1. Zak Hardaker
20. Tom Briscoe
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Joel Moon
5. Ryan Hall
13. Kevin Sinfield
26. Liam Sutcliffe
21. Brad Singleton
9. Paul Aiton
10. Jamie Peacock
15. Brett Delaney
12. Carl Ablett
14. Stevie Ward

7. Rob Burrow
8. Kylie Leuluai
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan
16. Ryan Bailey

Gotcha - you'll be pleased/surprised/amazed (*delete as appropriate) to know that for once I agree with you!

Ward to me, looked a natural from the minute he stepped into the first team. In 2012 we arguably were in crisis at times and throughout that his form was excellent. It's hard to make direct comparisons as they were playing completely different roles - grafting second row compared to someone trying to be a creative halfback / loose forward. Ward obviously has more skill than we have seen so far however I can't see him playing in the halves as defensively he is an absolute machine who was integral in our run at the end of 2012. Sutcliffe looks like a half similar to someone like Fittler who will have a physical presence and be able to create things as well. By 2016 I would like to think they will start at 6 and 13 respectively. For now, the obvious transition is for Ward to play in the back row and gain more responsibility and Sutcliffe to develop his organisation learning alongside SInfield but necessarily in the spotlight of starting every week.

My 17 to begin the year would be:

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
McGuire
Sinfield
Leuluai
Aiton
Peacock
JJB
Delaney
Ablett

Ward
Bailey
Singleton
Burrow

This leaves BJB, Sutcliffe, Clarkson, Kirke, Achurch who are all accomplished first team players in reserve. While I don't agree with Hetherington's ideas for the press about how strong we are compared to previous years, we are also not a million miles away***

***Providing Peacock, Delaney, JJB, Leuluai, McGuire are fully fit and ready to go round again. I'd certainly be looking to rest all of them at times throughout the season.

I don't think BJB has done anything to warrant de-selection from the team on last years performaces. I'd make Briscoe wait his turn.

I agree ref BJB ....

Hall
BjB
Watkins
Moon
Briscoe
Hardaker
McGuire

Delaney
That average ex Wakey hooker
Singleton
Ward
Sutcliffe
Sinfield

Burrow
Achurch
Ablett
Peacock

Get some pace into the second row

I'm amused by the number of people still putting Sinfield at 13. This clearly won't happen, and I think people are viewing him with 2008/09 tinted glasses. In those days he was able to defend the middle third, make 30 tackles and still get up and run a game. on the odd occasion he could do it these days, but over the course of a season I don't think his body is up to it. We do howveer have someone who could potentially do that role in either Ward or Sutcliffe. I'd go with them.

My 17 would be something like:

Hardaker
Hall
Moon
Watkins
Briscoe
Sifield
Burrow
Delaney
Aiton
Peacock
Ablett
JJB
Ward

Leuluai
Sutcliffe
Singleton
Bailey/Kirke

Sutcliffe gets in over McGuire because of the variation in positions he can play, though standard pattern would be to come on for Aiton, with Burrow to hooker.

I expect we are likely to see Aiton open at hooker, with Burrow come off the bench into that role as the game goes on. I wonder what role Aiton will take when he comes back on? Does he play any other positions?
Think about how we used to use Newton and Lee Jackson: Newton would play the first 20 at hooker, Jackson would come in to speed things up, then Newton would return in the back row for the last 20.

Anyway, exciting stuff coming up, pity I won't be here to see it.

I can see Aiton working as a defensive back rower tackling in the middle third, but not as a ball carrier. Similar to the role Buderus used to occupy when Burrow was at dummy half.

But everybody else 's teams were dead boring...

Ok..... Hardaker to FB, Sinfield to SO, Hall to 2nd row, alongside Ablett.....

And Sutcliffe/Ward to LF ( with t'other on t'bench )

Ah but the season hasn't started yet... There is time yet

This coming season seems to have been a long time coming round....but it's also the one I have been less interested in for quite some time.

No anticipation at all of any great success with a now largely past it same old faces team. Still, I hope I am proven wrong.

You all know now't.

BJB
Briscoe
Moon
Watkins
Hall
Hardaker (oh yes!)
Burrow
Bailey
Aiton
Peacock
Ablett
JJB
Sinfield

Leuluai
Sutcliffe (a great utility player)
Singleton
Kirke

don't you think that either stevie ward or danny mcguire will make the best 17 or have you forgotten about them?

6 - Hardaker ???

Would this be the same Hardaker who couldn't pass or set up his winger when he played centre?
The same Hardaker who whilst has many great attributes at FB (kick return, catching, defence) doesn't come close to the half back style contribution that Webb did when he was here?