How is you squad shaping up?

Quote: FearTheVee "Absolutely, I can see them forcing their way into the England squad . . . . . oh, hang on.
It'll be good to see him playing. I just wish it wasn't for KR, tbh, me being an FC fan and all.

With FC, our halves staying fit is massively important to us. Like last season, we so for do not have any real cover for them, meaning that we'll be forced into playing Danny Washbrook, Shaun Berrigan or Jordan Turner in the halves, which isn't the best, tbh. However, we are strongly rumoured to have signed/be about to complete the signing of Grant Rovelli on a 1 year deal, which would be a good cover halfback, and would leave me much more confident of us managing to make it into the top 4.
We're a bit light in the prop department. At the moment our cover for the props is Ewan Dowes, and whilst not being terrible or able to break tackles, he doesn't really strike fear into the hearts of the opposition.
Starting props will probably be O'Meley, Sam Moa, Lee Radford, and one of Craig Fitzgibbon / Hame Lauaki (Lauaki is my personal choice).

We're strong in the back row: Danny Tickle, Craig Fitzgibbon, Willie Manu, Joe Westerman, Hame Lauaki, (admittedly one of Lauaki or Fitz will be at prop), with Mike Burnett, Liam Kent , Chris Green and Liam Cunningham as cover (3 of those highly rated in our u20's).

At fullback we're alright. Jordan Tansey is hot and cold there, but when he's hot he's brilliant. Just needs to stop having the odd clanger every now and then. Richard Whiting is more than able cover for the FB spot, or any other 3/4 position.

Centres: In Berrigan we've got a great, natural centre, as well have having the defensively-strong Yeaman, with Whiting and Jordan Turner to give them a bit of competition. Look decent enough there.

Wings: Tom Briscoe, plus our new signing Will Sharp from Quins seem a good combination, plus both have age on their sides. Looking strong there when you add in Reece Lyne for cover.

So as long as we sign an able back-up half-back - Rovelli, possibley - or manage to keep Sean Long fit for the majority of the season, I think FC will go very well and make the top 4. Improved our squad by making some good, young, and English signings, meaning we should improve on our performances last year.

Looking forward to the new season.

Thoughts?

Edit: Completely forgot about our other weakness - Hooker.

With Berrigan switching to centre - a move manyhave been asking for for a while now - we've only really got Danny Houghton as a dedicated hooker. Whilst, imo, he's a great player with plenty of potential, we can't have him playing the full 80 every week.
This means that unless we sign a back-up half that is capable to play Hooker, we're a bit struggling on that front. We've gone from 3 or 4 hookers in the squad in 2008, to 1. So unless we sign another player - which I'm hoping we do - we're left to pick out of Danny Washbrook, Richard Whiting and Jordan Turner to be an interchange hooker next season.
Out of those, personally, I'd choose whiting, as he has a good rugby brain as well as a decent amount of skill. He's played well in every position asked of him last year (FB, Wing, Centre, SO, Back Row), and so can probably do a decent job there, too.
I choose him over Danny Washbrook, who is a little slow at the ruck and sometimes seems to lack ideas, imo, or Turner.

My choice lineup for FC for next season:

Jordan Tansey
Tom Briscoe
Shaun Berrigan
Kirk Yeaman
Will Sharp
Rich Horne
Sean Long
Mark O'Meley
Danny Houghton
Lee Radford
Danny Tickle
Craig Fitzgibbon
Joe Westerman

Sam Moa
Hame Lauaki
Willie Manu
Richard Whiting (also cover the backs, as well as Hooker).

Second edit: I realise that I have gone into more detail of the FC squad than many non-FC fans would care to read.

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