Leigh Centurions are delighted to reveal their squad numbers for the 2017 Betfred Super League campaign.
After announcing the squad numbers to the 27-man squad at training this morning Head Coach Neil Jukes said: "We have deliberately left the announcement to the last week of pre season training before Christmas.
"We have a lot of new players in the group and a big part of persuading them to join the Club was that we started pre season with a blank canvas and it was up to them to claim their spot ahead of the season.
"The guys from last season that have retained their spots have fit the criteria on and off the field and the people that have taken spots have earned them.
"But as I have said many times, this year will be all about the full 27-man squad all contributing at different times during the season.
"It is important that each player does what he can, on and off the field, to be in the team every week.
"These squad numbers are an early indication of where we are after six weeks of pre season. But we still have another six weeks of training and two trial games to come before we start our Betfred Super League campaign at Castleford Tigers."
Reflecting on the build-up so far, Neil added: "It's been really tough, rewarding and intense and there are a few bodies that are broken just now as fatigue kicks in. Christmas has come at a good time.
"It has been an important period as we prepare mentally and physically for the demands ahead and a very good six weeks.
"The players finish on Thursday and then have a break before starting back on 2nd January. We then go to Lanzarote for warm weather training on the fifth and when we get back the focus will soon switch to the first trial game for the Battle of the Borough against Wigan Warriors on 22nd January."
LEIGH CENTURIONS SQUAD NUMBERS 2017
1 Mitch Brown;
2 Adam Higson;
3 Ben Crooks;
4 Willie Tonga;
5 Matty Dawson;
6 Martyn Ridyard;
7 Josh Drinkwater;
8 Gareth Hock;
9 Micky Higham;
10 Dayne Weston;
11 Cory Paterson;
12 Glenn Stewart;
13 Harrison Hansen;
14 Eloi Pelissier;
15 Danny Tickle;
16 Antoni Maria;
17 Atelea Vea;
18 Gregg McNally;
19 Ryan Hampshire;
20 Ben Reynolds;
21 Liam Hood;
22 James Green;
23 Sam Hopkins;
24 Jamie Acton;
25 Lee Smith;
26 Lewis Foster;
27 David Thompson.

Firth thoughs...

1. Liam Hood wont be happy. He's given up his pre-season holiday after an impressive 4 Nations to try and impress and he's ended up at the back of the pack behind Eloi.

2. Hock at prop? I dont believe he's anywhere near Super League quality any more and was one of our worse performers towards end of last year.

3. Tickle given 15?? He plodded through the super league matches he played for Castleford last year. Same problem as Hock.

4. Just like Liam Hood, Greg McNally must be furious. Stayed loyal to leigh unlike the Toronto hoppers and he's been rewarded with a demotion to 18 after leading the club to Super League.

5. Mitch Brown starting as full back might look good but our problem with centres now looks tragic. No backup in the squad (barring players playing out of position) and our starting centres consist of some bloke on loan from Castleford who Hull didnt deem good enough 3 years ago and some Aussie (Tonga) who spends 90% of the season out injured and whose fitness is questionable at best.

6. Lastly, We do seem to have good depth in the forwards which are good. It seems our problem is we have too many players who were given contracts in the championship who wil have be phased out of the squad over the coming years to free up the salary cap (Hock, Tonga, Tickle, Smith etc).

You don't half talk some pap.

Tickle not only played exceptionally well in his time with us last season, he was regularly leader in total carries, metres gained and tackles made. He ate up big minutes giving other more "impact" forwards the opportunity to rest. It's true, Danny won't go eighty metres, burst through many tackles or throw many match winning offloads. What Danny will do is graft, he will constantly be an option around the ruck, and won't shirk the responsibility that goes with a prop-forward. He lays a platform for others around him to play on. His is a thankless role and one which people without a decent rugby education will fail to understand. Also, many Cas fans echoed this viewpoint and we're sorry to see him leave last year.

Every team needs its grafters.

Give over you're kidding no one you idiot.

There's a reason darryl Powell got rid of him and no other Super League clubs were interested.

His time in SL has been and gone. Good for the championship but not the kind of player who will get you into the top 8.

That's the gauntlet thrown to Green, Hopkins and Acton. I expect two of them in the 17 most weeks
The three hookers will share the duties, the opposition and ground conditions dictating the two in the 17
Greg slipping into FB and Mitch to centre will be seamless, same with Ryan
Can't wait for the Wigan friendly, a few players will be fighting for a shirt

Kidding anyone? By putting you right? You're full of opinions that you like to sell as fact.

You're not disagreeing about Danny being one of our very best performers at the back end of last season? And how do you know that no others Super League clubs were interested? And why would it matter? Perhaps in his twilight years in pro rugby, Danny preferred to be closer to home and his young family. Danny more than proved himself able when he came up against Super League opposition for us last year too. His time in Super League has not been and gone either, he will be back to the graft come February.

Mario , I have read your post with great interest,and although you make a couple of valid points ,I think the squad numbers won't make any difference as to who is first choice and in what position, we all have our ideas on the best 17 to start.One point I did notice , you refer to Leigh as WE it's not long ago you did this with Salford, when you were a regular poster on their Forum why have you changed allegiance?

Marios comments on hock and tickle are way off the mark. Tickle was a great performer for us in the middle 8s were crutial to laying the platform for our halfs to play same with hock. Only point i alightly agree with is the depth of the squad but there is no point bringing players in to be squad fillers. We should see where we go with this squad and strengthen where we need to come the later end of the season

Its just a number ! I don't know what the fuss is about !

Our backs look weak in comparison to other clubs. It will be interesting to see how they respond.

Looks like mind games to me..I rekon if the numbers were to be chosen six weeks down the line,they'd be different again.

I would have kept loyal to the lads who where here last year and given them the priority 1 - 17 shirts:

1. McNally
2. Higson
3. Brown
4. Tonga
5. Dawson
6. Ridyard
7. Drinkwater
8. Tickle
9. Higham
10. Weston
11. Patterson
12. Hock
13. Hansen

14. Hood
15. Hopkins
16. Action
17. Reynolds

The rest I wouldn't care which number I gave:

Smith (here last year but I prefer the others to him)
Foster (Here last year but didn't play much so shouldn't be in the starting 17)
Stewart
Crooks
Vea
Hampshire
Maria
Pellisier
Green
Thompson

This is what Leeds and other big teams do, they keep consistent squad numbers.

Probably what we will do next season as we get established, all being well of course. Will be great to get to 3/4 in 3/4 out from the entire squad every season

Don't suppose you're planning to sod off to the Salford board any time soon do you? As for your points...

1) Hood will not be happy if he cannot get a game. Suspect he does't really give a toss what number is on his back. Was number 32 last year.
2) Hock's played at prop for the majority of his time at Leigh
3) As commented elsewhere, Tickle became one of our standout props in the 8s
4) Nobody has a divine right to a place in the team or particular shirt number.
5) What does the fact that Hull let a player go 3 years ago have anything to do with anything? By that logic McNally can have no complaints because Hudds didn't want him years ago
6) Players come and go. What's your point.

In short, your post is just sh*t stirring bile.