If you had made a play for Mantellato 3 months ago, he'd have jumped at the chance.
Now the Knights have released fringe firstgrade backs Kev Naiqama (Penrith), Pete Mataútia (St George), Suitonga Likiliki (Titans) and Will Smith (Penrith), and Timana Tahu needs knee surgery and is very likely to retire - which means he has gone from one of 6 fringe guys fighting for a spot to our only real viable option, ahead of kids like chanel Mataútia, Pat Mataútia, Sione Mataútia and Dale Clacherty - all aged between 17 and 21.

Eden
Hall
Gleeson
Welham
Cockayne

Burns
Keeting

Weyman
J Hodgson
A Walker
Larroyer
Cox
Costigan

Carlile/Horne
Langley
J Walker
Poore

Guzdek
D Hodgson
Caro
Salter
Panui
Beharrell
Green
Netherton
Maki
Robinson
Ollett
Esslemont
Lovegrove

The negatives are that we'll have a little less flair with the absence of Dobson and Paterson but I'd say we are stronger in virtually every other facet.

1 homegrown player in that 1st 17. Not good after 7 years of SL.

That's just saved an FC troll 2 mins of their life.

And a very flimsy 3/4 line...that line up would just move the missed tackles out wide...

There's 2; Welham and Cox.

It's a fair point though, particularly when you think there's probably only Taylor who would get in our first 17 of the players we've moved on.

Hopefully the recent cash injection in to the club will help though there's plenty of work to do.

In the meantime I'd expect Salter and Green to be with us long term. Not seen enough of Robinson, Ollett and Esslemont to say if they can make it.

With 4 of them out of contract at the end of the year, I expect this area to be addressed for 2015.

Still 8 english players which aint to bad

Never had the obsession with homegrown players myself saw rovers teams full of local lads in the nineties I just want to see a winning side local or not I'm not bothered

Exactly.

Agree.!!

My line up at this point in time would be:

Eden

Disco, Welham, Gleeson, Cockayne

Burns, Keating

Weyman, Hodgson, A Walker

Cox, Horne

Costigan

Bench: Poore, Carlile, Langley, J Walker


I've loaded the bench with big impact players but was tempted to go with Larroyer (for Horne) but I think Horne deserves his first team selection on merit after a very solid 2013.

When you look at that we have Hall, Guzdek, Caro and Salter as back up for the backs. We then have Lovegrove, Green, Esslemont, Ollett, Netherton and Larroyer in the forwards.
Although we are not the deepest we do have more cover than I thought we did.

The only massive hole I can see is at hooker where we have the untried Robinson as cover.

I largely agree with that 17, with some minor differences.

Unless the signing of Cockayne was not driven by CS, I can't see him signing and not playing in the position he was selected for the Knights. So for me Hall will most probably drop to the bench or out of the 17 altogether, however I would agree he is probably the best goal-kicker we have, which only really leaves Burns as GK.

I think bench will be:
Poore
Lovegrove or J Walker
Cox or Horne
Carlile or Hall (although Hall not as backup hooker, but utility man covering injuries to the backline - sometimes see it in Oz when they have unused subs)

At least we have options, which will no doubt be tested throughout the season.

Yes, I think Travis will be given the tee but I agree Craig is probably the better goal kicker between them.

A player that most have overlooked is Dave 'Disco' Hodgson. If my memory serves me well I think he was goal kicker at Salford.