SQUAD 2020

[marklaspalmas]

53 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Fair points MLP but I reckon the club's thinking is probably that, if we end up lacking at half back or hooker, we're better off getting someone of the quality required through the loan market than through signing a journeyman type just to have the depth required.

Last year when the Boas brothers struggled we signed Chisholm, Reynolds and Holmes on loan (the former ultimately on a permanent deal). I don't know if we made a move for Lunt, but I guess the plan is to see how we go with Parata (who had his op last week) and maybe Johnson, but it wouldn't surprise me if we have some contingency plan at hooker if that doesn't pan out, it's certainly the position wiht the most question marks at the moment.

Yes of course. Quality half-backs don't grow on trees. McLelland/Holmes or some such player would probably be superior to anybody we could secure season-long.

Perhaps this is a separate thread but there seems a real dearth of talent in those positions UK wide. When we regard Gale, Sneyd, Myler as the top British half-backs, and see the quantity of Australians occupying this positions spor-wide, it makes you wonder. Fev's 6,7 and 9 are all from abroad.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Yep, and even McLelland left RL at one stage to play Union.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Interesting interview with Steve Gill and Brad Day on Radio Leeds yesterday. Says we have a big announcement to come today (considering he was talking about big forwards when he mentioned this, you wonder if it might be Wellington Albert on loan perhaps), but he also seemed to let slip that we're anticipating having McLelland back. Also says we have dual registered 10 Leeds players including McLelland and Sutcliffe as well as some of their younger ones (obviously the rule remains the same about maximum 4 DR/5 DR & loan combined).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/56099578263/permalink/10157158251593264/

 

[marklaspalmas]

4 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Interesting interview with Steve Gill and Brad Day on Radio Leeds yesterday. Says we have a big announcement to come today (considering he was talking about big forwards when he mentioned this, you wonder if it might be Wellington Albert on loan perhaps), but he also seemed to let slip that we're anticipating having McLelland back. Also says we have dual registered 10 Leeds players including McLelland and Sutcliffe as well as some of their younger ones (obviously the rule remains the same about maximum 4 DR/5 DR & loan combined).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/56099578263/permalink/10157158251593264/

 

This is the Leeds 2020 squad.

1. Jack Walker

2. Tom Briscoe

3. Harry Newman

4. Konrad Hurrell

5. Ash Handley

6. Rob Lui

7. Luke Gale

8. Ava Seumanufagai

9. Kruise Leeming

10. Matt Prior

11. Alex Mellor

12. Rhyse Martin

13. Stevie Ward

14. Brad Dwyer

15. Liam Sutcliffe

16. Richie Myler

17. Adam Cuthbertson

18. Dom Crosby

19. Mikolaj Oledzki

22. Cameron Smith

23. Callum McLelland

24. Luke Briscoe

25. James Donaldson

26. Alex Sutcliffe

27. Sam Walters

28. Thomas Holroyd

29. Corey Johnson

30. Muizz Mustapha

31. Dan Waite Pullan

32. Tyler Dupree

33. Jarrod O’Connor

34. Jack Broadbent

35. Wellington Albert

36. Corey Hall

The players in bold have previously appeared for Fev on DR. GIven that a few are going on season-long loans to Bradford, and that today Albert may sign for Fev, It won't be hard to work out which 10 are signed up for DR with Fev. Of course, if we start the season with say Albert and Worthington on loan, then there would only be 3 DR slots left.

[marklaspalmas]

For trainspotters I should mention Dan Waite Pullan has also played for Fev, but only in a pre-season friendly.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Wellington Albert's return confirmed on loan, duration unspecified but in time for pre-season

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/rovers-return-for-albert-ie2d8

[The Phantom Horseman]

Latest guess-up of our opening day line-up (obviously numbers not as per squad numbers)

1 Hall
2 Blackmore
3 Hardcastle
4 Worthington/ Sutcliffe
5 Carey
6 McLelland
7 Chisholm
8 Ferguson
9 Parata (if fit)/Johnson
10 Susino
11 Ferres
12 Harrison
13 Lockwood

14 Bussey
15 Cooper
16 Albert
17 Davies (if fit)/Johnson/AN Other Leeds DR forward

 

[tuutaisrambo]

4 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Wellington Albert's return confirmed on loan, duration unspecified but in time for pre-season

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/rovers-return-for-albert-ie2d8

Twitter says a season long loan

 

[RobLambert]

3 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Latest guess-up of our opening day line-up (obviously numbers not as per squad numbers)

1 Hall
2 Blackmore
3 Hardcastle
4 Worthington/ Sutcliffe
5 Carey
6 McLelland
7 Chisholm
8 Ferguson
9 Parata (if fit)/Johnson
10 Susino
11 Ferres
12 Harrison
13 Lockwood

14 Bussey
15 Cooper
16 Albert
17 Davies (if fit)/Johnson/AN Other Leeds DR forward

 

Jouffret won't be pleased

[The Phantom Horseman]

24 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

Jouffret won't be pleased

That would be foolish of him if so imo. He's moved from a team that finished well out of contention in10th last year to a team that harbours serious ambitions for a top 5 place and a run at promotion. He's one of 3 recognised half backs at the club and that includes one who will only be available on DR.

He's certain to get some chances this year, not least in the Challenge Cup & probably 1895 Cup, and even if he does start the season as 3rd string there's every chance he will see plenty of playing time in the League too because of injuries etc.

Players like Cooper, Davies, Render etc aren't going to be guaranteed a place in the 17 this year looking at our squad so I'm not sure why Jouffret would expect to be any different. I'd like to think he's happy to be here and ready to take his chance whenever it comes up.

[Gareth hock]

1 hour ago, RobLambert said:

Jouffret won't be pleased

Jouffrets got to earn his place why should he just walk in and get a starting spot .

[RobLambert]

37 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

That would be foolish of him if so imo. He's moved from a team that finished well out of contention in10th last year to a team that harbours serious ambitions for a top 5 place and a run at promotion. He's one of 3 recognised half backs at the club and that includes one who will only be available on DR.

He's certain to get some chances this year, not least in the Challenge Cup & probably 1895 Cup, and even if he does start the season as 3rd string there's every chance he will see plenty of playing time in the League too because of injuries etc.

Players like Cooper, Davies, Render etc aren't going to be guaranteed a place in the 17 this year looking at our squad so I'm not sure why Jouffret would expect to be any different. I'd like to think he's happy to be here and ready to take his chance whenever it comes up.

Irrespective of his credentials he has been given the no.6 shirt so purely based on that - it would be odd to not make the 17 even under normal circumstances.  However given the lack of hookers and that he has supposedly covered this position in the past - if he doesn't make the team now - he never will.  

[RobLambert]

7 minutes ago, Gareth hock said:

Jouffrets got to earn his place why should he just walk in and get a starting spot .

In that case wouldn't the same go for Susino, Parata, Ferres etc ??

I just think its odd that the above selection includes 2 DR players ahead of him (and therefore he wouldn't be pleased)

Anyway are you saying that DR players should walk into the team and our contracted players have to prove themselves.  Thats mixed up imo.

 

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

10 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

Irrespective of his credentials he has been given the no.6 shirt so purely based on that - it would be odd to not make the 17 even under normal circumstances.  However given the lack of hookers and that he has supposedly covered this position in the past - if he doesn't make the team now - he never will.  

Every coach always says squad numbers mean nothing - ask Anthony Thackeray, who got the 7 shirt whereas Tom Holmes got 19 in 2018 -- but in any case, who else could have been realistically given the number 6 shirt?

I haven't seen enough of him to have a view on whether he'd be a realistic candidate to play at 9, but I suspect standing up to the defensive workload might be an issue. I don't agree that if he doesn't make the team now he never will. If he's our 3rd choice half back, there's every chance he will see plenty of game time at some stage (and of course we will see plenty of him in pre-season).

[Gareth hock]

11 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

In that case wouldn't the same go for Susino, Parata, Ferres etc ??

I just think its odd that the above selection includes 2 DR players ahead of him (and therefore he wouldn't be pleased)

Anyway are you saying that DR players should walk into the team and our contracted players have to prove themselves.  Thats mixed up imo.

 

 

Yes the same would go for them mcellend played most of last season for Fev and he’s been made available for us all this season so jouffrets got to earn his place over him . 

[The Phantom Horseman]

9 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

In that case wouldn't the same go for Susino, Parata, Ferres etc ??

I just think its odd that the above selection includes 2 DR players ahead of him (and therefore he wouldn't be pleased)

Anyway are you saying that DR players should walk into the team and our contracted players have to prove themselves.  Thats mixed up imo.

 

 

But whether people are fans of DR or not, we know that DR players are going to be a major part of our squad, just as they were last season. McLelland, in particular, played a huge part in getting us to within 30 minutes of SL.

When we signed Jack Render and Jimmy McDaniel prior to last season, do you seriously think they should have been upset when Luke Briscoe started on the wing in week 1? We run with a small squad, we use DR and loan players, all our squad members know that. If you are suggesting that we should use DR only when our own, signed players are injured, that would be a drastic change from our previous policy.

[Robin Evans]

I don't expect any player to be pleased at not making the 17.

Under the world of dual reg, the coach has to put out whichever 17 he feels has the best chance of winning that game whilst maintaining some harmony in the squad. Not an easy task when you have quality like Mclelland and Hanley (last year) on offer to us.

I don't like dual reg but can see why we use it and if we'd have won in canada i wouldn't have given it a second thought

[marklaspalmas]

29 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

I haven't seen enough of him to have a view on whether he'd be a realistic candidate to play at 9, but I suspect standing up to the defensive workload might be an issue.

Happy to be proved wrong, but on what Ive seen, that's a bit of an understatement. There are half-backs that can slot in at hooker (Wildie, etc) and half-backs that can't.

[RobLambert]

In the absence of any news of McLelland being made available to us all season I just don't think its a sound basis to start the season.  (Briscoe is not a comparable situation.  As good as he is - its a luxury having him on the wing).  We need a regular half back pairing and don't wan't to find ourselves in a position where McLelland is recalled.  I say give Jouffret a chance from the start.  If he's not good enough then we should have signed someone else.  If we are serious about our chances we should at the very least have a couple of decent half backs on the books !      

[marklaspalmas]

Just now, RobLambert said:

In the absence of any news of McLelland being made available to us all season I just don't think its a sound basis to start the season.  (Briscoe is not a comparable situation.  As good as he is - its a luxury having him on the wing).  We need a regular half back pairing and don't wan't to find ourselves in a position where McLelland is recalled.  I say give Jouffret a chance from the start.  If he's not good enough then we should have signed someone else.  If we are serious about our chances we should at the very least have a couple of decent half backs on the books !      

I agree with that logic, and I would like to see Jouffret have a good run at stand-off for us to see what we've got.

But if McLelland is available from Day 1, then the club will go for that.

[RobLambert]

This has become a DR debate again ! 

I've not had a problem with DR in the past as such....

......Briscoe / Newman / Handley / Sutcliffe in the three-quarters that worked fine.  Smith / Albert / Singleton impact type players off the bench yep no problem.  But a stand-off who could be recalled at any time ?  We'll all be constantly looking at Leeds injury news.  Lets not forget McLelland was only in the team after a series of failed experiments (for one reason or another).  Yes it worked in the end but not a great basis to start this season imo.

It'll all end in tears..........  

[elppaxr2i]

That interview with Gill to me sounded like Mcllelland would be with us at some point during the season on DR as with potential others but wouldnt necessarily be here at the start of the season

With Webster being an ex HB i think he will have worked closely with jouffret and chizzy during the off season 

Im with others I just cant see the point in giving him the 6 shirt, working with him all pre season and then not starting him in the opening game

Id be suprised to see mcllelland and in fact any DR players in the squad on the opening day - the only way they get in for me is if pre season isnt navigated injury free

As for the signing of Albert - well if there is a better pack in the championship Id like to hear it

[Steve Slater]

9 minutes ago, elppaxr2i said:

That interview with Gill to me sounded like Mcllelland would be with us at some point during the season on DR as with potential others but wouldnt necessarily be here at the start of the season

With Webster being an ex HB i think he will have worked closely with jouffret and chizzy during the off season 

Im with others I just cant see the point in giving him the 6 shirt, working with him all pre season and then not starting him in the opening game

Id be suprised to see mcllelland and in fact any DR players in the squad on the opening day - the only way they get in for me is if pre season isnt navigated injury free

As for the signing of Albert - well if there is a better pack in the championship Id like to hear it

Where does it say that Albert can't be recalled after a month? I think that the D/R players who helped make the club reach the G/F should be regarded as part of the family and not as outsiders in order to maintain team spirit. The first goal is to finish as high as possible and the best way to do this is by sensible squad management, which will also ensure that everyone is happy with or without any D/R players that may not be available at the back end.

[Gareth hock]

39 minutes ago, Steve Slater said:

Where does it say that Albert can't be recalled after a month? I think that the D/R players who helped make the club reach the G/F should be regarded as part of the family and not as outsiders in order to maintain team spirit. The first goal is to finish as high as possible and the best way to do this is by sensible squad management, which will also ensure that everyone is happy with or without any D/R players that may not be available at the back end.

That’s the rule with all loans a minimum of a month before the player can be recalled.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, elppaxr2i said:

 

Id be suprised to see mcllelland and in fact any DR players in the squad on the opening day - the only way they get in for me is if pre season isnt navigated injury free

I'd be surprised if we don't select McLelland if he's available to us. This is a massive season with arguably the best shot we will ever have at SL.  My guess is we will play the best 17 available from week 1.