So with the first pre-season game less than a monthe away what team would you put out against Castleford????

I think traditionally its got be Bradford Bulls but I could be wrong.

Players that are fit.

I'd give everyone a bit of a game.

bullseye has nailed it, quote the tna todayPotter’s injured players are gradually returning to full fitness, with Jarrod Sammut (shoulder), Matt Diskin (shoulder), Heath L’Estrange (knee) and Nick Scruton (wrist and groin) aiming to be in contention for the pre-season games early next year."[/i. but as nobody has bitten on it lets have a go:

assuming none of the above are fit, I would like to see as close to the strongest team as we can get, but have a look at Ainscough, Briggs, Bateman for Walker with Purtell into centre, jeffreys and Sibbit or Langley respectively.

Kearney
Purtell
Lulia
Walker
Kear

Jeffreys
Gale

Hargreaves
Addy
Kopczak
Elima
Sibbit
Langley

bench (how many is it for preseasons?)
MnM
Burgess
Bateman
Obrien
Ainscough
Briggs

Id like to see. If them players arn't fit:

Kearney
Ainscough
Purtell
Lulia
Kear

Briggs
Gale

Hargreaves
Addy
Kopczak
Elima
Langley
Bateman

O'Brien
Sibbit
Manuokafoa
Burgess
Donaldson
Walker

Would be surprised to see Lulia included.. he isn't even due to arrive for a few weeks yet is he?

few weeks so should be back for Cas game.

So I'd be amazed if he played on Boxing Day without at least a couple of weeks of training.

enough of the heckling from the sidelines BB, what team do you suggest if Lulia - and probably MnM too - wont have enough training time? MacAvoy on subs and Ainscough starting so walker & purtell in centres? if so who else would you want to have a look at, Jason "bought out" Crookes would be sensible to see what the centre/wing cover is like. or Bateman for Lulia, Donaldson exchange LF.

It'll be the usual mix of youth and experience. I expect people like Koppy/Kear might not feature depending when they re-join the 1st team training. Not really too fussed on the make up of the squad for Cas. Barring injuries everyone will get a game in pre season at some point.

Think those expecting strongest 17 to feature will be disappointed. Probably half a dozen or so off starting 13 plus fringe and u20' is my guess. Boxing day friendly is the most like an actual friendly of all pre season fixtures IMO. We'll probably then see a weaker team for 2nd friendly and a gradual introduction of more first teamers the following week and only see anything like a starting 13 for final friendly if past seasons are anything to go by.

I agree with Mat

Isn't Lulia coming back from a season ending injury as well? Since he hasn't even arrived in the UK yet, he's not going to be playing on Boxing Day.

I definitely think anyone coming back from injury shouldn't be playing as Castleford.

So I expect we'll see a handful of first team 'regulars' - people like Gale, Purtell, Sibbit and Hargreaves - with the balance made up by 'fringe' players like Olbison, Crookes, Donaldson, Briggs etc. And a bench consisting entirely of U20 players

Any reason why no one wants to see our "X Factor" signing of Sammut?

I would much rather him and gale were our starting half backs for the friendlies to at least see how Sammut goes there given that is his "preferred" position!

Because he's coming back from injury

I certainly want to see the Gale / Sammut combo in one of the friendlies, but we have three more in January. No point in rushing a player back from injury on what might well be a frozen or treacherous pitch

While I dont disagree with for example Mat as to what Potter is likely to do, the question posed was this, to which I have answered with what I would like to see, a good smash out at Cas and then fair enough a bit of looking at the options/newly fit players for subsequent ones as mat is predicting and the A team for the final one. ON the other hand it is tempting fate with injuries and we could end up not having enough fit players to put a team out for round 1! So I suppose answer B has to be I would like to see as many of the new backs having a game at Cas.