2010 squad

Have to say I am a bit concerned. Last season we easily had the best squad we have ever assembled in the Super league era and we were able to surpass probably all of our expectations for the season. I don't think the same can be said this time around. We should have made a new winger, centre and either stand off or scrum half a total priority. I'm very happy with the additions of Fa'alogo and Gilmour, not sure if Grix and Drew are going to significantly add to what we have. Losing Moore, Sculthorpe and Jackson are significant losses...much like the season after Reilly, Nero and Drew left...we missed them. I am confident Lunt can be just as good for us as Moore, but none the less he will be a loss.

We are so slow, we really lack explosive pace and felt we looked slack in the centres last season. If Kev Brown does leave us...will we struggle to find a replacement or is that where Drew comes into the picture?

Feel a bit gutted, even more so when I think about the Cup final....doubt we will have a better chance of winning something for a while

IMO it will be a tough ask to back up last season, Like you i am concerned, especially about halfbacks, It seems that after all the effort to try and sign a top name last season, we have opted for strength in numbers this season, Quality halves in this country are very thin on the ground, and I'm not saying we should have signed one from Oz although Drew takes up a slot like any other , I am hoping Mc Nally makes his mark this next year ,as Lunt did last.

We have lost nothing in Moore leaving. He made a good impact at the beginning of the season but fell away badly. As was shown by him being dropped by England. The reason for him being selected was of his move to Saints.
The thinking behind it would be :- if Saints are having him he must be good.
Lunt is head and shoulders above him in ability.
Sorry to have lost Jacko he did well in 2009, but we have Patrick coming through and if the back end of last season is anything to go by then he will be ok. Plus Gilmore with us we should be adequately covered for the departees.

Shogun wrote:

We have lost nothing in Moore leaving. He made a good impact at the beginning of the season but fell away badly. As was shown by him being dropped by England. The reason for him being selected was of his move to Saints.
The thinking behind it would be :- if Saints are having him he must be good.
Lunt is head and shoulders above him in ability.
Sorry to have lost Jacko he did well in 2009, but we have Patrick coming through and if the back end of last season is anything to go by then he will be ok. Plus Gilmore with us we should be adequately covered for the departees.

And halfbacks , should Brown go to OZ ,Which he will if he has any sense.

I think he needs to go to Oz for a half!

l am also a little concerned, we have added some Quality, but lost Depth, so it is up to the youngsters to perform, we seem to drag our youngsters on for ever and a day, Mc Nally is in the same age bracket as Tomkins, and Myler, for me if he carn´t hack it next year, back to NL, time waits for no man, if there is one critisism i have for the Giants, they are soft on hearts. Cudjoe, Lawrence, Lunt, Carlyle, Fairbank, Mc Nally, et al "Step up to the plate", Leeds , Saints,Wigan, there up and running at 17, lt there good enough there old enough, or off to NL.

boomer wrote:

l am also a little concerned, we have added some Quality, but lost Depth, so it is up to the youngsters to perform, we seem to drag our youngsters on for ever and a day, Mc Nally is in the same age bracket as Tomkins, and Myler, for me if he carn´t hack it next year, back to NL, time waits for no man, if there is one critisism i have for the Giants, they are soft on hearts. Cudjoe, Lawrence, Lunt, Carlyle, Fairbank, Mc Nally, et al "Step up to the plate", Leeds , Saints,Wigan, there up and running at 17, lt there good enough there old enough, or off to NL.

its improving though Boomer --some never gotta chance -or a fair one under previous regimes??
Hemingway/Fagborun/ et al!!

I think losing two props without really replacing them could be an issue. Also I think we will miss Fulton, he was a quality player for us. Still there have been some great signings like Gilmour and our kiwi, as well as the young lads getting a little older, bigger and more experienced.

I would be amazed if we finished 3rd again, however I would hope for at least a top 6 spot.

Might we see Fa'alogo being asked to play prop? Back-rower Puletua stepped up last season at Saints and did well.If they are as fit as last season and are prepared to work as hard on defence then I'm sure we are play off bound.With Drew directing things I think will be more potent on attack.

This seventeen below looks not bad.

1 BrettH
2 Leroy
3 Jammer
4 Fatz
5 DaveH
6 Brown
7 Drew
13 Faiumu
12 Gilmour
11 Raleigh
10 Frog
9 Lunt
8 Mason

Eorl
Robinson
Griffin
Grix

I think you could be right about Fa'alogo or maybe Raleigh moving to prop. My 17 would be:

1. Hodgson
2. Cudjoe
3. Fatz
4. Jammer
5. Hodgson
6. Brown
7. Robinson
8. Mason
9. Drew
10. Fa'alogo
11. Gilmour
12. Raleigh
13. Wild

14. Eorl
15. Griffin
16. Kirmond
17. Lunt

with players like Faiumu, Grix, Lawrence, Patrick, Finnigan and Aspinwall not making that 17 we have lots of strength.

Still think we could do with another prop forward.

penninegiant wrote:

boomer wrote:

l am also a little concerned, we have added some Quality, but lost Depth, so it is up to the youngsters to perform, we seem to drag our youngsters on for ever and a day, Mc Nally is in the same age bracket as Tomkins, and Myler, for me if he carn´t hack it next year, back to NL, time waits for no man, if there is one critisism i have for the Giants, they are soft on hearts. Cudjoe, Lawrence, Lunt, Carlyle, Fairbank, Mc Nally, et al "Step up to the plate", Leeds , Saints,Wigan, there up and running at 17, lt there good enough there old enough, or off to NL.

its improving though Boomer --some never gotta chance -or a fair one under previous regimes??
Hemingway/Fagborun/ et al!!

Sad to see what has happened to Hemmingway, just at the time he should have been breaking into the first team, he was kept out, by the ludicrous and completely farcical team selections of J Sharp, despite him giving some top performances on the rare occasions he got a game. But as you say things are improving now , as shown by the likes of Lunt, I'm very hopeful McNally will get his chance, and as someone has said if he can't make it let him go , but at least give him a chance.

On the subject of J Sharp, It's looking like he might be out of a job again before he has even got started, If the rumors about Celtic have anything about them. I hope there is nothing to them cause i really wanted them to succeed, but It's not sounding so good, Either way i think if i was Mr Sharpe i would be considering a career change.

1. B Hodgson
2. L Cudjoe
3. J Lolesi
4. P Whatuira
5. D Hodgson
6. K Brown
7. L Robinson
8. D Griffin
9. B Drew
10. K Mason
11. L Gilmour
12. S Wild
13. D Fa'alogo

14. S Lunt
15. E Crabtree
16. A Raleigh
17. D Faiumu

That would be my 17, Finnigan, Kirmond, Aspy, Patrick, Lawrence, Grix and the young uns to miss out. I would consider most of the 6 above as unlucky not to make the team as they are all good, capable players. We have depth and we have the talent I agree though that we need another prop in the face of Scully leaving. Another capable prop and I genuinely think we have the team to win something next year! It will be more difficult as other teams have raised the bar but I reckon we will be fine.

I reckon they will look at Fa'alogo at loose as thats where he was for souths last year. Faiumu will operate all over the pack as required.

1 Hodgson
2 Cudjoe
3 Gilmour
4 Kirkmond
5 Lawrence
6 Brown
7 Robinson
8 Crabtree
9 Lunt
10 Mason
11 Raleigh
12 Lolaisi
13 Faálogo
14 Griffin
15 Wild
16 Fiamu
17 any 1 from 10

I believe Faiumu is a key player for us next year,I really hope he can come back what with his court case back in Australia.

His stepping runs are quite freakish,but by doing that he makes just as many yards as a prop going into a big collision,and his style bothers the defenders as they are primed to put a big hit on only to see a guy ghost past them.

If you've still got the vid of the semi last year check out our first set from the Saints kick off,you will see what I mean.

I don`t think Whatuira was up to scratch from half way through last season. I would give the starting centre spot to Lawrence.

Brown is not likely to get a start in Oz for 2010 so he will be committed to getting stuck in to promote himself for a place in Oz in 2011.

Shogun wrote:

I don`t think Whatuira was up to scratch from half way through last season. I would give the starting centre spot to Lawrence.

Brown is not likely to get a start in Oz for 2010 so he will be committed to getting stuck in to promote himself for a place in Oz in 2011.

Agree with the first half of that, and there could well be something in the second .