2024 First Choice 17s

[MZH]

I'm aware that a lot of clubs won't have finished their recruitment yet, but with the Internationals done and the first pre season games around 6 weeks away, I wanted to see how everyone was shaping up for the coming season.

All being well who are you expecting to line up for game one?

 

There are a few positions up for grabs at Hull and the 17 I think we will name will almost certainlybe different to mine, but I would like to see:

1. Jack Walker

2. Liam Tindall

3. Liam Sutcliffe

4. Carlos Tuimavave

5. Darnell McIntosh

6. Tex Hoy

7. Jake Trueman

8. Herman Ese'ese

9. Fa'amanu Brown

10. Ligi Sao

11. Cam Scott

12. Jayden Okunbor

13. Danny Houghton

 

14. Jack Ashworth

15. Franklin Pele

16. Jack Brown

17. Morgan Smith

The pack definitely has a lot more size and power than in recent years. Houghton at 13 would allow Smith to come onto the bench giving us a lot of options, and since Walker is a more old fashioned support play sort of FB it would be handy to have an extra pivot in there. 

There are question marks over the centres and second row, but on the whole I like the balance of the team better than last year. We definitely have more pace and size across the team and if key players stay healthy then we are good enough to push for the playoffs imo.

[NRLandSL]

14 minutes ago, MZH said:

I'm aware that a lot of clubs won't have finished their recruitment yet, but with the Internationals done and the first pre season games around 6 weeks away, I wanted to see how everyone was shaping up for the coming season.

All being well who are you expecting to line up for game one?

 

There are a few positions up for grabs at Hull and the 17 I think we will name will almost certainlybe different to mine, but I would like to see:

1. Jack Walker

2. Liam Tindall

3. Liam Sutcliffe

4. Carlos Tuimavave

5. Darnell McIntosh

6. Tex Hoy

7. Jake Trueman

8. Herman Ese'ese

9. Fa'amanu Brown

10. Ligi Sao

11. Cam Scott

12. Jayden Okunbor

13. Danny Houghton

 

14. Jack Ashworth

15. Franklin Pele

16. Jack Brown

17. Morgan Smith

The pack definitely has a lot more size and power than in recent years. Houghton at 13 would allow Smith to come onto the bench giving us a lot of options, and since Walker is a more old fashioned support play sort of FB it would be handy to have an extra pivot in there. 

There are question marks over the centres and second row, but on the whole I like the balance of the team better than last year. We definitely have more pace and size across the team and if key players stay healthy then we are good enough to push for the playoffs imo.

You wouldn't have Fash, Cator or Lane in the team?

[NRLandSL]

My Sydney Roosters 17-

1-James Tedesco

2-Daniel Tupou

3-Joseph Manu

4-Joseph Suaalii

5-Dominic Young

6-Luke Keary

7-Sam Walker

8-Lindsay Collins

9-Brandon Smith

10-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

11-Angus Crichton

12-Nat Butcher

13-Victor Radley

 

14-Connor Watson

15-Spencer Leniu

16-Terrell May

17-Siua Wong

Really excited to see Dom Young in a Roosters jersey, he is going to add some well-needed pace on the wing. Hopefully we are injury-free this year, because our full-strength side looks a serious threat. We have some absurd depth in the back row so I've had to leave out Egan Butcher, Sitilli Tupouniua and Naufahu Whyte, also no space for Billy Smith, Lewis Murphy and Sandon Smith.

Edited November 13, 2023 by NRLandSL

[MZH]

5 minutes ago, NRLandSL said:

You wouldn't have Fash, Cator or Lane in the team?

Lane has been a weak link for while, and Fash and Cator try hard but are ineffective. You can get away with one of Fash or Cator in the side but both of them together is a problem. 

If Lane can rediscover his form from a couple of seasons ago then he would be worth a place, but I'd go as far saying he was our worst player last season.

[East Hull Robins]

I think you will us see us at rovers line up along the lines of 

1)Hiku

2)Evalds

3)Opacic

4)Gildart

5)Hall

6)Lewis

7)Abdull

8)Whitbred

9)Parcell

10)King

11)batchelor

12)tanginoa

13)minchella 

bench of 

14) May

15) Litten

16) luckley 

17)Sue 

hadley, storton, C Hall, butterworth, Senior, PLT amongst first line reserves

 

[Coco]

Happy to see a couple of English players in Roosters top 13. I really do hope both sides from Humberside do well. Hull KR do seem to have a stronger squad out of the two. But Hull FC do seem to be going through a bit transition stage. I am a big fan of Jake Trueman.  

[MZH]

16 minutes ago, Coco said:

Happy to see a couple of English players in Roosters top 13. I really do hope both sides from Humberside do well. Hull KR do seem to have a stronger squad out of the two. But Hull FC do seem to be going through a bit transition stage. I am a big fan of Jake Trueman.  

On paper yes I'd agree that HKR look stronger, but Tony Smith has now had the opportunity to put together his own team pretty much and I have faith in him to get a tune out of them.

One thing we do have going for us is that the current academy and reserves players look like the best crop we've had in a long time. Hopefully over the next couple of years we get some rewards for that.

[WN83]

Easy to name the backs at Wigan but a bit more tricky to figure out the starting pack and bench. I'd imagine we'll look something like-

1-Field

2-Miski 3-Keighran 4-Wardle 5-Marshall

6-French 7-Smith

8-Byrne 9-O'Neill 10-Havard

11-Walters 12-Farrell 13-Thompson

Subs

14-Ellis 15-Dupree 16-Isa 17-Leeming

Back up coming from Hampshire, Cooper, Mago, Nsemba, Hill etc. I think we'll see debuts for both Jacob Douglas and Zach Eckersley in 2024 as well. They're 2 young outside backs and I think they'll both impress. 

[Coco]

I heard and read a lot of reports about the Hull Academy.  I am also hoping these players break through. I just hoping one of these sides win the competition. It's about time a side in Humberside won the competition. 

[Chrispmartha]

Leeds is looking something like this

1. Miller

2 Fusitua

3. Newman

4. Momorovski

5. Handley

6. Croft

7. Frawley

8. Oledski

9. Ackers

10. Holroyd

11. Bentley/Macdonnel

12. Martin

13. Smith

14. OConner

15. Lisone

16. Sangare

17. Gannon/goudemand

 

IMO were short of a prop but that is the best 17 Leeds have had since 2017.

[bobbruce]

Both Wigan and Leeds looking the teams to beat next year. 

[bobbruce]

Saints

1/ Welsby

2/ Makinson

3/ Whitley

4/ Percival

5/ Bennison (although I think this is an area we are looking to bring someone in)

6/ Lomax

7/ Dodd

8/ Walmsley

9/ Clarke

10/ Lees

11/ Sironen

12/ Batchelor 

13/ Knowles

14/ Matautia (moving up to interchange prop.Maybe)

15/ Mbye

16/ Bell

17/ Delaney

 

[GeordieSaint]

18 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Saints

1/ Welsby

2/ Makinson

3/ Whitley

4/ Percival

5/ Bennison (although I think this is an area we are looking to bring someone in)

6/ Lomax

7/ Dodd

8/ Walmsley

9/ Clarke

10/ Lees

11/ Sironen

12/ Batchelor 

13/ Knowles

14/ Matautia (moving up to interchange prop.Maybe)

15/ Mbye

16/ Bell

17/ Delaney

 

Desperately short in the backs of any pace less Welsby. We need at least another winger and two centres; one class one and another to cover Percival’s inevitable injuries. 

[bobbruce]

3 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Desperately short in the backs of any pace less Welsby. We need at least another winger and two centres; one class one and another to cover Percival’s inevitable injuries. 

Hurrell still about to cover centre but agreed we are desperate for some genuine pace in the outside backs

[GeordieSaint]

Just now, bobbruce said:

Hurrell still about to cover centre but agreed we are desperate for some genuine pace in the outside backs

Hurrell shouldn’t be on the books any longer. Ridiculous to keep him. Too slow; way too slow. 

We’ll be way off next season. We really haven’t invested anywhere near enough in the squad IMO. 

[Damien]

1 minute ago, GeordieSaint said:

Hurrell shouldn’t be on the books any longer. Ridiculous to keep him. Too slow; way too slow. 

We’ll be way off next season. We really haven’t invested anywhere near enough in the squad IMO. 

You won't be way off with the players and culture that you have at the club. You'll definitely still be there or thereabouts. You still have a very formidable pack too and that always gives you a fighting chance, especially if Clarke can get back to his best on the back of that pack.

[daz39]

1.Connor

2.Swift

3.Marsters

4.Naiqama

5.Halsall

6.Lolohea

7.Clune/Russell

8.Hill

9.Deakin/Milner

10.Wilson/English

11.Cudjoe/Savelio

12.Murchie

13.Yates

Though with last year in mind it could be anyone, anywhere

[arcticchris]

8 hours ago, MZH said:

I'm aware that a lot of clubs won't have finished their recruitment yet, but with the Internationals done and the first pre season games around 6 weeks away, I wanted to see how everyone was shaping up for the coming season.

All being well who are you expecting to line up for game one?

 

There are a few positions up for grabs at Hull and the 17 I think we will name will almost certainlybe different to mine, but I would like to see:

1. Jack Walker

2. Liam Tindall

3. Liam Sutcliffe

4. Carlos Tuimavave

5. Darnell McIntosh

6. Tex Hoy

7. Jake Trueman

8. Herman Ese'ese

9. Fa'amanu Brown

10. Ligi Sao

11. Cam Scott

12. Jayden Okunbor

13. Danny Houghton

 

14. Jack Ashworth

15. Franklin Pele

16. Jack Brown

17. Morgan Smith

The pack definitely has a lot more size and power than in recent years. Houghton at 13 would allow Smith to come onto the bench giving us a lot of options, and since Walker is a more old fashioned support play sort of FB it would be handy to have an extra pivot in there. 

There are question marks over the centres and second row, but on the whole I like the balance of the team better than last year. We definitely have more pace and size across the team and if key players stay healthy then we are good enough to push for the playoffs imo.

Ouch. That would be painful being a Hull FC fan. Looks like a team full of cast offs from teams who are not very good themselves.

As a Wigan fan only Trueman would interest me as a potential signing.

[sweaty craiq]

We have been the quietist on the new recruit front - Leigh - but expect 2 more additions one will be a half but as of today

O Brien

Briscoe Hardaker Leutele Charnley

Mellor Lam

amone Ipape Mulhern 

Halton O Donnell 

Asiata

Trout Norman Holmes Smith

[arcticchris]

7 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

My Sydney Roosters 17-

1-James Tedesco

2-Daniel Tupou

3-Joseph Manu

4-Joseph Suaalii

5-Dominic Young

6-Luke Keary

7-Sam Walker

8-Lindsay Collins

9-Brandon Smith

10-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

11-Angus Crichton

12-Nat Butcher

13-Victor Radley

 

14-Connor Watson

15-Spencer Leniu

16-Terrell May

17-Siua Wong

Really excited to see Dom Young in a Roosters jersey, he is going to add some well-needed pace on the wing. Hopefully we are injury-free this year, because our full-strength side looks a serious threat. We have some absurd depth in the back row so I've had to leave out Egan Butcher, Sitilli Tupouniua and Naufahu Whyte, also no space for Billy Smith, Lewis Murphy and Sandon Smith.

That looks very strong though you wonder how much Crichton and JWH have left in the tank with various issues.

I rate Manu as the best 1-5 player in the world so hopefully he will have a big season.

[bobbruce]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

You won't be way off with the players and culture that you have at the club. You'll definitely still be there or thereabouts. You still have a very formidable pack too and that always gives you a fighting chance, especially if Clarke can get back to his best on the back of that pack.

I don’t think we will be way off but also there isn’t enough spark to get us any of the big prizes. Large parts of the team have been allowed to get old together which to be fair is very unusual for how Saints have been run for the past 25/30 years. Some big decisions to be made over the next couple of years. Saints are under a bit more pressure as with Wardle Walters and Dupree Wigan at the minute are getting those decisions right. 

[MZH]

18 minutes ago, arcticchris said:

Ouch. That would be painful being a Hull FC fan. Looks like a team full of cast offs from teams who are not very good themselves.

As a Wigan fan only Trueman would interest me as a potential signing.

Time will tell. I know its not exactly jam packed with star players, but Walker, Hoy, Trueman and Brown have the potential to be a really good spine if they stay fit, and the pack is big and mobile. I'm hoping that some of the youngsters can push through and stake a claim for the first team. Litten, Martin, Staveley, Jebson and Balmforth could all have big parts to play.

[NRLandSL]

1 hour ago, bobbruce said:

Hurrell still about to cover centre but agreed we are desperate for some genuine pace in the outside backs

I think Waqa Blake would be the perfect siging for you guys, but it looks like he is going to union.

[bobbruce]

3 minutes ago, NRLandSL said:

I think Waqa Blake would be the perfect siging for you guys, but it looks like he is going to union.

If Waqa Blake’s the answer for us I’m not sure what the question is. 

[Kirmonds pouch]

Tad early for Trinity, but so far (SL) = SL experience

1: Jowitt (SL)

2: McGillvary (SL)

3: Thornley (SL)/Pratt

4: Croft (SL)/Law

5 Franco( SL)/Walmsley

6: Gale (SL)/Kay (SL)

7: Lino (SL)/Lawford

Props: Bowden(SL), Atoni(SL/NRL), Bain (NRL), Shaw

Hookers: Hood(SL), Doyle, Smith

Backrow: Ashurst (SL), Pitts (SL), Griffin (SL), Boothroyd, Cozza

I think we need a 1 X FB, 1 X WINGER, 1 X HB, 2 X PROP, 1 LF, 2 X BR

That's a starting squad of 32.

The interesting bit is the quality of the remaining 8 signings.