I don't. They are very overrated, only got four last year due to our no show season and Catalans mid season collapse, Saints late season show of firm flattered to deceive. Think we can make the top four.

We need to support the kid - give him a chance and some time. Sutcliffe is not a fullback and needs to find his true position (he was only ever a stop gap at FB). Maybe if people don't think Sutty has the game to be our answer at stand off they should consider the 2nd row.

Could the same not be said of Leeds - much optimism is based on victories over Wigan and Hull?

Saints have a better starting 17 and more depth in their youngsters - time will tell

It's to be expected IMO. Our current situation pretty much mirrors that of many an aspiring team. Yes, we have decorated players. We also have many others who aren't, some of debatable quality. So where lies the difference between us and others who have, over the years, signed NRL GF winners, SOO veterans, ex-GF winners to bolster a mixed bag of local talent? We might be Leeds, multiple GF winners etc, but we're very much trying to scrabble our way up a greasy pole at the moment.

I’m no expert but with the right conditioning he could be up to the job physically. Some of the best players in the world are on the small side. Until his latest mishap with the Bolivian marching powder Ben Barba showed you can be a small bloke and stand out amongst the giants.

Having seen the lad develop over the past couple of seasons, he does seem to be blossoming into a good player. He has skills, and plenty of spirit. Of course, all this has been in the Championship, and SL is a different proposition, but I would say he is worth a go and could well turn out to be a better prospect for next season than one or two of your ageing half backs - brilliant players that they have been.

Is this not a bit of ego stroking for the kid? Surely sutty will be our starting fb otherwise what was the point of last season?

Suspect this is a ploy to keep Golding interested while he plays for fev.

Otherwise you then have mags, burrow, sutty, lilley and aston as halves. What is the point of signing Aston?

But then I am trying to second guess McD.

Tricksy he is.

Burrow will revert to an interchange player. Sutty and Mags in the halves. Golding at fullback. That leaves Lilley and Aston as cover. If we could get them both playing at Fev perhaps they could build a partnership which could carry into the 1st team long term.

But then again that's me trying to second guess Mac.

Do you really believe mac knows what he's doing?

he looked a lot more solid in the couple of games he played at the end of the season. Hopefully the club have got him on a build up diet and he hits the weights all winter without losing pace.

I'd say the difference would generally reside with the coach who has been in place across winning and now losing periods, especially when faced with losing the most important members of the team, off the field at least. In that regard BM did nothing at all this year to convince he knew how to manage the transition. If anything a lot of his pronouncements suggested that he was a leading light in the excuses brigade.

How is Golding a fullback but not Sutcliffe?
Sutcliffe is better under the high ball and linking in the line

What chunkyhugo said

and

Golding has played fullback successfully for the under 19''s including representing england and was man of the match against the Austrialian schoolboys.

Just a shame he's cr ap when it comes to playing big misters rugby.

Kids 19 leave off looks a great prospect to me, not everyone's an Adrian Morley Gary schofield ripping it up for Gb as a teenager. Just ask Peacock could not get a first team game till he was 22.

Hardaker when asked about Golding the other day did mention that he bumped into him on his holiday and that Golding has bulked a bit. Just have to see if they've got the balance right of not going too far with it.

He is a good lad, plenty of potential, wouldn`t mind him at our place.

That is not an answer, just repeating the statement.

What attributes does Golding have that make him better suited to fullback than Suttcliffe?
He is not better under the high ball or at linking in the line, and from what I have seen doesn't have a better running game...

He's better than Sutcliffe at all three of those skills you just highlighted. Is he a better defender or passer though? probably not and if those are deemed higher priority, then Sutcliffe would be your go to. My opinion though, is the team will be better with Golding at fullback, than what we saw with Sutcliffe.

I'd say with Golding it will all come down to physicality. I like the way he looks to hit the line, and he seems more likely to add a passing game than Hardaker ever did. But it will all come to nought if he gets bombed to destruction or can't make tackles count.

My worry with Golding is he doesn't seem comfortable under the high ball. Like watching BJB at FB

Mozza returns as Academy head coach. Great appointment.

If he asked you to jump it would be "how high sir"

Agreed, hope he instills the same "run through brick walls" attitude Shaun Wane does in the Wigan youth team.