Let's not get overboard. We are still fairly weak in the outside backs.

Ratch is a cracking player with ball in hand towards the opposition try line but lacks speed off the line and isn't a particularly great defender (not a bad one though). Atkins is a great runner of the ball and decent in defence but can't really create space nor give a good pass often enough for the winger. Don't know much about Goodwin of recent years. and our wingers could arguably be replaced by 3/4 of the other clubs wingers in SL.

Plus all the new players need time to settle, as does the coach and his philosophy. He also needs a year to see what he really needs or lacks in the squad. I think we'll see as many new faces next Winter as we have this.

This is very much a transition year and we should be patient with the team and the coach.

I absolutely agree with this though. This is the culture i want Price to eventually build at the club too.

Losing isn't good enough mentality. We WILL win mentality. But in Year 1 i'm not going to expect too much.

Ratch

Lineham
Goodwin
Atkins
Russell

Brown
Roberts

The only weak links I see there Is Russell. People can dress it up however they want but he is in no way good enough for a team wanting to win silverware. Hopefully it's spotted early on by Price and Taylor Prell comes in and shows us what we've been missing.

Transition my backside.
They're mature pros on good money.
Turn up for work and not do your job...see how long you last.

This.

I'll add to it, the squad is strong and Russell will be a top scorer I believe.

Pull the other one. Lineham scored 19 on his jack jones. Russell had ample service and space last season and he still managed to score 10 and only 3 of those came against a team in the top 8 of SL. The lad couldn't finish a Sunday dinner. In fact, the tries he actually scored he made harder than they were by cutting back inside and running into a tackle he is attrotious

Thanks for the input Taylor. I hope things go well for you at Rochdale this season.

For a winger to be classed as successful there needs to be certain criteria fulfilled. Firstly, they have to have to ball and for them to have that they usually need a decent centre to pass it. Fa'filli had it with Gleeson and Hicks had it with King. We have Ryan Atkins who lets be honest about this, is more likely to hit Row Z than his winger. They also need speed, speed to make use of the overlap that said centre has created for them. Lets face it when he played outside Peta Hiku, when he was put in space he never run away from his opposite winger. They also in an ideal world need height and strength.

For me Matty Russell for the ones he can influence, hasn't got. Its not his fault that the centre inside of him cannot pass (Atkins). He is not blessed with burning speed, I have seen him chased down by second rows. He has no height, he is more likely to get out jumped for a cross field kick, both in attack and defence. And although he is a well built lad, he gets splattered quite often. For me Matty should not be in the starting 13/17. He probably costs us more points over a season than he creates/scores.

But God love him, he is a tryer. And for a lot of people this is enough. It certainly was for TS

Russell is signed up for this and next season. Quite a dilemma really.

The dilemma lies with Steve Price. Where does he see him fitting into his team/squad? Can he coach him into being a more effective winger who he wants in his team?

Currie is a great player if he can stay injury free but I don’t rate Dom Crosby at all. I think Saints will boss this season winning the shield and grand final with hull to win the cup again.

Preparation.... fitness is addressed early with 2 army camps.
have helped.
Ability.....skill and depth is addressed as we have a near full squad of internationals, 2 marquee players and almost full cap spent up.

We've got all the luck in the world.

Ok...they both have a chance.