Thought it might have been walker 1, Hoy 6, Trueman 7 and brown 9, just a number I guess

Walker didn't want the 1 shirt when he signed for Bradford. It's a superstition thing with him

Ligi at 12 is probably the biggest surprise. Gone big for the starting pack, which Smith did for Wire when he had success there.

See what 2024 brings

https://hullfcshop.com/collections/2023 ... s/pele-tee Pele merch already

https://hullfcshop.com/collections/2023 ... s/pele-tee Pele merch already

It had to be done.

Nice shirt, I can see the club shifting quite a few of those.

If Hull had retained Clifford things would be looking very positive but the lack of a controlling halfback stands out massively from that squad.

Otherwise Smith needs to do all he can to integrate youth into the team and start to build a side that has Hull at its core.

Just sent it to the Mrs for a last minute Christmas present

Even without a controlling half back we will smash Wigan and win SL. At least that's what David Icke has predicted.

But surely hoy getting the 1 shirt

And brown 7 mean that's where they'll play

If all stay fit walker doesn't get infront of them imo

Hard to tell too much from squad numbers, but Sao at 12 is certainly interesting.

Walker will be full back most of the season if fit, Hoy will play 6, Brown will start 7, then move to 9/13 when Trueman is back.

Not that it will happen much unfortunately

He played orite for samoa there at the world cup

Surprised we didn't play him their last season

Indeed, but if Sao is playing SR it leaves us short at prop and I'm not convinced at his age he's got the agility to play 12 in any case.

In played in the world cup final just over a year ago in that very position

He might be better slightly out the way at 2nd row not giving stupid penalties

Weakest squad in many years. If we retain an A grade it will be nothing short of miraculous.

He's prop but played 2nd row due to injuries and he did ok nevertheless.

For a prop to convert to 2nd row at his age is unusual. It's normally the reverse like Morley, Ellis and Peacock and I'm sure they are many others.

Like I say him playing 2nd row leaves us weak at prop and the pack would be unbalanced.

This problem would have been eased if we would have signed another 2nd rower but that is looking unlikely now.

I genuinely thought Lane had signed for Cornwall
His defence is non existent and many times stands with both legs together with his arms flailing as a player runs past him. He seems to run his hands down the body of the attacker.


Cornwall could have used him off the bench

Very big season for him. He started his career with a lot of promise but the last couple of years has gone backwards and as you say his defence has been very poor.

Lane is one of the only players that seems to have gone backwards since Hodgson left, he needs to offer far more this season than running one good line every 10 games

Stronger squads on paper have failed to deliver in previous seasons, the overseas imports are an unknown quantity this season (to me anyway), hoping Okunbur surprises us all and turns out to be an effective line breaking back rower

Smith held back a lot last season on bringing the young players in. I don't think he'll be holding on too much longer if the first team ain't producing the goods and those youngsters are knocking at his door.

A lot of noise about Balmforth pre-season.

I still worry about our back row. But I like the look of the spine in the pivot positions. There looks to be some competition and some versatility in there. But they still need a pack that can open the space for them to play.

I love the optimisim

Nu brown can play loose forward too, could another option be to play him at 13 then have a spine of Walker, Hoy, Trueman, Houghton and Balmforth off the bench?

Beyond 1-17 (which includes Lane, Tindall, and unproven Okunbor) there's only Brown, Walker, Vulikijapani who can't be classed as youngsters. Objectively it's a weak squad, looks like a Wakefield standard one to me.

It's a fresh squad. Lots of much needed size. Injection of younger players. New captain. We gotta be more positive this year. It could go t.ts up but hey we gotta give this fresh team a chance and get behind them.