I think NB will go with:

Wellens
Gardner
Turner
Jones
Meli
Hohaia
Lomax
Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Soliola
Manu
Wilkin

Puletua
Clough
LMS
Flanagan

I'd still play wello at FB, but I think we need to mix it up a bit this year and first game out against a decent side why not use Lance at FB.

Id like to see this team at least once next year.

1 Swift
2 Makinson
3 Turner
4 jones
5 Meli
6 Gaskell
7 Lomax
8 Perry
9 Roby
10 T.P
11 Clough
12 Sia
13 Manu

14 LMS
15 Boof
16 Walmsley
17 hohaia

Really like the look of the pack for next year. If they dominate, like they should in many games, our backline has tries galore in it.

Just need to sort that pesky half back problem out...

It does? Where?

I'm sure we'll do okay, but I can't see us winning a trophy with that backline. It's the weakest of the top 4 or 5 clubs in SL.

As a fullback? He doesn't have a rep as a halfback

I know it's saddo but is he wrong? Wello is further past his sell by than a mouldy warbies, Gardner is at best solid, Meli is a liability and Turner needs work (although he has great potential). I like jones and hope he starts the season at 4 but he is very raw still. Wouldn't be my pick for the back line but I won't be shocked if its browns.

For me

Lance
Makinson
Turner
Jones
Swift

Risky maybe but full of potential and pace

I'd go

Lance/Swift
Gardner
Jones
Meli
Turner/Makinson
Gaskell
Lomax

Puletua - Roby - Perry
Manu - Soliola
Boof

Subs from Cough, Lms, Wlmsley, Flanaghan & Wilkin.

Wellens
Makinson
Turner
Meli
Gardner
Gaskell
Lomax
Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Manu
Soliola
Puletua

Wilkin
Clough
Hohaia
Flanagan / Walmsley

Quite like others for me

TMak
Gardner
Turner
Jones
Meli
Gaskell
Lomax
TP
Roby
Boof
Soliola
Manu
Wilkin/Flanagan

Bench of Perry, LMS, Clough and Hohaia.

1. Hohaia
2. Gardner
3. Turner
4. Jones
5. Makinson
6. Gaskell
7. Lomax
8. Perry
9. Roby
10. Puletua
11. Manu
12. Soliola
13. Wilkin

bench, Clough, Laffranchi, LMS, Flanagan

I'm not convinced that Wilkin is capable of coming off the bench. Swap him for Soliola and have him coming off the bench. Seems to give us a lift when he does, which seemed to be effective.

I'd also swap Laff and TP around, other than that I agree even with the unusual combination in the backs! Think that could work

Agreed - Wilkin needs to play for most of the 80 or not at all. He'd be ineffective as a bench player.

Wilkin needs a kick up the backside if anything. His form last season was rubbish for the most of it, although being asked to play 2 positions doesn't help. I'm hoping Brown can get more out of him than Rush and Simmons did.

Makes me laugh when people put likes of Swift in their starting 17 when he's only played about 3 super league games and two was against the worst team in super league.

Why not? The players they would be replacing are pretty terrible, so I don't see what we're losing.

I'd like to see:

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Jones/Percival
Meli
Wheeler
Hohaia
Perry
Roby
Clough
Wilkin
Flanagan
Manu

Soliola
TP
LMS
Laffranchi

Because he's not ready to be thrown into super league on a week to week basis as its not good for him.

Why would we play him fullback when we've got makinson, hohaia and wello.

Look at the young lad who got thrown into the deep end at Wigan last year in the elimination play off against Leeds.

He'd be earning his stripes on the wing for me. When he did play he was quite impressive and I think he should be given a few games, we could always rotate him with the timebomb and Gardner

I think it would be common sense to cherry pick games for swift this year so he gets a run in super league without over playing him at this level.

2014 should be the season he looks to establish himself in the first team.

Agreed.

My team would be:

1. Hohaia
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Jones
5. Meli
6. Gaskell
7. Lomax
8. Perry
9. Roby
10. Laffranchi
11. Sia
12. Manu
13. Wilkin

14. TP
15. Clough
16. Flanaghan
17. LMS

Depending on Walmsley performance and training if consider dropping Perry from the 17 altogether. He's a total waste of a qouta spot and waste of a salary.

Have you had any inside info on how the team is likely to shape up, particularly in the halfs, given Brown's lack of confidence in those we have available to fill the positions? or me, that will be the most intersting choice for him next season, he has identified that we have issues there, but has been unable to bring in anyone to improve things. Would hope that he will be working none stop over the winter with Gaskell, Lomax and Hohaia to see if he can solve the problems, but also wouldn't be surprised to see someone esle given a chance, either from the A team or a player like Turner who has a bit of history playing there.

At the moment its basically fitness and Brown has them doing long long days which is good



Spoke to few lads last week at Langtree park for the footy match but nobody really mentioned positions etc.

I'd guess that lance will be a utility off the bench.