i can understand the mentality of heavy pitches and therefore going for 3 grafters in radford, dowes and cusack but leaving washy out is the worst part.

Washbrook should be playing LF every week barring injury and form. If tickle is indeed leaving at the end of the year then tickle would be my backup second rower. I'd play a backrow of

Manu
Fitz
Washy

with Lauaki on the bench

I'd really like to see whiting given a shot to impress in the back row as well as he deserves an extended run in his preferred position.

This is before you even consider we have burnett twiddling his thumbs.

You could be right i suppose i guess the 19 squad release is only a ruling of the RFL saying that the team sheet has be released 2 days before a game.Maybe Agar has named his 17 behind closed doors so the players can mentally prepare for the game.Lets hope he has got it right.

We obviously want to play the Australian way, that's to have a 3rd prop at 13 and a ball player at FB. Unfortunately this means that washy will miss out a fair few times. I think that Danny will end up leaving (which would be a crime) to get his starting place, especially if Fitz extends his stay.
On the flip side of that Agar may see Fitz as Washy's finishing school, spelling the 2 and telling washy to learn from him before the role becomes permanantly his next year!

I know it's very early but I would like our 2nd row next year to be something like -

Manu
Whiting
Washbrook

With Luauki on the bench and Burnett backing them up.

Can't see that he is playing radford at LF if he only has 4 props in the 19. Back row surely is tickle, manu and fitz with lauaki coming off the bench

Rad & Ogre to start, Dowes & yak off bench and what Jake says above, with Houghton taking last spot

Next year? What about this one first.

If Luauki is in the backrow I expect that he will get targetted alot when he is defending.

Early in the season it does make sense to have an extra prop at 13 as you tend to get very little open rugby and pitches are very soft. The problem is last year we used the same system all season and I don't see it changing this year. It would mean Fitz moving into the back row and Tickle missing out and I just don't think Agar will do that.

The problem is if Washy gets fed up and wants out we are left with nobody as there are rumours about Tickle wanting to leave and Fitz might not be here for very long. It's a short sighted view and it only puts more pressure on the halves when it comes to creativity.

We can win at Saints with this side and if we do all the plaudits should go to Agar and the players but it just seems the easy thing to do is to not play the likes of Washy and Moa.

Personally, I dont see the need for 'extra' creativity from your loose forward when we have a four pronged assault from Berro, Long, Horne and Tansey. Would much rather get more from Tansey even if that means leaving Washbrook out, have never really seen what Washbrook brings other than a show and go which worked for a season when he was unknown.