Agreed but in the middle at least there's someone else there to smash the defenders too.

Millward sees him as a forward now so I guess we'll have to see.

Griffens weakness in defence seems to be positioning which wont show up on stats, arundel is our best centre for me.

Just looking at that Cas team, that's a mobile, skillful pack you've got now. Nash, Milner, Emmit, Ferres, Mitchell, Hudson, Clark. Quality.

My 17 for Salford

1. R Owen
2. K Dixon
3. J Arundel
4. J Grehan (J Griffin)
5. J Griffin (J Thompson)
6. R Chase
7. D Orr
8. J Emmitt
9. A Milner
10. N Massey **
11. B Ferres
12. L Mitchell
13. S Jones

Bench:-
14. J Davies *
15. D Clark
16. S Nash / P Jackson
17. O Holmes / R Hudson

(if Grehan is not 100% match fit)

* John Davies should be in the 17 because he as had a great pre-season and he is a great impact forward, and he but some right big hits in.

** Nathan Massey as had a great pre-season and he should be in the starting 17. Cas need a young prop to stand up to help with the injury problem and Massey as done that.

my 17 would be
fb owen
w dixon
c arundel
c grehan
w griffin
so chase
sh orr
p emmitt
h milner
p massey
sr ferres
sr holmes
lf mcgoldrick

int. clark
int. jones/mitchell/davies
int. nash
int. snitch/walker (which ever one is more game ready)

Looking forward to Huby, Millington, Jackson and Youngquest coming back and hope Grehan is a good un, but with whats available I would go with the following 17:

Owen
Dixon
Arundel
Thompson
Griffin
Chase
Orr
Emmitt
Milner
Massey
Ferres
Jones
Mcgoldrick

Clark
Davies
Nash
Holmes/Mitchell

I will have a cheeky fiver on:

Owen
Dixon
Arundel
Thompson
Griffin
Chase
Orr
Emmitt
Milner
Massey
Ferres
Jones
Hudson

Clark
Davies
McGoldrick
Mitchell

My only possible suspicion is that we end up with Goldy in a centre birth to allow another forrad on the bench.

i think holmesy should be one of the first names on the sheet,one of the standout performers in the friendlies and deserves his spot

What i would pick

owen
dixon
arundel
thompson
clare/griffen
cahse
orr
emmitt
milner
massey
holmes
ferres
mitchell/snitch(depending on how strong our props look)

davies/jones
clark
walker
jackson/nash

What i think basil will pick

owen
dixon
arundel
griffen
clare
chase
orr
emmitt
hudson
nash
ferres
mitchell
goldy

jones
clark
massey
snitch

Not my choice, but with Youngquest out, I can see Owen being put on the wing and Goldy at FB.

For me the 'musts' if fit are Owen, Dixon, Arundel, Chase, Orr, Emmitt, Milner, Jackson, Ferres, Clark and Jones. In terms of individual ability I'm not fussed about who fills the remaining places but for balance it would probably be Griffin, Clare, Mitchell, Massey, Holmes, Nash.

Saturdays ref is Alibert....lets hope the players have learnt regarding discipline from the Wakefield game old Thierry tonked us in the penalty count

was only 10-7 to them in penalty count according to rugby papers

A few variations but every single pack selected seems very light - not the fault of the posters, just the fact that Millington, Huby & Jackson are injured and most people seem to be discounting Walker from their selections with him having only just come back.

We might get away with that against Salford but the week after we'll get slammed by a big Bradford pack if we don't have at least 1 of those 4 back in the 17!