Numbers mean little I suppose but Lino and Pratt outside of the top 13 might show what Powell is thinking first team.

16 Atoni
15 Uele
14 Doyle
13 Pitts

Surprised Griffin holds onto 12. He was a bit of a liability last year and will be more exposed in SL where his errors could prove costly.

12 Griffin
11 Nikotimo
10’ Rodwell
9 Hood
8McMeeken
7Russel
6 Trueman
5 Johnstone

4 Hall
3 Scott
2 Walmsley
1 Jowitt

A few selections that might drive the OCD peeps barmy

A couple I didn’t expect and lucky to have retain a starting shirt but I don’t think you can take much from that.

I think Pratt might be a bit disappointed to lose the no. 3 shirt ??

Harsh on Pratt.
Surprised by four others.

You would think so after a very good season last year. His performances were above his years.

Powell was glowing in his praise of Pratt.
More so than any other.
So I don't think there's any worry about him playing.

Powell and a few in the know in the audience commented on Walmsley putting on some muscle in preseason.
That was always my worry about him but if they are working on him he could be great.

Me too. He was error prone last season and him being missing and Vagana put in from the Play Off Final was contributory to our excellent performance in that game.

Yeah but isn't Griff side-lined for the first few weeks/months while he recovers, so I suspect Vagana will have the opportunity to make that spot his to lose ??

For me, Griffin had a good first half but a relatively poor second half. Considering his age and form I'd personally have gone with Vagana in my top 17, I'd have also gone with Pratt and Scott in the centres, but as people have said it matters little in the greater scheme of things.

Looking at the numbers, it seems like the team is big on Seth, sticking him straight in the 13. I'm excited to see him play even more now. We've potentially an exciting set of Props, with Big Mike and Rodwell starting with Caleb and Atoni off the bench, with Vagana backing up there or S/R. Saying that the whole team's full of potential if we get it right and injuries don't screw us over, even though we've got depth.

Powell talked about Vagana being second row.
He felt he still had a lot more growth in him. Clearly likes him.

But he talked about Seth being something special.