Not sure what team Brown will go with ( i only got it right once last season) but i would guess it would be

Brett Hodgson
Cudjoe
Whatuira
Lawrence
David Hodgson
Brown
Robinson
Mason
Faiumu
Griffin
Gilmour
Fa'alogo
Horne

Crabtree
Raleigh
Lunt
Grix

he might start with Lunt but i think Lunt would be better coming on when the Bulls forwards are a little tired.

Quite like Grix on the bench as he can cover so many positions.

the other possibility would be Jammer for Lawrence but as there is so little between them i like Lawrence as he will be the future centre when Jammer leaves.

Fa'alogo also needs to do some fitness work this week as he looked a bit of the pace to me at Cas.

With Wild, Kirmond and Drew to come back there is competition all over the pitch.

Read your choice and the thing that came to mind (which you said) is to replace Jammer with either Lawrence or Grix. Jammer would add more weight and experience into either the 2nd row or centres. Mind you same we have Gilmour now.

If you're interested, this is how I think McNamara will choose it, although I would play Whitehead instead of Worrincy.

Halley
Sheriffe
Sykes
Nero
Reardon
Kearney
Orford
Lynch
L'Estrange
Scruton
Langley
Worrincy
Menzies

Godwin
Hall
Donaldson
Crossley or Crookes

That looks a very poor bench to me.

I'm not sure Fa'alogo was fit enough last week. I'd be tempted to get him up to speed with a couple of hit outs in the 2nds, because if he keeps getting penalised for offside, laying on etc, it will cost us dearly. he was done 3 times that i remember. It's not as though we don't have fantastic cover. When he does come into the side, he will then do himself justice.

Isn't Reardon out??

Hall will provide some real impact, and is capable of playing upto 80 minutes, Donaldson is coming on in leaps and bounds, and looks threatening every time he has the ball, Crossley has the size to play in SL but we'll have to wait and see about the ability.

Hmm...

Godwin was hooker in our (too) late surge last year, when we were probably the form team of the competition. Few will have stronger at 9 on the bench IMO.

Hall is a player most teams would likely have in their starting 13 let alone 17 - he can play prop hence I presume the view of having him on the bench with Sculthorpe injured. I seem to recall, amongst other things, Jamie Peacock saying he was the toughest player on the park in the WCC last year?

Donaldson - already had several pretty successful outings for the first team last year and this, and has to be a strong candidate for young player of the year and a future international in the eyes not just of many Bulls fans. Most of us have been very impressed with his progress. Just need to make sure expectations do not run ahead of what we have any right to reasonably expect.

Crossley or Crookes - If Platt and Sculthorpe were not injured then we'd likely see one or both on the bench. Crookes looked promising and would probably have been a regular in the 17 last season before his injury at Wakey early in the season. Crossley has to step up this year or he'll miss the boat - not an ideal game to throw him into, I'd agree there.

Time - and the match - will tell, but I think to describe it as a "very poor bench" suggests limited knowledge of the players and certainly not having seen them play recently? Most of us are more worried about whether Reardon will have recovered from a dead leg and about Sheriffe generally...

I would pick (injuries permitting):-

B Hodgson
L Cudjoe
J "Jammer" Lolesii
P "Fatz" Whatuira
D Hodgson
K Brown
L Robinson
K Mason
S Lunt
D Griffin
L Gilmour
D Fa aloga
S Wild

Bench any 4 from (injuries permitting)
E Crabtree (Definate on bench)
A Raleigh
G Horne
M Lawrence
D Faiumu
D Kirmond
M Aspinwall
S Grix
B Drew (would be on bench if fit)

I would start Lawrence everytime over Jammer or Fatz ,i think by the end of this season he could be pushing
for international selection

It looks a very poor backline to me ,Halley and Sheriffe will be targeted with kicks and on the back of our pac
k dominating Orford and Kearney will have little or no impact

Halley is solid under the high ball, and its one of Sheriffe's few strong points, however running straight at Sykes and Sheriffe wouldn't be a bad idea

.


Just to clarify, why are you so sure your pack will dominate?

I think that people are going on the basis of our performance in the game at Cas.

Our forwards absolutely dominated. wait till you see Griffin. His physique has changed beyond all recognition he is just solid muscle.
The forwards were making huge runs.

Our least effective forwards were Crabtree who will up his game in a home match bearing in mind it is his testimonial year. Fa'alogo who was not fully fit but should be by the time we face you.

Gilmour is excellent and with Mason back i really think we will have some aggression going forward and steel in defence.

Worrincy and Menzies will have to get through a lot of defensive work. That is not Worrinys strong point and if menzies is defending i think it will take some of his attacking game away.

I think we wil win the forward battle. maybe not completetly dominate but our first choice pack looks as though they will compete against anyone this season

As Ewen said...although you know about Nero and Reardon will surprise a lot of people this year IMO - if he is fit to play, of course. You'll not find any Bulls fans I don't think who would pass up on the chance of good centre and a good winger though, but we passed on the chance of the latter to get Orford. Maybe Sheriffe, and Sykes in the centre, will be a revelation this year...

As for the pack...yours is as strong as anyone's IMO. That said, HKR like to tell everyone what a cracking pack THEY have, but that did not stop Orford from running the show or us grinding out a win at their place. Bit light on props for Friday, so will be a hard battle up front but it always is against your lot anyway. Watch out for Orford and Kearney putting Worrincy into space near the line...

Because even with our injuries its bigger,harder and faster

It occurs to me that Durham Giant's excellent reply was a tad more informative and objective...?

Well bully for you

Actually, bully for Durham Giant. Unlike you, he usually has something meaningful and considered to say.

And not self-important opinions like you spout

for me it would be:

b hodgson
cudjoe
whatuira
lolesi
d hodgson
brown
robinson
griffin
lunt
mason
gilmour
horne
faiumu

bench

crabtree
grix
fa'ologo
raleigh ( if fit)

Eorl will be a lot stronger this year, he doesnt have to worry about Semi pulling his goldie locks.

Seriously though I think some of the Giants fans are underestimating the Bulls, I agree you guys have a great team on paper but let the talking be done on the pitch

Won't you have a Semi on then?

No-one at the Giants are underestimating the Bulls, maybe it's just the bulls fans that are overrating the team?

You have made some good signings, no-one can deny that, but then again we went well last year and seem to have a stronger squad this year.

As you say let the talking be done on the pitch, all will be revealed on Friday night and should be a real cracker.

Quality

Really looking forward to Friday. Expecting a good game between two good team. The bulls look a different team on paper but lets not forget they beat us during their mini-revival at our place in front of the Sky cameras last year.

This year we'll be wanting some revenge for that and also to put some of the demons we have when on Sky behind us permanently.

Hopefully a crowd over 10,000.

Some good input from the Bradford fans on this topic - I guess they are have high hopes of getting out of the lull that was last year. Certainly made the signings to do it, hope McNamara can keep them focussed. I'd guess he's currently up the list with Richard Agar to be the first manager sacking this season.

I'll be disappointed if we don't get above 10k for this one.