<cough> Meli ... <cough>

Mine would be



1. Wellens/Lomax

2. Gardner

3. Gidley

4. Wheeler

5. Meli

6. Pryce

7. Eastmond

8. Graham

9. Moore

10. Fozzard

11. Soliola

12. Puletua

13. Wilkin



14. Roby

15. Hargreaves

16. Fa'asavalau

17. Clough

It's not Pryce's fault that he couldn't work miracles last season at six. Every team in the league knows to target him in defence because he is so influential (and dangerous). What we need is to do is take the pressure off Pryce. Another attacking axis would put a huge amount of uncertainty in the opposition and free up Pryce to do what he does best. No point shifting him to centre where he has rarely played and wouldn't be happy about.

He would never do this, but i'd personally go with



Pryce

Gardner

Gidley

Soliola

Armstrong

Wheeler

Eastmond

Fozzard

Cunningham

Graham

Flannery

Wilkin

Puletua



Clough

Roby

Hargreaves

Moore



No Wellens, Meli (harsh but cost us the last 2 grand finals), Fa-asavalu (loses the ball a lot). Pryce moved to full back. We've got plenty of strength in depth.

I'm agreeing with Dux, let Wellens stay nice and safe at 1 and we'll improve other areas first.

I'd also leave Pryce at 6. Eastmond's pace at first receiver will add some unpredicdabilty about our attack which should stop the defence rushing Pryce at 2nd without reprise. Let's not forget he was still our top try scorer last year.

Soliola in the back row for me. As solid as are forwards are, it can all be a little pedestrian at times, Sioliola would spice things up well imo - I also completely trust Wheeler to do a good job in the centre.



If I were the board, I'd be banding Garder about as available if any wants him. We could pick Tom Armstrong for safety, or Lomax for flair who would both give as much if not more than Ade can on less wages. I'm sure there's clubs out there who would benifit from Ade's experience.



Meli I'd keep. He may be able to up royally, but he does have big plus points to (occasionally) counter them.



The hooking thing, I don't know, it would've been a lot easier if KC had retired, I'll leave that one to the coach. I don't really know what their strategy is, though.



Props are a question mark for me. Jammer and Faas are up to scratch, Foz has been brought in and will do a job, but if Hargreaves is the forth, then its looking a little uninspired. The roles of Clough and Puletua will have an effect, as will the abilty of either Frodsham or Emmitt to mature in SL players.



So, assuming KC becomes a squad man (sounds wierd), I'd go with:



1. Wellens

2. Lomax 3. Gidley 4. Wheeler 5. Meli

6. Pryce 7. Eastmond

8. Graham 9. Moore 10. Fozzard

11. Wilkin 12. Soliola

13. Flannery



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



If, say, Frodsham began to perform, I'd like to see him put pressure to push Flannery out of the side (with a bit of shuffling) by the end of his contract.

It is his fault he didn't look interested and went missing for the last 2 months of the season though. An aging Long was far superior in the halfback stakes towards the end of last season. I'm sure Long was targeted in defence as well.



Pryce certainly has the X factor, but losing his organiser is going to heap even more pressure on his shoulders. Eastmond can't be expected to come in and step straight in to Long's shoes. When Longy took over, he had Tommy at his side, who had had Goulding before him. It's the first time in umpteen years we're going into a season without a recognsied organising half back. Time will tell how costly that may be, or if one of them will take the reins immediately.

Your scrum half is your organiser (if you play 1st and 2nd receiver like we do). Kyle has been a scrum half through the ranks, I can't beleive he hasn't had to do that role in the other teams he's played for, so I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be able to do it when surrounded by all the experience that our first team has. He's certainly not scared of souting the odds and instructions.



I'm also baffled by peoples insistance that he's definatley not an organising player and won't be a scrum half. I'm sure that people just decide that because he's got pace, he can't have an organisational game aswell.

Spot on.



He has a very good passing and kicking game that will only improve.

Wellens

Gardner

Gidley

Soliola

Meli

Pryce

Eastmond

Graham

Cunningham

Fozzard

Flannary

Wilkin

Moore



Roby

Clough

Fa'asavalu

Puletua



Any changes can be made during the season. Lomax, Wheeler and Frodsham need to be brought into the first 17.



The following are out of contract at the end of 2010 so we need to bring on the young guys to fill the positions of the players that will not be renewing their contracts.



Wellens

Gardner

Gidley

Meli

Eastmond

Cunningham

Fozzard

Flannary



Lomax moved onto one of the wings would be a good start.

I'd like to see



1 Pryce (in attack)

2 Gardner

3 Gids

4 Soliola

5 Meli

6 Wheels

7 Eastmond

8 Fozzard

9 KC

10 Graham

11 Wilkin

12 Flanno

13 Wellens (full back in defence)



14 TP

15 Roby

16 Fas

17 Clough

I like this, but it'll never happen

I think potter will stick with his tried and tested.



I think Potters 17 will be....



Wello

Gardner

gidley

soliola

meli

pryce

eastmond

fozz

KC

graham

tony p

flannery

wilkin



roby/Moore

maurie

clough

bryn





If he does pick this 17 I think we will be in same boat as last year.



No attack!