Let's have your choices! Will be announced end of this month

Purtell

Pitts

(But I think it'll be Gaskell)

Sidlow

Sidlow or Ferguson.

Interesting that no names really spring out when looking at the squad.

Nothing against the bloke but why are people saying Sidlow?

Got SL experience. Expected to play long minutes. Talked up by Lowes in the press fairly recently.

There's the leading from the front aspect sure but then there's the quiet word, the inspirational team talk under the posts needed too. I can't recall hearing him speak so don't know whether he has the ability to galvanize the team. I'm almost certainly being totally unfair but I have for some reason got a perception that he doesn't quite have what it takes in the brainbox to deliver a stirring oration when we are flagging.

The fact that this is no obvious candidate concerns me a bit. We are going to need players to step up and become leaders.

O'brien.

I don't think Lowes will want to burden Gaskell with the captaincy. He has to choose someone who is going to be a certain starter (very few players with such a big squad) And he needs someone who plays long minutes.

Maybe a bit unfair to stick it on AO'B. He may well be a future captain but he's still got a bit of the 'callow youth' about him as yet and a skipper has to sound the part as much as act it. Would he, at this early stage of his career, have the authority, that is the [inatural[/i authority, of a true leader? MMmm..

When you look at the squad list, barring the halves and hooker, who don't look skipper material it's not easy to pick a starting 13 let alone a captain.

Purtell speaks well and with enthusiasm.
Clough has probably played at the highest level.
Ferguson?
If Addy is getting the 13 shirt as mentioned in the T and A does he look like a skipper? Probably no less so than anyone else.

I’d say Clough, Ferguson, Purtell and Sidlow are the most likely looking given that they’d be more likely to be picked in the starting 13 if everyone’s fit.

Apart from Ferguson who I see as a cert if he’s fit the backrow is totally up for grabs and anyone could be in it from week to week so even though someone like Walker has plenty of experience he may not be getting a slot in the 17.

Halfback we have Gaskell – accused of being “too quiet” by Cummins and Sjieka who is very much an unproven quality.

Fullback we have someone else who is relatively unproven and coming back from injury.

It’s a tough one.

Gaskell for me. Wouldn't have Sidlow because he's unlikely to be on the pitch for 80 minutes and I'd just prefer it if the captain was out there the whole time telling the players what he wants. I think O'Brien is probably too inexperienced at the moment but I think he may potentially be a captain in the future. Purtell has bags of experience but I'm not sure if he's guaranteed a starting place; we have a lot of competition in the outside backs.

If he ever makes the 17, Chev Walker.