I know it’s fairly early but what’s everyone hoping for? We’ve certainly got a few choices but I’d go something like

French
Marshall
Hardaker
Bibby
Burgess
Hastings
Leuluai
Flower
Powell
Burgess
Farrell
Greenwood
O’Loughlin

Bullock
Partington
Clark
Isa

Depending on how he’s gone in training I’d give Manfredi a run at sub, just give him 15 mins or so. Then play him for half a game against Leigh to slowly ease him back into it.

I think you will find Smithies, greenwood, Club band Hankinson will all be pushing for a spot in that 17. I think Partington will be very lucky to anywhere near the first 17 wit hthe rest of the squad fit.

Regardless of his squad number, i think based on his size he is our 6th or 7th choice prop.

I believe Flower, Burgess, Clubb, Bullock, clarke and possibly even greenwood will be ahead of him for front row places.

Lockers is our 1st choice 13 with smithies clearly our back up so i think Partington will start the season off playing reserves.

I completely forgot about Smithies, yes I’d have him on the bench instead of Partington. Greenwood is in the starting 13 I put, as for Clubb he should be nowhere near the 17, too slow and makes nowhere near enough meters. Hankinson should only get in if Hardaker is at full back

Hardaker
Burgess
Hankinson
Bibby
Marshall
French
Hastings
Burgess
Leuluai
Flower
Farrell
Greenwood (but Isa will be picked)
Lockers

Powell
Smithies
Bullock
Clarke

Hardaker
Burgess
Hankinson
Bibby
Marshall
French
Hastings
G Burgess
Powell
Flower
Farrell
Greenwood
Smithies

Partington
Lockers
Bullock
Byrne

It is too early to call though. The friendlies will give a good indicator on where Lam sees players playing in the main and the tactics he seeks to infuse in. Both are intriguing as the other

EDIT: Gildart is injured

From whats been said - Im fairly certain the half backs will be Lealuai and Hastings.

Not sure where French and Hardaker fit in.

With Gilly out he'll probably go Hardaker in the centres and French to full back. Whether that will continue once Gilly returns I suppose depends on how Zak goes. It would actually be a good career move for him if he thrives there. Internationally we are far more stacked at fullback than in the centres.

Trouble is for me at least Hardaker is a flat average centre but an excellent fullback, the best for my money at least in SL so other than for injuries move him?

FB 6 French
RW 2 Marshall
RC 1 Hardaker
LC 23 Bibby
LW 5 J.Burgess
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 14 Flower
H 9 Powell
P 19 Bullock
SR 16 Smithies
SR 12 Farrell
LF 10 G.Burgess

S 8 Clubb
S 13 O'Loughlin
S 15 Greenwood
S 22 Clark

We don't tend to play much silky rugby in these early games given rust and weather, plus we have changes in the halves and backs. Go big and try to win the battle up the middle. Longer term I'd like to see Smith coming off the bench, but this isn't the right one to throw him into. I'd be targeting that Toronto home game for him to play in depending on how they start the season.

He's doubtful for the Warrington game according to an interview I saw with Lam, so we won't see him in any of the friendlies

Hardaker
Marshall
Hank
Bibby
J.Burgess
French
Hastings
Flower
Powell
G.Burgess
Greenwood
Faz
Smithies

Lockers
Clark
Tommy
Partington

Hardaker
Marshall
Hankinson
Bibby
Burgess
French
Hastings
Burgess
Powell
Flower
Farrell
Greenwood
O'Loughlin

Leuluai
Bullock
Clark
Smithies/Isa

I know where you're coming from but I don't think he's been afforded the opportunities at centre that he has at fullback, at least at this level. He played centre in all his games at Fev I believe and was signed by Leeds on the strength of them. Many fullbacks started in different positions and often return to them with great success. He was also given the nod at international level over Percival so he must have the tools.

I think it's more a case of what's best for the team though. I don't think keeping an individual in his preferred position (if indeed it still is his preferred position) at the expense of team balance is the right way forward. The absence of Gilly swings that in favour of Zak to centres for mine. When everyone is fit I still would like to see what the French/Hastings combination looks like. If it clicks it could be devastating.

For me Hank comes in for Gilly rather than Zak and Bibby in the other centre. Otherwise what was the point in signing Bibby? French and Hastings HB, Tommy bench 9.

I always saw Bibby's signing more as a 'competition for places' one rather than him being signed to be a first team starter. Not dissimilar to Hank in fact. I'm not sure I, or many others, would have been happy going into the season with a first choice centre pairing of Hank and Bibby so I don't really see the argument for going into the first game with that partnership if we potentially have a better one available. Obviously, only the coaching staff will know at this stage who is looking good but the choice seems to be an international centre or one of 2 'squad' players (no insult meant to either of the two). Seems to be a no brainer to me.

Bibby was one of the form centres in the comp in the last couple of months of the season. I’d certainly be looking to play him against Wire to try and continue that momentum. It helps him that he’s a natural left centre also, compared to Hardaker or Hankinson, who’d both want to play on the right.

I see your point but I put back that Hank was given the 3 shirt for 2020, indicates to me that AL sees him as a starter rather than a squad player. Throw in NK’s point that Bibby was one of the in form centres at the back end of last season and for me their not squad players. Personally I think it’ll be him and Bibby battling it out for that left centre spot and if that’s the case AL is as well starting them in the centres for the opener.

All will become clear in the coming friendlies and we can start debating the team set up and tactics!

I think at some point Hankinson has to be given a bit of a run in the centres,hes been at the club long enough now its time to find out if he's got what it takes and as for Bibby he was in fine fettle as last season wound down I think he will be in contention even allowing for injuries if his form carries on then he does look a fine player.

Joe Burgess should be made to sit out until theres an injury. He was terrible for the most part of last season. He thinks he is better than he is and needs a reality check.

Pick Hankinson and Bibby before him.

We will start the season with two fully fit wingers by the looks of things if they feel Manfredi isn’t quite right, so Burgess will play but he needs to start well to keep his place in the weeks after Warrington IMO because I agree that his form last year wasn’t good enough in the main (although he weirdly played pretty well in the last couple of games whilst the team struggled).

In my mind Marshall has far more credit in the bank and when fit Manfredi plays for me, so Burgess needs to come out flying. I think he will tbh, he’s a player who needs that competition and as sad as it is needing it to get yourself going, I think the fact he only has a 12 month deal and he’ll be wanting to put himself in the NRL shop window (if he’s good enough is another matter but that’s where you feel he wants to be) or in a position to get a contract here will get him going. It did last year until the one year extension was signed.

Burgess’ problem is that his eyes are firmly back on another NRL attempt. His focus should be the here and now. He plays well enough for Wigan, earns an England call up and plays well there his chance will come. The more he sets his eyes on the NRL the more he damages his chance and more importantly his reputation as a good winger.

It wont happen. He has lost the speed that made him such a great winger at a young age.

Agree, he also isn't physically strong enough to make it as a regular winger in the NRL. They are built like fast second rowers. He needs to drop this dream of the NRL and concentrate on his rugby or he could find himself at Barrow or somewhere like that. Only takes one more injury to completely deplete his pace. Remember Chris Riley at Warrington. Ok not a brilliant player but a brilliant try scorer and a guaranteed starter in that superb Wire side. A couple of injuries and he retired at Rochdale.

I wouldn’t consider it likely either and I do agree he’s lost a yard of pace too. I hope he proves you and others wrong (that’s not having a pop at you btw) and absolutely smashes 2020. I think he has the capability to do so it’s just up to him now to realise it