I think with JJB and Ward out it's unlikely Achurch will go. Especially given one of those is retiring and we have only Keinhorst and Walters for cover aside from him.

Given the need to rotate the props more this year with no big JP stints, I'd expect Achurch to regularly be in the 17 as the bench second row:

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sutcliffe
McGuire
Galloway
Falloon
Cuthbertson
Ferres
Ablett
Delaney

Burrow
Garbutt
Singleton
Achurch

When fit, Ward starts at 13 and Delaney drops to the bench for Achurch.

The back row looks a lot stronger with Ferres, but when everyone is fit we look overloaded on a numbers basis. Re Achurch, he signed for 4 years didn't he? If so he'll be in his last year, so he'll definitely want to show he's worth another big deal whether at Leeds or elsewhere.

Last year of his deal at Leeds.

Lilley, Ferres, Achurch, Falloon, JJB our out of contract players for end of 2016.

No problem with that. We were often short of numbers last year so glad we look like avoiding that. The game today anyways mean it'll be quite unlikely you'll ever have a fully fit squad to choose from and even if we do we should see it as a chance to rest a guy or two here and there.

Achurch will probably be gone after this year. JJB probably will call it quits in 2016 and although he scored the winning GF try, Walters needs to impress when playing after a mostly disappointing 2015.

As it's Achurch's last year to impress I wouldn't be surprised if he does a "Bailey" ..and has a half decent season to secure another contract. The rest I agree with

In terms of strength in depth, this is arguably the best Leeds have looked in the forwards for a while fitness permitting. Given the quality in the backline, the deciding factor in how successful the season pans out looks like being how the new half-back partnership comes together, and whether both Sutcliffe and McGuire can both stay fit.

An extended spell with one or both of Burrow and Lilley in the halves could have a serious impact on Leeds's season.

Having watched the end of last season, the NZ game, the boxing day game, and the Hunslet game, and voiced my concerns over the half backs, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I would have so much more faith in a McGuire/Lilley partnership than anything else. I genuinely think Lilley offers us everything we need from the scrumhalf role that Burrow will not give us, and that McGuire gives at Stand off that Sutcliffe probably won't.

I know both Sutcliffe and Burrow have a skill set that can offer something more themselves than Lilley can give, but I think what Lilley has in his locker is exactly what this side needs to link well together through the backs and forwards. Plus he gives us a kicking game, and a good goal kicker.

I would tend to agree: Lilley has very much crept up on the blindside and IMO is already deserving enough of a starting chance in the scrum half role. I have made some less than entirely serious remarks about McGuire being 'yesterday's man' (he of course still has much to offer - if not quite enough to be captaincy material) but I can already see Lilley being good enough to step up.
Golding too I can seriously see stepping up to cover stand off as well as FB.

I understand Sutcliffe and McGuire deserve to be the starting HB pairing, but I hope Lilley and Golding will both be given the first opportunity to step in if either Sutcliffe or McGuire fall victim to any unfortunate injuries. Certainly both would be better than bringing in Burrow as a starting half/hooker (who should instead remain bench impact player, at which he best excels).

It would be a surprise to see him on the field for any length of time going off the last three years. If he does manage it, i don't think many would be surprised to see him go pretty well if he does stay fit, he has always looked to posses some talent when on the field. Even if he does stay fit and have a good season though, it's highly unlikely he would see anything like the deal he currently on, if rumours are to be believed.

I know GH is fond of saying "this is our best squad ever", and that with the loss of JP and Kev he probably *won't* be saying that this year, but to to me the squad does look more balanced and deep than any I can remember.

We know how good our 1-5 are, and we also know that we have very good reserves in Golding, Handley and Keinhorst. No switching Ablett to centre and no one injury away from Joe Vickery.

Replacing the JP of 2015 is not the same thing as replacing the JP of a couple of years earlier. In some respects Cuthbertson and Garbutt took some of the slack off him last year and while we'll always miss his presence the addition of Galloway and Ferres leaves the pack looking stronger than it has for a long time. (Similarly, Kylie is a Leeds legend, but replacing the actual impact he had in 2015 is not that demanding and should be well within either Mullalley or Baldwinson's capability). Again, there's more depth than we've been used to, with Keinhorst, Achurch, Mullalley and even JJB/Delaney out of a first-choice 17.

The question marks that remain are:

1) Will Falloon be an adequate replacement for Aiton? If he is, we're well set. If not, we don't want to be relying on Burrow as hooker all year.

2) Will we be able to replace Sinfield/Peacock's direction and game management? Kev has been doing less ball-in-hand and even open play kicking over the past couple of years, so I think we can replace that. Whether we can replace his smarts is another matter.

3) Goal-kicking. We're just going to have to face that we'll average 2-4 points less a game due to the difference in ability between Sinfield and Sutcliffe/Hardaker. No easy answer to this (other than score more tries) and it could cost us a few tight games.

But overall I'm more confident ahead of this season than I've been for a while. Now watch it all go wrong...

Lilley could well get a chance. I'd be surprised if either of the 1st choice halves goes through the season uninjured. Plus, as Gotcha has pointed out, he could well be our best goalkicker which isn't to be sniffed at.

I think he'd really have to go some to get a new contract. Ferres for a start will be offered a longer and better paid deal after this year and potentially better money for the likes of Lilley or another youngster if they have a good year. Add to it that Falloon will either be like Ferres and offered a new longer deal or we'll be on the hunt for another starting hooker then Achurch's rumoured big salary will possibly be needed to make some of the above possible on the 2017 salary cap.

I think the sheer grind of the new league structure requires a considerably bigger squad than previously. Hopefully the kudos of playing for this undisputed champion team will keep players patient for a piece of the action...

If we go with McGuire and Lilley it means burrow and Sutcliffe fighting it out for the last bench spot. Might be a good idea for the first few games while Sutcliffe gets comfortable with his leg.
Achurch must be gone at the end of this year. He seems to constantly injured or average at best and with Ablett,ferres,Ward,Delaney,JJB and keinhorst we don't need him.
His cap space should easily improve deals for Ferres,Falloon and Lilley if needed.