Tony Smith will have a few tough decisions to make next year when we have a full fit squad available, our left side looked very strong at the start of the year with King and Atkins so with Chris Bridge now fit again it will be interesting to see what our starting back line will be.

Also he has the conundrum with the hookers, does he try to accomodate all 3 again or does he go back to our original hooker pairing of Monaghan and Higham which in my opinion is our strongest pairing. We certainly play our best rugby league with Monaghan at 9 and Higham as the impact, personally i think Clarke slows down our game at 9 and his defending can be suspect to say the least. Just watch the Cunningham try against saints in the play offs, thats just one example along with his poor effort to close down Danny Brough against Huddersfield when Brough broke clean away down the middle on the last tackle.

This would be my own version of our strongest 17.

1. Brett Hodgson
2. Chris Hicks
3. Chris Bridge
4. Ryan Atkins (with King and Atkins switching during the game like in the past)
5. Matt King
6. Lee Briers
7. Richie Myler
8. Adrian Morley
9. Michael Monaghan
10. Gareth Carvell
11. Louis Anderson
12. Ben Westwood
13. Ben Harrison

14. Micky Higham
15. Mike Cooper
16. Paul Wood
17. David Solomona

I don't think there is much argument with 1,2,6-13. However, I am in a real quandary over Chris Riley. He performs consistently well week after week after week. The again the 3/4s you have named probably just about take it.

The bench - Wood and Solomona without a doubt. It won't surprise you to hear I'd play Clarke before Higham (there is the possibility of him covering halves, 9 and the back row). Harrison can come back on at prop. Grix or Higham would be my final sub and I'd probably go with Grix.

However, pre-season might see one of the Leigh dual-registered players making a strong case.

I would probs go with that 17.

I still feel we miss having a real speed player, Myler is great over 20-30 metres but am talking from our own tryline maybe Rhys Evans or Williams will be the answer.

1. Hodgson
2. Hicks
3. King
4. Atkins
5. Riley

6. Briers
7. Myler

8. Morley
9. Monaghan
10. Carvell
11. L Anderson
12. Westwood
13. Harrison

14. Higham
15. Wood
16. Solomona
17. Bridge

Riley, our top try-scorer deserves to keep his place. He shouldn't be the one sacrificed just to fit in our 'big names' in.
Bridge, because of his versatility and that there are two recognised and better centres in front of him I'd out him on the bench, i think he's more likely to dislodge Myler than Atkins or King.
Clarke, for me, isn't ahead of Higham or Mona's at 9. Maybe he could become a 13 like he did a few years a go.
Grix, Cooper, McCarthey, Mitchell et al need to show a little more.

Bob on that Rob. I still think Riley shoot's out of the line a bit much.

Graham, do you not feel that Jon Clarke isn't an impact player ? To me the only way you can accomodate Jon Clarke is by playing him from the start, by doing that though it would weaken us at hooker as he's no Michael Monaghan. He's no bench player in my opinion, he wouldn't freshen or liven us up from the bench especially not in the way that Micky Higham has proven he can.

Loose forward would be the only other possibility for Clarke but its then a case of where do you accomodate Ben Harrison ? Like i said previously, i'm not convinced with Clarke's defending to have him in such a key position and he slows us down with ball in hand.

Chris Riley is a tough one, he can finish which isn't in doubt and he improves every year but he still has a tendancy to get caught out of position in defence and he isn't the strongest in a tackle. Matt King's defence is very underrated, most of the pundits and media focus on what he can do with the ball but his defence has really impressed me which is why i thing he's a much stronger proposition on the left wing over Chris Riley plus King has the height advantage with kicks.

Its a powerful looking left side with King and Atkins as is the right with Bridge and Hicks, Chris Riley is still young and he'll get plenty of chances in the future because we won't have Matt King forever.

I would go with........

1. Hodgson
2. Hicks
3. Bridge
4. Atkins
5. King

6. Briers
7. Myler

8. Morley
9. Monaghan
10. Carvell
11. L Anderson
12. Westwood
13. Harrison

14. Clarke
15. Wood
16. Solomona, to give Louis, Ben H and Ben W a break when needed.
17. Cooper or one of Mitchell / McCarthy or Blythe if they break through. If they do then Solomana to rotate Prop.

Clarke is a Wilderspool player, not a HJ player. If you get me.

1.Hodgson
2.Hicks
3.Bridge
4.Atkins
5.King

6.Briers
7.Myler

8.Morley
9.Monaghan
10.Carvell
11.Anderson
12.Westwood
13.Harrison

14.Clarke
15.Wood
16.Solomona
17.Grix/Mitchell/Mccarthy

I want Riley to start but i think his defence can let us down especially at crucial moments such as the last Leeds try at the HJ game which ended the game and in the playoffs against Huddersfield he could have done better for Kirkmond's try. However if he improves his defence over pre season i hope he plays. If he aint picked he would still play a few games at full back as Lord Smith has already said he will rest Hodgson a few times.Bridge is wasted on the bench and needs to start. He could possibly start at 13 and Harrison could be interchange prop but Bridge is much better at centre. Put it this way im glad im not coach!

that 8 to 13 is awesome, best in sl by far when monas plays 9. riley deserves to keep his place but you cant leave bridgey out, cant wait till next season me.

The back line is hardly bad!

oh yes,

Even if they play different positions, how can you possibly name these two ahead of Chris Riley, I would rather have Riley playing out of position before letting Blythe anywhere near the first team

Clarke revealed to us all what impact he has on this team. One or two good games when theres a chance for Wembley. After that back to the normal rubbish. An absolute waste of a jersey

I'm not 100% sure over prop. I wouldn't mind seeing Woody as a starting prop with his off loading game ahead of Carvell who goes to bench. Yes, each game needs to start with a solid base of tough tackling , but Morley and Carvell are similar in game styles, and I wouldn't mind seeing us "mixing it up" every now and again.

Clarke is an enigma. I feel it was a disruption to us in the last few games, accommodating 3 hookers in a 17 man squad. Maybe put Clarke as loose forward and have Harrison having 2 or 3 big sessions coming off the bench.

Just hope we have little disruption with injuries. Despite what other fans of other clubs say, we still had our issues this season, Briers, Monahan, Carvell, Myler, Highham, Clarke, Bridge all missed significant game time