The Squad numbers are out any day now, anyone care to pre-guess them?

Alphabetical order?

What number is he and when did we sign him?
Alf Abetically, cant get nowt off Google on that name.

ill go 1 mcnally 2 maden 3 littler 4 gardner 5 pownall 6 ridyard 7 coyle 8 ostick 9 penkywicz 10 parker 11 hopkins 12 goulden 13 beswick 14 brierley 15 briscoe 16 taylor 17 nicholson 18 aspinwall 19 finnegan 20 higson 21 thornley 22 r.duffy

I could have a go, but are 'insiders' banned from this one?

Add Spencer and few others and that is a very good looking squad, somewhat short of centre/wingers so I assume Higson/Aspinwall are earmarked as cover or loanees of course.

Aspinwall has to be one of the first names on the teamsheet for me.

Are you saying he will have the number 1 shirt then, Matt?

1. McNally
2. Maden
3. Littler
4. Gardner
5. Pownall
6. Ridyard
7. Brierley
8. Parker
9. Penky
10. Hopkins
11. Aspinwall
12. Goulden
13. Beswick
14. Coyle
15. Ostick
16. Finnigan
17. Nicholson
18. Briscoe
19. Thornley
20. Taylor
21. Higson
22. Duffy
23. Rowe
24. Singleton

Happy coincidence.

I don't like squad numbers can't see the point of them.

What is wrong with fullback being 1 and loose forward 13 etc ?

Ok call me old fashioned.

Agree Matt but in the back row, but as centre cover.

We seem to have an abundance of back rows in Taylor, Goulden, Aspinwall, Hopkins, Finnegan, Briscoe, Beswick, Higson and Thornley. Some will be used as props as I can only see Parker, Ostick, Spencer, Duffy in the squad at prop. Nicho, Coyle, Penky and Beswick give us great options at 9

I would expect Aspinwall to start at centre v Fev in Feb.

So who would you "rest" Mo ? Gardner or Littler ?

No one right as yet (No Alan you cant enter

)

Anybody getting them right I will give a copy of the 2012 tries of the season to, as for the rest they are on sale from The Centurions Market Outlet for £10 per copy.

And don't forget squad numbers do NOT mean who will line up in what position 'first' that what having a 'squad' of players is all about.

Surely you'd put your strongest 1-13 down as 1-13 Who knows what that'll be in Paul's mind.

Well he is picking the numbers on players backs and that's what counts.

Well kids including mine have bought shirts and paid for number 7 on them thinking that Ryan Brierly will be wearing it. There will be a lot of unhappy kids when he isn't. Oh and they weren't discouraged from doing it on the stall.

It was costing clubs a fortune ordering shirts for numbers 1-17, in a variety of sizes. Teams all favour the tight-fitting shirts these days, and there would be a problem if say Spencer was 10 one week, and then Brierley the next. I know that's an extreme and highly unlikely occurrence (think Brierley is 8!!

) but I hope you get the drift?

Briscoe played 7 last year remember!

! wouldn't worry about it



Think Ryan will be wearing a kids sized shirt though!

Do you mean he played AS a 7 or with 7 on his back.

See what I mean about numbers meaning zero (pardon the pun).

I hadn't about the fact that there's a few extra quid income from players having numbers on their back.

Of course we know the numbers don't mean all that much as DA proved in 2005 but I'd expect McNally to wear 1, Ridyard 6, Brierley 7, Penk 9 and Aspinwall 13 as they are the best players in those positions, much like in football you'd expect your best GK to wear 1, wide players to wear 7 & 11 best centre forward to wear 9 etc. Of course throughout the season and during games they may play different positions or in a varied way.

Announced as follows;

1 Gregg McNally
2 Steve Maden
3 Stuart Littler
4 Matt Gardner
5 Jon Pownall
6 Martyn Ridyard
7 Ryan Brierley
8 Sam Hopkins
9 Bob Beswick
10 Rob Parker
11 Simon Finnigan
12 Tommy Goulden
13 Martin Aspinwall
14 Sean Penkywicz
15 Andy Thornley
16 Craig Briscoe
17 Thomas Coyle
18 Anthony Nicholson
19 Michael Ostick
20 James Taylor
21 Ryan Duffy
22 Adam Higson
23 Chris Rowe

Don't see Finnigan as first choice 2 Row - Hope he proves me wrong!

Is Murphy coming back to the club from Australia?