Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Thu Oct 26, 2017 7:34 pm  

Ratchford
Lineham
Atkins
Goodwin
Russell
Roberts
Brown
Hill
Clark
Crosby
Currie
Murdoch-Masella
Livett

TBC
Akiwhatshisname
Cooper
Westwood

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:34 pm  

So Grose but So Good wrote:

Ratchford
Lineham
Atkins
Goodwin
Russell
Roberts
Brown
Hill
Clark
Crosby
Currie
Murdoch-Masella
Livett

TBC
Akiwhatshisname
Cooper
Westwood

Same 13

Baptiste
Cooper
Akauola
Juilien

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:35 am  

Looking at these starting line ups it has a feel of a team that will finish 5th to 8th, unless the new coaching set up enables it to overachieve and get higher.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:03 pm  

I don't think there's a huge disparity between the top 8 based on talent within the squad. It all depends on how the coaches get them firing. Leeds, as champions don't necessarily look much stronger on paper.

I'll be interested to see if Castleford can maintain the blistering league form they showed with an average squad (if it's fair to call them that). Will the GF loss dent their confidence or change their strategy?

Whilst I don't see Warrington winning anything this year, a top four finish is quite possible. The biggest advantage we have is that we are an unknown quantity and not even the fans know what sort of rugby style we'll be playing or who the attack will revolve around.

I'm actually quite excited to see how we pan out with this clean slate. More so than last year, when I still felt the hangover of disappointment from the GF loss. I think the team did too when you look back at the pre-season games and the first league games. It was like we knew we couldn't win it whatever we did, and everyone had given up mentally.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Sun Oct 29, 2017 1:49 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Looking at these starting line ups it has a feel of a team that will finish 5th to 8th, unless the new coaching set up enables it to overachieve and get higher.

I Think most would agree we significantly underachieved last year and finished 9th. The squad looks to be stronger in my view than 2017, so with fresh impetus from a new coaching team, i'm confident a top 4 finish is achievable.

That said Cas will be up there once more, and I can't see Wigan being as far off the pace in 2018. So along with Leeds, Hull & Saints, there are at least 6 with a good chance of top 4.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Wed Nov 01, 2017 7:33 am  

Still light in the backs, a couple more would be nice.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:43 am  

I'd like a prop because I've no confidence in Hill and/or Cooper to do a job at this time...
I hope more than anything else they both prove me wrong.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:57 am  

I can't see Cas making the top 4 to be honest. Hardaker will be a massive loss and I think them losing in the final the way they did will still hurt them immensely and I think they will still be suffering from a hangover from that. I expect us, Saints, Wigan and Leeds to make the top 4 in no particular order.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:04 am  

rubber duckie wrote:

I'd like a prop because I've no confidence in Hill and/or Cooper to do a job at this time...
I hope more than anything else they both prove me wrong.

I think Hill has got progressively bigger of the past 3 or 4 seasons, and this last season, he looked to be carrying too much weight for me. What made him stand out was his agility for a big man, and good footwork before contact - for whatever reason that seemed to go missing last season - albeit I saw it more in his England performance. A vote of no confidence after 5 years exemplary performances is a little harsh....?

Cooper, I'm hoping an NRL coach gets him playing his NRL game, he was very highly thought of in the NRL so there's obviously something there - hopefully Price can bring that out of him again, wasn't he his coach at St George?

We have Hill, Cooper, Akouola, Crosby plus Philbin, Westwood and King (Moran?) I had thought a young prop from the championship may be useful, but that seems (Westwood aside) quite a youthful set of props with a max age of 29, so I'm questioning that now.

I think we may see a couple of Championship players coming in given the comments from KF on Henderson, A young back rower and a young three quarter from the championship would probably suit the squad make up, if we can bring in Baptiste.

Re: Your starting 13/res based on signings and strong rumour : Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:25 am  

Considering our recruitment can anyone explain why we should retain Jack Hughes?