So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:49 am  

If we went into the first game with the squad we have and take our time over a new scrum half who would your 17 for the first game be? Id go

1. Ulugia
2. Williams
3. Blythe
4. Baille
5. Uasaile

6. Mullaney
7. Gaskell

8. Sidlow
9. O'Brien
10. Clough
11. Walshaw
12. Ferguson
13. Pitts

14. Conroy
15. Addy
16. Offerdahl
17. Davies

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:53 am  

I was going to start a thread on this, but I'll piggyback this. I've grouped the entire squad into the position they can play - if it helps to choose a team. I've 'doubled up' a few where they play in more than one position

Full Backs
Mullaney

Ulugia

Backs
Uasiele

Williams

Shaw

Baile

Ulugia

Henry

Blythe

Purtell

Walshaw


Half Backs
Gaskell

Brook

Addy

Mullaney

A.N Other

Props
Offerdahl

Sidlow

Clough

Tahourihi

Flemming

Davies

Bates


Hookers
O'Brien

Conroy

Halafihi

Backrow
Pitts

Olbison

Ferguson

Mellor

Addy

Blythe

Walshaw

Walker

Peterson

When did we last have seven props? SEVEN!!!!

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:04 am  

The extra games will hopefully see plenty of rotation throughout the squad, keeping players as fresh as possible.

And unlike recent games we can have people sticking to their best positions week after week. Saying that I'd take an outisde back who can cover full-back and try to keep them as a number 1 rather than someone who is like a Foster/Kear makeshift fullback in order to compensate Mullaney if he's injured or moved.

Decisions, decisions.

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:28 am  

For any newcomers that want to put their first choice 17 together, so you dont have to go searching for the squad it is also listed in the stickied thread, you simply have to go to page 1 where the original post is edited for any updates. PW71's idea of alternate positions is a good one which I will add to it, if there is anything else anybody wants adding then I will do so.

One thing I will do when the season starts is to put unavailable and reason ie discipline/injured, though injured might be few and far between as Purtell had a foot injury for ages without it being announced just recently, likewise Diskin clearly was playing with injury nor was it said when AoB went to 80 mins and again only just announced.

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:38 am  

I'd be inclined to select this as the strongest 17...

1. Mullaney
2. Williams
3. Purtell
4. Baile
5. Ulugia
6. Gaskell
7. Brook
8. Sidlow
9. O Brien
10. Clough
11. Ferguson
12. Walshaw
13. Pitts

14. Halafih
15. Tahourihi
16. Davies
17. Blythe

That said, could probably choose another 4-5 combinations which would probably seem just as strong.

Only concern I have is that we appear very light in the halfs. Gaskell has been prone to the odd niggle this year, Brook is untested (I'm really surprised he's not been given a chance in the first team since we were officially relegated) and Addy/Mullaney are more comfortable in other positions.

Just hoping there is enough money in the kitty for a good scrum half

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 12:01 pm  

Too difficult to pick a team when we have seen so little of the players and in a lot of cases, have seen nothing

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 12:59 pm  

I think this the hardest side to pick for a fair few seasons, partly due to the fact that I haven't seen that many of the new recruits play. With that in mind my team would be:

1. Mullaney
2. Uiasele
3. Purtell
4. Blythe
5. Williams
6. Gaskell
7. Brook/New signing
8. Sidlow
9. O'Brien
10. Samir
11. Ferguson
12. Blythe
13. Addy

14. Conroy
15. Clough
16. Flemming
17. Olbison

Obviously we will never have everybody fit and I fully expect to see Addy back in the halves for part of the season but the strength in depth in the pack is something that needed to be addressed. Fingers crossed we can roll a few teams over next season and bring back the feel good factor!

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:02 pm  

It's hard to pick a 17, but then that's massively in our favour as there's little room for player complacency because there seems to be 3 guys going for nearly every position. So if you start slacking then you're right down the pecking order. Conversely the lads not picked have the motivation to push harder to suplant the guys in the 17

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:23 pm  

When was the last time we had a debate about our squad that had this much competition for places?! I'm happy we're going into a new season with more than 2 recognised props!

My 17 for 2015.

1. Mullaney
2. Uaisele
3. Blythe
4. Purtell
5. Williams
6. Gaskell
7. Brook
8. Offerdahl
9. O'Brien
10. Sidlow
11. Ferguson
12. Pitts
13. Addy
----
14. Mellor
15. Philippe Baille
16. Tahraoui
17. Clough

Re: So with the current squad..... : Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:11 pm  

I can't think of more than a couple of players who are shoo-ins for the team.

Lots of the players seem to be at a similar level and I hope that we have levelled up with the squad. We won't know until we've seen them play, but the indications are that this is already a stronger squad than this year, not even taking in to account the lower league.