TS has said that all three players are expected to return within the next two weeks (post match interview). Presumably they will be given a run in the reserves first ? If so that would be either Wigan away next week or Hull away the following week.

Surely Dodds will really strengthen our 1st 17, hopefully in time for the Salford and Catalan matches. Evans will have to fight his way back for a position whilst Ratchford will cause a real dilemma as pointed out in the other thread.

Dodds for King is the only change I'd make.

The rest I would say need to wait for someone to dip in form before getting a look in.

Nice problem to have.

The last we had this problem was back in 2011

I agree

Dodds apparently is a machine in defence not much in attack according to my Brisbane friend

For this very reason I would do away with squad numbering.
Play for your jersey, play to keep your jersey.
If you've earned the 6 shirt, you play in the 6 shirt.

Marketing

But I think he was interviewed and said he wanted to play a more attacking game over here. I suspect we will be pleasantly surprised.

Tend to agree but if they are all 'match fit' after playing a the reserve game or two I could still see Ratch back at f/b oin centre

Would you honestly mess with Gidley and Sandow at 6 and 7?

no sane person would.

they look the best HB pairing in SL

we have gone from the worst HB's to the best

Really looking forward to seeing Dodds play. Just after we'd signed him, I went on to the Broncos site and their fans seemed to rate him. When fit he was always in their first 17. Garbutt for Leeds was never in the Broncos first 17 but he's made a good impact already in SL so hopefully it'll bode well for us.

I don't want to be too positive about anything though as our gypsy friends in St Helens might think we're being arrogant.

Defo not. A lovely balance of flair and astuteness. Wouldn't swap our hb partnership with anyone else.

So he was right then

Playing Ratch at 6
Sandow at 7
Gidley at 1
Would give us our strongest nucleus.

Why anyone would even contemplate messing with the best halfback partnership we have had since 2001 is beyond me.
Its like Good cop / Bad cop. Gidley cool thinking workhorse with plenty of tricks in the box with the Maverick that is Sandow.
Someone tell me where putting Ratchford in place of either one of these guys is gonna lead.
Let him fight it out for that other centre spot with Atkins , Jullien and Currie and leave the halves as they are .

What was wrong with Ratchford and Sandow when they finally got paired up at the very back end of the season when we had nothing left but dead rubbers?

Gidz and Sandow in the halves, Russell at fullback, Ratch to fight it out with Atkins for centre. 1, 6 and 7 look spot on so far, don't change it.

Atkins had operations to fix long-standing injuries end of last season, he may come back better but until he proves otherwise he's the weak link in the team for me.

Ratchford played right centre on the last day of last season and looked dangerous. It will no doubt give Lineham plenty of ball. Atkins is a good athlete but the flaws of Atkins (poor passing and doesn't create space) doesn't benefit picking Penny, so I guess the choice is Atkins or Penny.

If it's Atkins, pick a solid defender on the wing and a good kick returner, maybe Evans.

If it's Penny, then he needs a genuine centre, which would suggest Evans.

My choice would be:

Russell, Lineham, Ratchford, Evans, Penny, Gidley, Sandow, Hill, Clark, Sims, Hughes, Currie, Westerman

Dwyer, Dodds, Cox, Westwood

They played one game as 6/7 the hull fc game at home. the rest of the time ratch was at fullback or after this centre.

He played there against Wigan at home last year when we beat them, one of his best games last season I thought

He played halfback when Myler was eventually dropped and Patton back to reserves if my mind served me well.

We would all agree that Lineham must have good service so for me it's between Evans and Ratchford, It's been mentioned that for some games Gidley could be rested giving Ratchford another shot at six but if he's doing well at centre then leave well alone giving Patton a chance, the permutations keep on growing.

It is my view that Ratchford is actually falling into one of two positions ,either a centre or a rangey loose forward ....i also think he would make a good stand off if only he would pass more to his team mates & keep both hands on the ball, where possible, when running. He reminds me of another Wire great with his reluctance to pass, Willy Aspinall, & there is no reason why Ratch couldn't become one of the games great players ,but can he do that as a utility player?