www.superleague.co.uk/preview/10985

www.superleague.co.uk/preview/10985

Still no Kevin Locke. FFS!

Niall Evalds

Ben Jones-Bishop
Mason Caton-Brown
Josh Griffin
Greg Johnson

Rangi Chase
Michael Dobson

Morley
Lee
Taylor

Paterson
Hansen
Hock

Theo Fages
Lama Tasi
Darrell Griffin/ Adam Walne
Jordan Walne/ Jason Walton

I think the starting 13 picks its self, tough deciding between the replacements though. You can assume Theo is a cert, I would guess Tasi will be back too which leaves 2 props and 2 backrowers fighting for 2 spaces.

I'd leave Morley out of this one, luxury of having the squad we have we can give him that bit of rest he needs to be most effective.

After what I saw on Saturday I'm more than happy seeing Evalds at full back, I'm more concerned when Locke is back where Evalds slots in, too good not to be in the 17 for me.

Why is Theo a cert? I thought we looked more composed when he went off on Saturday? He still has the rabbit in headlights about him and as Locke referred to on GMR last Thursday, he just isnt vocal enough to lead the team around the pitch. I'd like to see what Hood can do in 1st action.

I would imagine that St Helen's would rest a few players for the big game against South Sydney next weekend (i'm hoping anyway)

Saints have named the same 19 man squad as last week, and I doubt anyone is being rested 1 game in!

For me id go with:

Evalds
Bjb
Mcb
Griffin
Johnson
Chase
Dobbo
Taylor
Lee
Tasi
Hansen
Hock
Paterson

J walne
D griffin
A walne
Fages

Walton and a walne to miss out

Rest Mozza one game in? Not for me. Also I am more than happy with Evalds, as has been said plenty on here he is a special talent but he's still no Kevin Locke.



a) because of his pre-season form, b) provided us with some impetus at dummy half during the second half and c) could be a great choice of replacement in the final 20 when Saints big men (Masoe, Walmsley, Amor etc) are tiring.

I agree we looked better in the halves when Dobson came on though and he should start at 7 as I suggested further above.

I thought Morley did ok on Saturday (so don’t jump down my throat, I’m not slagging the prodigal son off, just a mere observation), but he was at fault for two of their try’s. The first one both Morley and Hauraki we’re both caught out by a little tip on from Chris Hill, they didn’t seem to see Ratchford bursting onto the ball and we’re caught flat footed. The second try Morley put in a decent tackle on Asotasi, but was messing around on the floor and couldn’t get to marker quick enough leaving Higham an easy dart over.

I’d go with:

Evalds
Jones-Bishop
Griffin
Caton-Brown
Johnson
Chase
Dobson
Taylor
Lee
A Walne
Hansen
Paterson
Hock

Fages
Tasi
J Walne
Griffin/Morley (undecided)

So your inclusion of Fages is due to fact he played ok against Dewsbury and Hunslet. No disrepect to those teams but all our players should stand out against part time opposition. He had a poor game against Warrington, yet should play against the champions? Maybe his poor performance and kicking on Saturday was down to the fact he isnt't the half people was expecting him to develop into and has found his position as a hooker. I agree with you he is a good option to have running at tiring defences but Hood looked ok in the friendlies and less we forget he was highly thought of over at headingley before he flopped Bailey. I'd like to see hood over Lee if I'm truefull, but we have to remember he is only young like Theo. It's a nice to have these options, who to choose to play on what merits, beats living in the past bringing in some shocking loan signings.

Has Morley big minutes in him against two big tough packs in such a short space of time? I'd guess not, I reckon it's the reason Tasi didn't play on Saturday, the benefit of having the strength in depth we have now is that we can make this type of selection.

2014 > 2015

Mullaney > Evalds
Johnson > Johnson
Gleeson > MCB
Meli > J.Griffin
Williams > BJB
Fages > Chase
Smith > Dobson
Puletua > Taylor
Lee > Lee
Tasi > Tasi
Hansen > Hansen
Hock > Hock
Dixon > Paterson

Morley > Morley
Ashurst > J.Walne
McPherson > D.Griffin/A.Walne
Howarth > Fages

Apart from where positions have remained the same, you must say the 17 facing Saints this time around is much stronger than the one which was spanked 38-0 last season.

I'd go with:

1 - Evalds
2 - Jones-Bishop
3 - J.Griffin
4 - Caton-Brown
5 - Johnson
6 - Chase
7 - Dobson
8 - Tasi
9 - Lee
10 - Taylor
11 - Hansen
12 - Paterson
13 - Hock
-----------------
14 - Fages
15 - D.Griffin
16 - Morley
17 - J.Walne

I love how you use the same argument to both boost, and belittle two different players.



You can't point out a negative saying Theo should be good against lower opposition, then praise Hood for doing the same thing!

I think Lee's graft is keeping him in the 17 atm, and I would think that Harris will give him the job of trying to control Roby around the PTB. When Roby goes off I think Harris will spell Lee and bring on Fages. As we don't have a big name hooker our Coach would be doing the sensible thing against a decent one in Roby, by playing a defensive player when he's on and an attacking player when he's not. Hood is a more natural nine, but doesn't yet have the defense that Lee does, or the speed and hands that Theo has. I'm sure he'll get his chance at some stage but it's up to him to play the other two out of that position to become a regular contender.

I'm starting to have a concern that Locke will be better known as Kevin Crocke. It's not a massive worry with Evalds, but a fully fit Locke could make the difference in close matches. Hopefully this is just an early season blip for him.

Thursday night is the ideal forum for our new found aggression. Saints have a big pack but no matter how tough and professional they are the Souths game will be at the back of their minds. Get in to 'em.

Anyone else fear the attendence for Thursday? Opening day defeat ontop of a Thursday night plus being on Sky. Think we in for worst attendence of the new era! Shame, anything over 6k and I will be pleasently surprised.

I'm feeling a Salford win on Thursday night. I also believe that Saints will have the South Sydney game in the back of there minds the following week.

Saints will start fast and try and blow us out the game by half time but if we start like we did against Wire I think we will get over the try line in the first 20 mins this week. How we didn't score in the first half last week I don't know, although Wires defense will be the best in the comp this year.

Also devastated that Sau' and Locke are missing for this one as they give us so much going forward but I'd have to go with...

1.Evalds
2.Johnson
3.Griffin
4.MCB
5.BJB
6.Dobson
7.Chase
8.Taylor
9.Lee
10.Tasi
11.HH
12.Paterson
13.Hock

14.Fages
15.A.Walne
16.J.Walne
17.Griffin

Morley to miss out for me but I do think Harris will play him. I'd rather play Jordan Walne who's more likely to score tries and finish with his decent pace.

Predication

Salford 22 - Saints 18 A classic down at the AJ Bell! #REDARMY!!!!

I think it's a stretch to expect Mozza to play these 2 very intense games in such a short space of time,so I'd leave him out of the 17.
Also Theo must stay in the 17 for me .

I would be disappointed with anything less than the 6,353 we got for the same fixture last season. Thursday should be a 7k plus gate.

We gave a good account of ourselves on Saturday and I fully expect the same again tomorrow. It's hard to gauge anything after just 1 round, but I fancy us to give Saints a close game. I just hope the fact that it's on a Thursday night, coupled with us being on Sky doesn't detract people from coming to the game. A good crowd in good voice = a good Salford performance.

For me tomorrow we need to be a little bit sharper in attack and take our chances. On Saturday defensively we were pretty sound but we did bomb quite a few chances in that first half. Were certainly going to miss the likes of Sau & Locke but with the depth of our squad i'm quitely confident we'll go well this season!

30 years of false dawns for me, and counting.

The law of averages says we [imust [/iturn up on one of these occasions, sooner or later. When did we last beat one of the really top sides? (and I don't count Huddersfield in that bunch, nor the admittedly decent hammering of an understrength Warrington three seasons ago). Back at the Willows we occasionally (once a season?) pulled off a bit of a coup, just as the likes of Wakefield, Widnes, et al do every year. But it seems a very long time since we did.

The tv cameras tomorrow night will offer another perfect opportunity to set our stall out and entice the lapsed support back into the fold, just as they did when we played in the opening game in the snow (

) and against Saints last year when we were roundly thumped. Perform a little better than on Saturday and we'll be fine. Anything less and the wider public will be all over the Dr's twitter account like flies round the proverbial.

I will say an extra one again tonight...

I read something on twitter that J.Walne could be in the starting 13. Would you think this means Hock will keep his place at prop!

I can't see what we gain from having Hock start at prop, he's a hugely destructive runner out wide, that said people said the same when Gallen moved into the front row and that's not turned out that bad a positional change.

Give me Gareth Hock at back-row any day of the week, but he is such a strong runner with a fantastic offload that he could cause plenty of damage in the middle of the pitch aslong as players like Rangi, Dobson, Evalds and the two wingers get on his shoulders.

I would imagine it will be between J.Walne and Walton for Hauraki’s spot and if either of those are to start at loose, you would have to guess that Tasi will come in for Mozza.