The thing with Halafihi last year was that he barely got any game time. O'Brien came on a great deal last year, mainly because he was playing 80 minutes nearly every week and it did tax him towards the back end of the year. The hooker role needs to be better split between the two of them to give both players the time to develop and to ensure neither is completely shagged out come the business end of the season

Just to be clear, the posters are referring to our young outside back Ethan Ryan, rather than Matt Ryan who wasn't offered a new deal for this season.

Agreed. Sidlow, Gaskell and O,brien all looked class on Sunday and completely different players to the ones towards the end of last season (as they were on their knees) We keep our key men fit, healthy and FRESH, then those players can hurt any team.

The pleasing thing for me is the players we kept from last year all looked to have improved and I thought we looked a lot slicker in our attack. For me squad management and injuries will be key. I think lessons have been learnt from over playing out key men last year.

They must learn lessons. I remember our key men looked fresh at the beginning of last season too.

It's crucial Lowes uses the squad more. That might mean a few more losses but we need to arrive in the 8s with the best 17 as fresh as possible.

We made the 8's at a stroll. Bit of a problem with the team and motivation through out the season, but I think this, again, is down to the issue with squad rotation. If the squad is being rotated and seen to be rotated then players have the fact that they might not get picked next week. Lowes' refusal to play players beyond his first choice 17 was damaging to the results as certain players were getting clattered every week with no rest and others were having to do additional work because of players coasting along but still getting in the side every week

Agreed. If the championship was the main part of the season then fair enough - target every match, but it isn't the main part of the season, it's just the qualification section, so we need to do what we need to do and not obsess about winning the 'title' - let Leigh do that if they wish, we'll concentrate on being in the best shape for the main part.

I think people are underestimating the task. It isn't simply "doing enough" to make the Super 8s. IMHO the only realistic shot we have of promotion (and I actually don't think it's possible barring Wakey-style calamiteis - but they do happen) is the automatic promotion spot. No chance in the MPG.

But, that means your Super 8s fixture list suddenly becomes critical, and thus you really do need to finish top to give yourselves the best chance in that comp. Lamely scraping in, in 3rd or 4th or whatever, is no good at all, and would eliminate any hope of a 3rd place finish, in my book at least.

You can be in as good shape as you want, we ain't gonna get much change from away SL team fixtures and that's a fact.

Entirely agree Lowes overplayed his key men, and they need to be properly spelled, but it is no use treating the league as a warm up. yes you do need to build to hit your best form in the Super 8s, but we must seriously aim at top spot, second at worst.

Top 2 should be the target and that is achievable as we are one of the two best teams in the league and I can't see us finishing lower, but it is hard to see past the first 23 rounds as anything other than a warm up for the important final matches in the middle 8.

It's still a race for the top 2 for me. Yes, top spot gives slightly favourable fixtures but if we're going to be good enough to finish in an automatic promotion spot then I don't see much different between finishing 1st or 2nd. It's still a race for the top 2 for me. Yes, top spot gives slightly favourable fixtures but if we're going to be good enough to finish in an automatic promotion spot then I don't see much different between finishing 1st or 2nd.

Thinking about the middle 8 structure, if the RFL were genuinely serious about having promotion then the fixtures should be set that all SL vs Championship games should be home advantage to the Championship side. After all, those are the 4 best clubs in their league, whereas the 4 SL sides are the 4 worst of their league.

As you saw with Leigh last year, the actual order of the fixtures has an excessive impact on the 7 game comp. If you're aiming for 4 or 5 wins, starting against 2 SL clubs with 2 defeats can create a problem.

So not only do you have to finish top2, the fixture computer (otherwise known as the RFL) has to be really nice to you as well....

Perhaps that's what it was. When I saw Halafihi play last year, each time I was thinking he isn't good enough, and I wouldn't pick him next week. Even to the point I'd rather have Baile or Addy at hooker, so I agreed with the decision to drop him the week after. But maybe you're right that if he'd have had some more game time he may have grown in confidence and showed up more. If he played every time like he did at Headingley, I'd have no issues with him playing more.

Ideally we finish in the top two as you say and manage to do that whilst not flogging our main men. However last year apart from the game at home to Salford we were way behind the other SL teams. In the MPG we were incredibly close. Looking at our squad depth and quality I’m not sure we can grab an automatic promotion spot. I think the MPG is our only possible realistic chance – but as you say that’s a slim chance to say the least.

If we have a fresh and in form Gaskell and O’Brien and our pack isn’t shot to bits we still have a chance in a one off game.

That hinges on Lowes using the likes of Halafihi and our multitude of other backup forwards a bit more. I see no benefit in flogging the same blokes in games versus the likes of Swinton and Oldham (no disrespect intended). What’s the point in having a squad of over 30 players if there’s no realistic pressure for a starting spot or no desire to rest players.

I think Lowes has learned this lesson and maybe our backup players will raise their games if they’re getting a genuine chance unlike last year?

Looking at how SL sides are shaping up I can see us playing many of the same teams as last year. I certainly expect to be playing HKR and Wakey in the 8s. Possibly Widnes and a toss up between Salford and Hull.

I watched the recent Hull derby friendly (the whole game is available for free online if anyone wants something to scratch their RL itch before the season starts). That Hull squad should be nowhere near the middle 8s come the end of the season, something will have gone massively wrong if they are.
If they had a decent coach in charge, the squad they have could be challenging for trophies.

The recent Salford friendly result had me scratching my head a bit, I honestly have no idea how they'll go this season. Probably too good for the bottom 4 but maybe not good enough to displace one of last year's top 8? Someone has to miss out.

Widnes, Wakey and Rovers will be in the bottom 4 I think.

Agree about Salford, they've got world class coach in Sheens, and their back line is superb, but think their forwards are pretty small and one or two injuries and they could be struggling.

Wakey's opening fixtures are crucial for their season. They seems to be a bit of a feel good about the place, but if they lose those opening fixtures, that could quickly evaporate and they have some tough games after that.

I expect Rovers to get shot of Chester early in season and they'll be inconsistent, probably in bottom 4 but will be one of best teams in middles. They have players who can destroy the lesser SL teams and championship teams on their own.

Widnes will be as reliant as ever on Brown.