Team starting next match

I really like Atkin and honestly think he can make the number 7 shirt his own. Pace wise he's as quick as Hastings, good kicking game and takes it to the line. Shrewd signing Mr Watson.

Feel we need another strong running forward, hopefully the funds made this season will permit this, really looking forward to seeing how Connor Jones goes in SL.

Still find it incredibly odd that the lads from London haven't been announced yet, there is another 1 or 2 from London I'd be more than interested in looking at.

Kear, Yates?

--Take away: Quality player. I'd like to see Evalds take a step forward in his decision making and timing when the ball goes to him out the back when he's a pseudo halfback

Sio
Sarginson
Inu: Great for us this year. Think he’s better used at centre. More quality with ball in hand than Welham. Better defensively and under the high ball. Strong going forward. Has some flair and an offload. I like Welham and his attitude, but he is a weak link in the defensive line and doesn’t get the ball out to his winger much.
Chamberlain/Williams: I liked Chamberlain before his injury, and he gives us another accomplished goal kicker; Williams gave London a lot of go forward this year (second in metres I believe). We’re losing a lot of metres in Jacko and Jones.
--Take away: lack of pace is obvious and exploitable if our opponents get on the front foot or shift the ball quickly. Stronger defensively and have more quality with ball in hand in the centres. Good depth with Welham, Kear (if signed), Chamberlain/Williams… anybody else?

Lolohea
Brown: I know people are not enthusiastic about Brown, but given we have few resources I think it's a shrewd signing. It allows Atkin to sit and learn and provides somebody with a lot of experience to manage the game and help Tui. His kicking game is better than Jacko's and Tui's.
--Take away: We know Jacko is a massive loss (assists, tries, metres, running at the line and attitude). I think Brown will improve our kicking game and game management. Hopefully, an off-season helps Tui take a step forward as we need him running at the line as Jacko did. Leave the kicking and getting us around the park to Brown.

Mossop
Lussick/Jones: Not sure how Jones will go in SL, seems solid. Watto likes to rotate his hookers so I assume a bench spot will go to a hooker. That said, Lussick is easily capable of 80 minutes, which would allow another big body on the bench
Dudson
McCarthy
Greenwood
Yates: I expect him to play at LF. Tackling machine. Phenomenal work rate Undersized for prop.
--Take away: High work rate pack. Solid in defence. Lack of explosiveness and offloading ability. Pauli Pauli will provide impact for sure but isn't capable of the minutes we've seen from Josh Jones and, previously, BMM. I think we are solid but unspectacular. Could certainly do with either (or both) a forward who can get us on the front foot and consistently win collisions and play the ball quickly, or a forward with offloading ability who runs good lines.


Flanagan/JJ: Back row rotation
Pauli Pauli: Impact player
Walker/Burke: front row rotation

Thanks, LondonRed.

Agree on the kicking front. I don’t think we’ve been great in that department all year. It’s something that really worried me over the past two months leading into the playoffs. Our defence and attitude made up for poor kicking in both games against Wigan and the game against Cas. They regularly started with the ball on their own 25/30m mark. I was in Weatherspoons Eccles before the game and pointed out that if that happens against Saints, we’ll have no chance (even if the ref had a good game). Sat in block E236, each fifth tackle in the first half, I looked up, pointed to my brother where the space was and not once did we kick there. It’s as if the kicker kicks blindly.

Looking at the squad for next year, I expect the defence to remain solid. The core is still there. We are stronger in thee three-quarters and Yates will replace the workload of Griffin without the frustrating number of penalties. Jacko and Jones are big losses, but we’ve always scored points under Watto and if we get near the opponent’s line Brown has the capability to unlock defences. As you say, we also need Tui to use his running ability; he has a nice step. If we improve the kicking game and win field position, I think we can repeat a top 5 finish and cause plenty of problems.