Are they both on marquee salaries?

That's not the example I gave you is it?

Correct and when everybody is fit we will have a high earner sat in the stand, which some on here are totally against!

I’d assume one or maybe both will be in the marquee money bracket given they both received contract upgrades.

Bateman is obviously a marquee player if we declare either of them as marquee players for cap purposes who knows.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to think 1 maybe both will be on over £150k.

Smith won’t be a big earner not sure Field or Tommy will be in the too earners either to be honest.

I’d also expect the senior 3 of those players will be in the 17, if fit, most weeks with Smith getting game time for injury or experience as the occasion dictates.

Doesn't look like Hastings will play - maybe Field starts in the halves with Leuluai?

Yes. You gave an example of bringing in a marquee player. If we did that prior to getting G.Burgess off the books then we need to find the cap space somewhere. That's the bit you keep avoiding because you know it involves losing a one of our best players who we would use every game to gain a player we might have not needed all season (bearing in mind they had no way of knowing we would have an injury crisis in the backs and that our second reserve back, Hankinson, wasn't needed at all in 2020).

Seems that Hardaker will start at FB.
Lam is suggesting Hastings isn't fully fit but how unfit is anyone's guess.
We all know about Field's pace but has he an on field kicking game? They gave up on Tommy in that regard after the Leeds semi defeat.
Half backs of Field and Tommy bring the question of who will be our game kicker? Only one answer is that Smith has to play or at least start.

What Lam's team will be who knows?

My Team would be -
Field,
Bibby, Hardaker, Bateman, Hanley,
Leuluai, Smith,
Bullock, Powell, Singleton,
Farrell, Isa,
Partington.
Bench - Clubb, Hastings, Havard, & Smithies.

IMO That team should beat Leigh by some distance!

I know Hardaker is saying he is starting at 1, but for me that Is not the right call.

I think it must be a bit of mind games.

I just don’t see how we are not a better balanced side with Field at 1 and Hardaker in the centre.

Unless Field isn't fit?

Otherwise I deffo agree.

Same, he may want to give him 20-30 minutes off the bench. Would feel a lot better about the game with Ted's lineup.

There’s been talk about Fields back being an issue since he first came over, so it could well be a lack of fitness that keeps him out of the fullback spot but then you see Lammy’s comments that he’s like Bevan French in terms of pace but is able to ball play at that speed in the line at halfback and it looks like he sees him as a halfback to start with. I think we’ll see him on the bench when everyone is fit and he’ll be brought on to inject some pace in to the attack as opposition forwards are tiring and we’ll then see Hastings at hooker and maybe even him or Powell having spells at loose forward. I sense there will be times during games where it’ll take a bit of working out regards who is playing where and that could cause some chaos (in a good way).