Think we will likely see Walker at FB with Hoy in the halves alongside Brown, though I wouldn't rule out a Smith/Brown halfback pairing.
We still look weak in terms of second row options, Lane has been disappointing for the last 2 seasons at least and just can't see him improving enough to warrant being in a SL 17, which means we would need Ashworth or Sao & Ockunbor in at 11 & 12.
LF is another area where we lack any real genuine threat so possibly Smith/Hoy in the halves with Brown at 13 could be an option though unlikely.

A few permutations

Hoy/Walker
Martin
Carlos
Sutcliffe
McIntosh
Smith/Hoy
Brown/Smith
Ese'ese
Houghton
Sao/Ashworth
Ockunbor
Ashworth/Sao
Cator/Fash/Brown

Pele
Fash/Cator
Brown J
Scott/Smith

Difficult to predict a 17 with such a high turnover of players and lack of games to base our first team selection of the season

Martin and Hall both on left wing so opposite sides. Martin will be up against Evalds

I actually prefer Ligi in 2nd row or loose man alongside Okunbur. Stronger than last years IMO, Don't see why people keep putting Brown 13 he will play 7 or 9. Team depending on fitness of Smith, Carlos and Scott toss of a coin.
Walker
Macintosh
Carlos/Scott
Sutcliffe
Martin
Hoy
Brown
Pele
Houghton
Ashworth
Sao
Okunbur
Fash
Subs
Scott
Smith/Cator
Brown
Ese'ese

As usual Rovers will score first early in probably a tight first half
Second half similar to Wigan where their fitness and pace will take over

You may be right. But come on don't be such a defeatist before we start. Let's at least give the lads a chance. You never know they might surprise you

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-9090618 Sounds like Sao, Carlos and Smith will be fit. Less sure on Fash and Scott

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-9090618 Sounds like Sao, Carlos and Smith will be fit. Less sure on Fash and Scott

Think those three are more important than Scott and Fash

Wishing ang hoping just like you but in reality just cant see where our points will come from unless HKR make some glaring errors near their line or throw a couple of interception passes.
It would take a near error free display from us and near perfect discipline so that we dont run out of gas having to defend more than we should to make a full 80 minute game of it

Fairly obvious I know, but a win next Thursday would be a real tonic for the troops!

It's always nice to get a win first game, and doubly so when it's a derby, but more importantly from our perspective a win would put some energy into the fanbase which, as we all know, isn't feeling exactly optimistic about the months to come.
If we lose this game, then take a bit of a pasting at Wire the following week (although it's anyone's guess how Wire will go under Burgess) we run the danger of everyone feeling the season's almost gone by the time we've arrived at week 3!

Smith has a number of crucial decisions to make, that's for sure. Does he put all the big guns in the pack to start with and knock rovers out of kilter from the off? but that runs the risk of our level dropping alarmingly once we start interchanging.
In the halves, I suspect he'll go with Hoy/Brown and Walker at FB, not convinced it's ideal but likely to be what he settles on.

It's always difficult to predict opening games, there's no real form guide to go by, but think we need the win more than them for the reasons stated above. A defeat for rovers isn't going to derail their campaign, but for us it will probably increase the downbeat air surrounding us, so I'm hoping that might give us an extra push, especially if it's a close game.

I've been going to derbies since the 70s and I've watched too many where beforehand it has seemed so obviously slanted towards one of the sides only for it to go completely the other way on the day, so who knows really? Let the fun commence, eh!!

My team, which I imagine will be different to the one Smith picks.

Walker
MacIntosh
Tuimavave
Sutcliffe
Martin
Hoy
F Brown
Ese'ese
Houghton
Fash
Ashworth
Okunbor
Sao

J Brown
Pele
Scott
Smith

Well balanced, big, and gives us options to mix things up if things aren't working or we need a spark. 1-17 on paper Rovers look better, but I think we can beat them down the middle, and in early season games that is generally where its won and lost.