of penalties but on the other hand he provided a lot of the 'mongrel' in the side, I feel we'll miss that, since looking down the side, I can't see where it's coming from next year.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:24 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

I think that will be the crucial element to our campaign next season. Overall our starting seventeen is not that dissimilar in quality to last season but we do seem to have a thinner reserve strength.

In the argument about whether we're better with or without Elima, I agree he did give away more than his share of penalties but on the other hand he provided a lot of the 'mongrel' in the side, I feel we'll miss that, since looking down the side, I can't see where it's coming from next year.

Attitude wise I'd say Bateman will be main contender but he doesn't have the physical size to back it up yet.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:47 pm  

We still may have the option to get a couple of players during the season, we also are twinned with dewsbury so the option is there if we are struggling for players.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:59 pm  

broadybull87 wrote:

We still may have the option to get a couple of players during the season, we also are twinned with dewsbury so the option is there if we are struggling for players.

Don't think that will be much of a help TBH. The players who would be available would be those who can't get into dewsburys team. No offence to dewsbury but they aren't likely to be much use at SL level.

[Bulliac]

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:09 pm  

mat wrote:

Don't think that will be much of a help TBH. The players who would be available would be those who can't get into dewsburys team. No offence to dewsbury but they aren't likely to be much use at SL level.

Agree with that.

The system does work both ways but was clearly (and rightly, imo) expected to mainly benefit the lower league club and also to provide some games for SL contracted players who weren't getting a game under the new junior and A team set up in SL. Though, if we get our normal luck with injuries it probably won't bring much value to Dews either....

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:10 pm  

I thought we were Warrington's feeder club?