Clearly must have mis-read the title - mistaking it for the "friendly"?

Agar has some great options this season. I'll go with:

1. Tansey
2. Calderwood
3. Yeaman
4. Hall
5. Briscoe
6. Horne
7. Long
8. O'Meley
9. Berrigan
10. Cusack
11. Tickle
12. Manu
13. Fitzgibbon

14. Moa
15. Lauaki
16. Radford
17. Turner

Houghton's unlucky to miss out but, in my opinion, Berrigan is one of the best hookers in the world and an 80 minute player. Why rotate him? I would use Houghton through the season and see him as Berrigans long term replacement, but not for the Saints game. Turner looks an exciting prospect and can provide cover for all of the backline.

Radford and Tickle both tend to play on the right so I'd keep Manu on the left to provide better balance. Lauaki and Radford can both step in as second row replacements or as the 4th prop as the situation dictates.

I'd also like to see Yeaman on the right and Hall on the left. I think this is the key to unlocking Hall's potential. He never seems entirely comfortable at right centre.

And still Houghton, Washbrook, Whiting, Dowes, and Burnett waiting in the wings and pressing for a first team spot.

seems pretty much spot on in all you have said

I agree with pretty much all of that. I would like to see Washy establish himself at loose forward next season though.

Agree, apart from the Horne at 6 and Tansey at FB bit. Aren't they the wrong way round?

If the rumours are to be believed Tansey and R Horne may operate the other way round. I'd like to see one of Lauaki and Manu to be on the pitch at all times in the back row, dont think prop suits Lauaki as much as wide running 2nd row does.

I'd go for (taking the rumour into account)

1. Horne
2. Calderwood
3. Yeaman
4. Hall
5. Briscoe
6. Tansey
7. Long
8. Cusack
9. Berro
10. Radford
11. Lauaki
12. Fitz
13. Washy

14. O'Meley
15. Moa
16. Manu
17. Houghton

Dont believe rumours mate



Tansey is our fullback,horney will partner longy

Then i'd swap those 2 around and that would be my team.

can see ur point mate but Tansey has been brought in to be our fullback, (in my opinion of course)

remember i know nowt

You misunderstand. I'd named Tansey at 6 and Horne at 1 in my team on the previous page. I've said i'd swap them back around meaning Horne to 6 as per your steer that thats where they'll play, not that i'd swap them around and disagree with Agar.

Difference between what my team would be and what i think it will be
What i think it will be
1.Tansey
2.Calderwood
3.Hall
4.Yeaman
5.Briscoe
6.Horne
7.Long
8.Cusack
9.Berrigan
10.O'meley
11.Radford
12.Tickle
13.Fitzgibbon
Subs
14.Manu
15.Houghton
16.Moa
17.Lauaki
I would like to see washy at 13 with fitz in 2nd row replacing radford

i like the Mars team sheet... it's great to see how many options there are since we started the recruitment for next season

i would expect tansey and turner to both have a go playing at 6 sometime

i think radford deserves a starting spot in 2nd row

i think houghton should be on the bench and rotate with berro. interchanging hookers seem to be very effective in SL. easy tactic

could talk about this all day, and i probably will when i see my dad, only to get a bollocking off my mum about 'bloody rugby over the dinner table again....give it a rest'

Funny isn't it, in previous years we've been almost certain what our best 17 is. This year we could pick dozens of variations of the side. Shows how good the recruitment has been and the depth it's given us in multiple positions.

Thats the key thing next year. When players of the ilk of Whiting, Turner, Washy and Burnett are likely to be sat in the stands if all players are fit we really do have some squad depth!

Which gives Agar a further headache about keeping them all happy. Nice headache to have though.

1. Tansey
2. Calderwood
3. Yeaman
4. Hall
5. Briscoe
6. Horne
7. Long
8. O'Meley
9. Berrigan
10. Cusack
11. Fitzgibbon
12. Manu
13. Washbrook

14. Moa
15. Lauaki
16. Radford/Tickle/Burnett
17. Houghton

Any please can Agar take note, Hally left centre not right!!

Like that a lot. Washy's on a first 17 deal and needs to cement his place at 13 IMO. Also think we'll see a fair bit of Turner next season.

Tansey
Calderwood
Yeamo
Hall
Briscoe
Horne
Long
O Meley
Berro
Dowes
Radford
Funkygibbon
Tickle

Manu
Lauki
Moa
Whiting

Need Whiting on bench as already look light in cover for 3/4s. Lauki to cover as prop/2nd row.

Very hard to select blindly, we have no idea how the Aussies have settled or what sort of player Turner is looking like. On his form of the latter part of the season Moa deserves a place bench before Cussack. Just my opinion. Hope Cussack proves me wrong this season, been a very average signing for me.

Why does everyone seem so quick to dismiss Dowes? He started last season like a storm and has the same people influencing him at training that are impacting the others in the squad. I sttill think he's got a lot of improvement in him.

He's been poor for 3 seasons now. He's below all the other props imo.

I've clearly been watching a different game, Hasn't he had to play 80 minutes for many games because of continual injuries to King, Cusack, Thackray, Carvell and the late arrival of Moa and Lauaki? He plays a solid game for most of most matches, his mistakes are very few, his defence is solid, his play the ball is fast enough. I grant you he is not an iimpact player but to say he is below the otheres is unfair imo.

We've also played 3 props to ease the workload with Radders at 13.

Whatever anyone says Dowes makes very little yards in attack, doesnt make breaks or offload, his defence is steady. He's behind Radford, Cusack, O'Meley, Moa, Lauaki imo as the 5th choice prop. Burnett may even get a game before him if it were up to me.

I wait to be proven wrong though.

But I think you're mixing your grafter stats with impact stats here. He does a lot of hard yards that compare well with other props in the comp; he makes a lot of tackles (including at marker). However, he is not there as an impact prop to bust lots of tackles (even though he still makes a few busts) and nor is he there to make a lot of off-loads. He is there to be steady and reliable, giving very few penalties and not giving the ball away lightly. It might be that with the new regime he is allowed to be more expressive, using his sidestep and making more off-loads. I can't imagine a prop running onto a ball from Long won't get more opportunities than over the last two years.

Sod the team I wrote, this will do for me. Can't see anything but Fitz at 13 though TBH.