weather will be a leveller too. never easy there but you have to win these games and I think we will

Same here though 'only' 30 + years for me

I too remember the times spent in the Hickson Hospitality box with Cas fans and it wasn`t pretty.
It could be similar to the Wakefield game Friday in as much as we are expected to win quite easily on paper.
But like what`s been said they will relish playing us and it could be tight in the first half before our fitness and ability takes over.
Fingers crossed.

My concern with Tet is that he's putting himself up for contract renewal.

Is he doing better with more props? Maybe,but he really let the team down last year and Oledski had to pretty much carry our pack at times.

Unless he plays out of his skin this year we should let him leave and use his big chunk of salary in positions we are struggling in more.

I wouldn`t be at all surprised that if Tetavano plays like he has the last couple of games.
We offer him another 1 year contract on reduced terms.
It`s then up to him if he takes it or not.
I don`t see many NRL clubs clamouring for him next year tbh.

Strong squad to be fair, hopefully Gannon is just precautionary, given the issues that Kalyn Ponga is having it’s the right way the club are going about it. Dependent on Leemings fitness, I think Walters may sit out of this one.

Myler
Fusitua Newman MacDonald Olpherts
Austin Sezer
Holroyd O’Connor Tetevano
McDonnell Martin
Smith

Leeming/Walters
Bentley
Sangare
Lisone

Johnson/Roberts/Donaldson

I'm pretty sure Newman said he'll be starting off the bench again this week. Given respective performances so far this season it would be pretty harsh to drop Walters for Leeming, although that's not to say it won't happen. I'm pretty sure Austin was limping badly in the last few minutes against Wakey and I do wonder whether he might miss out. If so, Leeming might play in the halves.

I would play Walters ahead of Leeming and let Bentley have a stint at 9 when O'Connor comes off.

If Newman starts on the bench the least disruptive move is Martin to start in the centres. I'd personally like to see Roberts get a bit more game time though, as I'd prefer to pick players in their best positions, and he may be needed at some stage in the season anyway.

Johnson not getting picked last week was interesting. Smith has said he rates him, but decided to go without a bench hooker rather than pick him against Wakey. It's hard to see him getting many games this year if that's the case.

If Johnson doesn’t make the bench then I think it tells us that he ie well down the pecking order especially if Bentley does feature at hooker at some point which is likely to give Leeming an extra week. I think it is a solid policy to not rush players back from injury and play them from the bench first.

Smith said last week that Newman will build up gradually and most likely will do more minutes than last week but not the full 80.
That changed when Handley got injured and the thinking is Newman will start.
Let`s hope we are not rushing him back in doing a full 80 too soon.

That's maybe a reason to pick Roberts anyway? I know I'm banging on about him, but I really prefer to see threequarters in the threequarters rather than stuff a forward in there.

I dont see the point if he's not going to play long minutes.Martin if he starts can move to back row when replaced by Newman.

Agreed. I'd like to see:
Myler
Olpherts
McDonald
Martin
Fusitu'a
Austin
Sezer
Tet
O'Connor
Holdroyd
McDonnell
Bentley
Smith

Newman
Walters
Lisone
Sangare.

Think we'll need to dominate down the middle on what will likely be a greasy surface.