I agree with you regarding what to expect from Brian Mac. I expect Cuthbertson to be used as a 3rd middle man at #13 rather than a traditional loose forward ala Sutcliffe or even Stevie Ward.

The thing I believe the coach may opt for would be McGuire and Sutcliffe in the halves rather than Burrow.

For what it's worth I'd go with:
1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. Sutcliffe
7. McGuire
8. Kylie
9. Sinfield
10. Peacock
11. Ablett
12. Delaney
13. Cuthbertson

14. Burrow/R. Ward
15. S. Ward/Walters
16. Mulhearn/Achurch
17. Singleton/JJB/Yates

Mcguire to be used as a sub in my book this season

I think a better question would be "What would be our best team for 2016"? Now that's going to take some answering.

I'm still not sure why people think having a ball-player at 13 is still a "traditional" loose forward.

The closest thing to it in SL at the moment is O'Loughlin, but he's the exception. Most teams in SL use an extra ball-carrier at 13 these days.

When do trends become traditions? I'd say the most prominent loose forwards of the last 20 years have been big ball handlers rather than ball carriers (Handley, Farrell, Sculthorpe, O'Loughlin).
Would I be wrong in thinking that this was the traditional archetype of a Loose Forward?

I think some teams, including the Leeds team of 2015 are best suited to a ball carrying 13 due to the well highlighted light weight pack.

My team with back-ups in brackets:

Hardaker (Golding)
T. Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall (Handley)
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Delaney (Achurch Walters))
JJB
Ablett (S. Ward)

Bench: Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Aiton (R. Ward) Singleton (Mulhern (Yates))

that's my view too as i have posted on here and on numerous occasions

lets hope that brian mac reads our comments on here andy

There's some logic behind Sinfield to 9 as in the last two years he's been doing enough tackles that he really isn't being 'hid' in the way a normal halfback would, compared to his lower numbers in 2011/12.

However he (like most people playing hooker) couldn't do it for 80 mins at his age. So what do you do? Sub him off? Not for me, his needs to be out there for his captaincy and leadership and from what we saw at times last year from the back-ups....his goal kicking.

To you shunt people around? Bring Burrow on for example to 9 and sub McGuire off with Sinfield moving to the halves? Again not for me. How often do you see teams alter their halves mid-match? Very rarely.....especially not by putting a guy there who'll have just done a gruelling stint at hooker making a load of tackles.

The problem with Sinfield at halfback is that he still does big numbers in the tackling department. There is a reason or two why the halves are 'hidden' in the defence......firstly obviously they aren't the strongest defenders typically, but also crucially to keep them fresh for attack.

No stats to back this up but I would assume when burrow is at hooker sinny covers his tackling?

i have no worries whatsoever that sinny can manage the majority of the 80 minute game time whilst playing at 9 and especially should we reach any big play off games, i believe that a move to 9 would also prolong his career,he also played his best games for england at 9 imo

however my major concerns and why i ultimately believe that he has to go there are that we haven't been successful in the 9 role with direction from the acting half since buderus and then lunt for one season left the club, we are also one of the weakest sides whilst attacking in the oppositions 20m zone as we totally lack half backs that can attack the defensive line constantly,i dont want to disrespect sinny but the defense have known how to deal with him for a while now

i would have liked us to have signed burns and dobson but as that hasn't occurred then i believe that we need to give sutty a roving and attacking free role to see if he can do the damage

Wouldn't shunt anyone around. Sinfield and Burrow split the 80 between them at dummy half. When Sinfield isn't on the field, Sutcliffe and Hardaker can handle the goalkicking between them.

With Sinfield, McGuire, Burrow and Sutcliffe on the field at times last year Leeds had way too many chiefs and Sutcliffe ended up being the spare part.