1. Royston
2. ainscough
3. Platt
4. Whitehead
5. Ah Van
6.Jeffries
7. (new scrum half...Mitch pearce ? )
8. Scruton
9. Heath
10. Lynchy
11. elima
12. new 2nd row ( trent waterhouse possibly)
13. Langers.
14. Diskin
15. Koppy
16. T. Burgess
17. Donaldson.


on paper it seems a good squad but we need a good 7 coming in. I like marc herbert but he is not a 7 hes a 6. he only plays well when te other half partner is controlling which allows him to float around to do what he wants.
Waterhouse would be an excellent signing. heard Jeremy Smith the loose forward is possibly available ? .. world cup + 4 nations winner and is one of the best in the world atm imo. luke lewis another possibility

Mitchell Pierce?? Are you living in dreamland? Seriously, why would the NSW Origin scrum half sign with us? He's contracted with The Roosters until 2013 anyway!

Smith is contracted with the Sharks for next year, the chances of coming here are somewhere between slim and none!

Ditto for Lewis, contracted until 2014, and hardly likely to give up playing Origin for Odsal.

Did you pluck these names out of thin air?

Waterhouse is a possibility and would be a decent signing, but if we start with the backline you have suggested we will go nowhere fast!!!

An OOC half we could be interested in would be Ratchford.

But, there's still alot of this season left for threads like this to be discussed, IMO.

and anyway first things first, what changes would SSM make to the coaching staff?

no place for whitehead???

See No.4

Kearney ?

I'd go with:

1. Royston
2. Ah Van
3. Platt
4. Crookes
5. Raynor
6. Kearney
7. Jeffries
8. Scruton
9. L'Estrange
10. Lynch
11. Elima
12. Whitehead
13. Langley

14. Diskin
15. Kopczak
16. Burgess
17. Olbison

Sell/Get Rid of:

Herbert
Walker
Crossley

imo we gotta get a really good centre and prop. oli, ew n langley are good for the backrow

I'd like to see for next year;

FB - Royston and Kearney fighting for the spot

Wing - Ah Van and Ainscough, I'd keep Raynor as cover can't see him been on much money

Centre - New 'exiting' centre (Priority) and Platt

Half Backs - A new top class HB would be nice, though if none are available I would not be unhappy to see Briggs and BJ with Kearney at cover

Props - Scruton and Lynch with Koppy and Burgess rolling off the bench

Hooker - Heath and Diskin interchange

Second Row - Elima and Whitehead, with Langley rolling if Addy is at loose

Loose - Langley and Addy (or another creative loose) interchanging depending on the game e.g. start with Langley get the pack on top and lay a platform for when we want to attack by putting Addy on so the ball is shipped out more
and there is another option on the field. I think this could see the opposition's defence stretched and kept on their feet.

I suppose you could do something similar with the fullback position with Royston on when we want to keep it tight and Kearney coming on when we want another option so we can ship the ball around however this would mean loosing a rolling prop which I just don't think we have the fitness levels for tbh.

I agree that centre is a priority, and i think it has to be an outstanding one. cant really sign another walker at centre. a prop would have to be quota and i feel this would be a waste, as we arent going to attract a world class one and even if we did, the money could be used much better in other areas.

Royston / Kearney
Ah Van
Platt
TOP CLASS CENTRE
Ainscough
Briggs / Kearney or TOP CLASS HALF BACK
Jeffries
Lynch
Heath
Scruton
Elima
Whitehead
Langley

Disko
Burgess / Hargreaves
Kopczak
Addy / Olbison

Get Rid:
Walker
Halley
Herbert
Crossley
Raynor (possibly)

Whoops!! apologies...

I still prefer whitehead in he pack but thats not saying he hasn't don a goo job covering at centre just think we need a good specialist centre on one side with platt proving he can be a good centre on the other side and will only improve...

Bullsfab?

Crookes has been doing well and I can see him being solid for us, not a world beater but solid. And Halley is a Winger not a Centre, Crookes is a Centre/Wing.
Would not play Sibbit if my team stayed fit.
Hargreaves would have to force his way in with Burgess, Kopczak on the bench for deffo.