You’re Slammin’ Sam…
Who’s your starting 13 and bench for rnd1.
Be mindful we are thin on goal kicking options.

1. Dufty
2. Thewlis
3. King
4. Ratchford
5. Ashton
6. Drinkwater (will be at 7 though)
7. Williams (will be at 6 though)
8. Bullock
9. powell
10. Vaughan
11. Currie
12. Fitzgibbon
13. Nicholson

14. Walker
15. Crowther
16. Musgrove
17. Kasiano/Harrison/Philbin

1. Dufty
2. Thewlis
3. King
4. Ratchford
5. Ashton
6. Williams
7. Drinkwater
8. Harrison
9. Walker
10. Vaughan
11. Currie
12. Fitzgibbon
13. Nicholson

14. Musgrove
15. Philbin
16. Crowther
17. Powell

I'd probably go for the same 17 as Smiffy, although I'd be happy with Tai or Wrench in at 3 or 4 as.well. Thewlis can kick if no Ratch. I suspect we'll see Crowther starting at 13 ahead of Nicholson.

1 dufty
2 thewlis
3 King
4 tai
5 ashton
6 Williams
7 drinkwater
8 Musgrove
9 walker
10 Vaughan
11 currie
12 fitzgibbon
13 Nicholson

14 Powell
15 kasiano
16 crowther
17 philbin

Crowther at 13 Nicholson interchange

Has anything been said on the second rowers?

Fitz and Currie both specialist left side players, wonder who will move to the right.

I think Fitz has played a fair bit on the right & switched to the left recently.
* We do seem to have a bit more depth than this time last year & not just at prop. We did have Philbin/Wrench out for a while.

I'd expect Fitzgibbon and Nicholson at 11/12. Currie might be a centre option in Burgess's eyes, and I suspect that's what the recent soundbites about Burgess 'having some thoughts about centre options' are about. I'd prefer to see Wrench being given the early run there though. Burgess seems to rate him, and he's the future. Nothing against Currie, but there's no sentimentality this season for me, and he's got to show his worth from outside the first 13. The one thing that Currie does possess is a large skill set, but he'd have to be consistently top-draw for me if he's to cement a starting position.

I've no real idea, but for my input - there are quite a few starting 'certs' but I think it depends on how Sam wants the team to play.

There are 3 places up for grabs I think if all fit - centre (Ratch/Wrench/Tai), starting prop (Harrison/Musgrove) and 1 bench spot (between Harrison/Musgrove).

1-7 is fairly fixed for me if all fit - except for the 2nd centre spot (King is the other one providing he shows his worth from day 1 - and in Sam's previous coaching role he has shown he has limited time for reputations).
I've head positive things said about Wrench recently by Sam, so who knows.

1 Dufty
2 Thewlis (probably takes goal kicking duties if Ratch not at 4).
3 King
4 ??
5 Ashton
6 Williams
7 Drinkwater

The forwards and bench are much more difficult to call.

8 ?? (Musgrove or Harrison)
9 Walker
10 Vaughan
11 Currie
12 Fitzgibbon
13 Nicholson

14 Powell
15 ?? Musgrove or Harrison
16 Crowther
17 Philbin

Kasiano / Bullock could get a gig here depending on injuries. I thought we had too many big props last year but we struggled with injuries/suspensions as could Dwyer. (Dudson, Green, Thomas, Whitehead could to but not necessarily in that order - and of course Hayes in the halves has impressed me from what I've seen).

I'd love to see some of the youngsters come through on merit but whether it's too early or they are at the right level I'm not sure.