Quote ="Mrs Barista"HDM's prediction for Salford: www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-FC- ... z3wSGuOf84 Shaul Fonua Logan Tuimavave Talanoa Pryce Sneyd Taylor Houghton Watts Minichiello Pritchard Abdull'" I'm not certain that's our best 13 but I do think that is the best Hull team I've seen for ten years.

Quote ="Mrs Barista"HDM's prediction for Salford: www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-FC- ... z3wSGuOf84 Shaul Fonua Logan Tuimavave Talanoa Pryce Sneyd Taylor Houghton Watts Minichiello Pritchard Abdull'" I'm not certain that's our best 13 but I do think that is the best Hull team I've seen for ten years.

Yeh looks strong, but if ellis is fit, he starts, we want our captain, leader on the pitch as much as possible.

Just think we need to be careful with Ellis. Don't want to over do it with minutes he plays. I'd rather he play 10-20 minutes less each week but be available for each round (I know it doesn't always work that way!). Hopefully though he'll be one of those freakish players that Menzies and Peacock were, and just go on forever!

i agree with the above poster. i think this season we might use ellis more off the bench for a couple of reasons. we have a great back row now without him, he can be used sparingly from the bench and should give us impact when he comes on. in addition to this he can cover all positions apart from hooker in the forwards so gives us a few interchange options. the only issue is that of the captaincy.

i really like the prospect of a watts, houghton and taylor starting front row. these 2 props can really kick on this year and push for international honours

I think its going to be interesting to see how many minutes both Watts & Taylor will play. Will Radford over use them or use them sparingly? as both can play big minutes.
We have certainly got plenty of go forward in the pack so hopefully when Taylor & Watts are interchanged we wont see any negative impact like we have seen in the past when the replacement forwards come on and we lost ground at crucial times.

This is my fear, I'd rather we split our two best props up a bit as opposed to them being on the pitch exactly at the same time. Notwithstanding we have a great pack and some depth having greater balance and consistency over the full 80 minutes is the key to winning more games as opposed to dropping off due to fatigue or less quality/impact coming on at certain points in the match.

Between watts Ellis and Taylor all have big mins in them so 1 should always be on the field. 2 will be together for big periods and all 3 at points. Also their big mins would allow us to use feka as a pure impact player. A luxury few teams have or use these days

Yes, good point. Ellis if fit can play long minutes as well, as long as he is not flogged. Playing Feka for about 10 minutes each half will make him much more effective. Be interesting what he does with Manu and Pritchard. I think one of them will start from the bench.

manu or washbrook will play 13 with the other one on the bench I reckon

What would be your 17?

abdull will start 13 with manu interchanging

I still think he might use Manu primarily as a prop, only going to 13 if Abdull has to play in the halves.

Quite like the fact the manu signing as seemed to of gone completley under the radar, he didnt have the best nrl season last year, but until then was a very good nrl forward. Better than mini, and look how well hes gone in super league. Think manu will suprise a few next season

Reportedly we beat Leeds to his signature. Difficult one to predict.

tut tut, you cant post stuff like that, nobody turns leeds down, if so, they were never in for them lol

Seriously though, season can't start soon enough now. Off season seems endless.

But we need a long off season to recover from the misery they made us suffer. However, like you (and I suspect many thousands more) I can't wait for it all to start again.

Hope springs eternal.

As my lad keeps singing "come on you ull" bless his cotton socks he's only been going for a couple of years hes not felt the pain fully yet lol

He didn't have a great year. But they knew he was leaving n totally changed how they used him. Mainly focused on their young back rows. Understandable tho.
I was talking to a coaching staff member at a christmas doo. Didn't bend his ear too much about rugby. I did ask tho who's looking good in training and who's he looking forward to seeing play himself. He answered within an instant "sika manu"

No Ellis until around 3. Unsurprising, but massive injury to recover from, hope they're risk-averse in deciding when to bring him back.

Lucky we are covered in that Area. Best ease him back as I think one more bad injury will finish him.Really hope he comes back as still one the best around imo