Well I normally reserve judgement on this for game 10. I think 10 games in is where you can say you have seen the best and worst of the team.

But with game 10 being after Easter I think there will be lots of other things to talk about such as Wigan and Leeds.

At the start of the year people where saying their starting 17 I wonder if that has changed for anyone.

It certainly has for me.


FB Lomax
Wings Makinson Swift
(these two have really come on this year)
Centre Turner Jones
(I was going for Percival before a ball was kicked but I think Jones has earned the shirt and should not be dropped)
Halfs Wheeler and Walsh
( to me these two have combined the best, but no one has really nailed down the 6 shirt)
Prop Amor & Masoe
( been impressed with Masoe not just a bulky runner)
Hooker Roby
(but I do think he needs an interchange)
2nd Row Sia Manu
( although I think Manu has not been as top as he has been)
LF Wellens
( I think he has earned a shirt not of the past, but off the present, I would start him as we need to start in the right fashion and not bring him on to stabilize)

Subs
Walmsley
Laffranchi
Flanaghan
Lance ( I would bring as an interchange hooker and cover for backs in an important game)

I'll agree. I think Lance and Wheeler are 50/50 at the moment. Once one starts producing consistently good performances they will nail down the spot for the rest of the year. Unfortunately for Lance injury got in the way.

I still don't get why we went with Wilkin at 6, when Wheeler is fit. He could have drafted into the 19 surely for an injured player

We actually Finnished up with Wellens at six who produced a sterling performance for us.

Lance should be 6, Wheeler has again offered nothing and should be released.

LMS should be 13. Wello has done okay, but misses too many tackles as he isn't a forward. Should not be playing week in week out.

Lms was awful last night until the last ten mins.

I'll put that down to him playing prop in Kyle's absence.

He's played prop did years. If he can't play prop then Richards or walker should have come in.

For me:

Lomax
Makinson Turner Jones Swift
Hohaia Walsh
Amor Roby Masoe
Wilkin Soliola
LMS

Walmsley Laffranchi Manu* Wellens

*if were going with form alone Manu would be out for Flanaghan

Makinson, after a few years of struggling has finally gotten over second year syndrome, and is rapidly becoming one of the top finishers in the game. He's currently scoring tries that no one else in this country could score.

Jones is a centre. I said it in the off season, and he proved it Friday night. The trick Nathan Brown has is fitting 3 very good centres into 2 positions when Percival returns - but people have been calling for a centre like willie talau for years - josh jones can be that man.

Hohaia has finally shown some of what he's capable of, given the freedom Walsh grants him. I've gone from not caring if he returns to the NRL next year, to hoping we at least have a replacement lined up (he's not in the soliola - tears rolling down my cheek stage, but hey there's a long way to go yet )

Walsh and Amor are everything I could dream them to be. Friday night also showed we should do everything in our power to replace laffranchi with huby (assuming laffranchi is retiring)

Walmsley and masoe both have their stupid moments, but the game where both of them iron it out, were gonna steam roller.

Masoe has proven he's no Feka. And he's getting better and better week on week. The slip ball on Friday wih 3 hanging onto him was great ... Just a shame it was slippers Wilkin as opposed lomax!

Lms is not a prop. We get dominated whenever he starts there. It's not too bad when we pull a TP style of starting him at lock and moving him forward, but he should be left at 13 (where I think he's very good)

Soliola is perhaps the best back rower in the league. He's certainly the form back rower in super league. At the start of the season I would of had him on the bench for impact, but his performances demand long minutes and he can do them.

Manu has been the let down of the year so far. But people suggest he's a slow starter, so I'm willing to give him some more time to pick up his game. He was ambling at times on Friday. In form alone Flanaghan would be ahead of him, and even greenwood.

Greenwood deserves a special mention. Despite not making my cut, he's still much improved on last year, and looks like he could go far.

We need someone to rotate with Roby.

Wellens is currently making the cut by his own right.

Hohaia vs wheeler is perhaps the closest battle when everyone's fit. The problem wheeler has is even when he's playing, I'm skeptical as to how long for.

Turner did have a very poor game vs castleford, but I'm a big fan of his in general - nobody deserves dropping on the basis of 1 game.

Given our situation having 2 props on the bench is vital for me. Hence laffranchi is there, having wellens, Manu and greenwood on the bench is back row overload! Plus, laffranchi is one of our top tacklers, i think he picks up some unfair criticism on here.

St. Pete: I think in the long run Amor and Masoe starting with walmsley coming on should extend that (aka instead of dominating the first 20, well dominate the first 30) our 4th prop options limit the chance we have of totally dominating like we have done with Amor and walmsley (both options in lms and laffranchi are better in defence than going forward) - but I think were yet to see a fully fit Amor walmsley and Masoe combo yet, and is something to look forward to in the coming weeks!

My strongest 17 if all fit would be:

1) lomax
2) makinson
3) turner
4) percival
5) swift
6) lance
7) Walsh
amor
9) Roby
10) walmsley
11) wilkin
12) Jones
13) Sia

14) wellens
15) Masoe
16) manu
17) LMS


The backs pretty much speak for themselves. Our back 3 is awesome, makinson has to be closing in on England's number 2 shirt! The centres are raw talent but IMO will both come good and hohia and Walsh seem to have hit the ground running together.

The starting front row of amor Roby walmsley IMO is the best in super league at the mo! (and all English).

Good defensive back row to start with and impact from the bench in the form of manu.

Also got to have wellens on the bench he's been immense this year and his critics on here are deluded! He grafts, gives everything for the shirt and more importantly numerous times this season he has come off the bench to steady the ship! Great leadership qualities.