patten broughton henry nero gibson holdsworth smith neal godwin jewitt sidlow adamson wild subs racthford spencer feka parker his this team good enough to beat crusaders COMMENTS

yep

To clairfy:



Patten

Broughton

Henry

Nero

Gibson

Holdsworth

Smith

Neal

Godwin

Jewitt

Sidlow

Adamson

Wild



subs:

Racthford

Spencer

Feka

Parker



On paper yes I would think so but as we know........



I think allot depends on if they get fired up mentally before the game or not, they need to be doing the Haka in the changing rooms or something.



more than anything I want to see a fired up Salford with passion and pride and a sense of togetherness and to know that they've been G'd up before the game by people that care. Good luck lads.

So we go into the first game of the season without Anderson, Bailey, Cashmere & Boyle, 4 forwards and 2 of them new signings and 3 of them being overseas players...wonderful





Massive emphasis on our forwards to get on top early and stamp their authority on the match, don't let them get a head of steam up and give our backs a chance to play the game in their half.



Is this the team to beat them, yeah, why not?

Yep - I'd have gone with something like that. Seems the best we can put it out with the injuries and suspensions we have. With Parker coming off the bench, Jewitt has to really step up although Sidlow should be able to help ease the load.



I'd imagine Smith will go to hooker at some point and Ratchford will come on in the halves.



Looking forward to it. Come victory or defeat, I just hope they play their best and with pride and passion. Anyone got ideas how the Crusaders will be lining up?

Looking at it, thats a very young pack/set of forwards and indeed a young team altogether with an average age of just 24!

Crusaders (from) - 1. Clinton Schifcofske, 2. Gareth Thomas, 3. Tony Martin, 4. Vince Mellars, 5. Stuart Reardon, 6. Michael Witt, 7. Jarrod Sammut, 8. Ryan O'Hara, 9. Lincoln Withers, 10. Mark Bryant, 12. Jason Chan, 14. Adam Peek, 15. Jordan James, 16. Ben Flower, 20. Gil Dudson, 21. Paul Johnson, 22. Richard Moore 23. Peter Lupton, 26. Rhys Williams

I wonder how times we or any other SL team will have an all English starting pack this year???? Or how often it has happened over the last xx years?



Obviously Cashmere is a massive miss, I'd have Boyle there ahead of Parker (although his experience will be useful in that team) and Anderson would probably be a better player to have than one or two others but I'm really excited by that team. I know it's heart over head stuff but I always get excited when I feel we have a lot of young promising home-grown/recently nurtured team rather than older journey men



I've been feeling a bit pessimistic after the friendlies and I wasn't too excited by some of our signings (Bailey, Anderson and Feka - all steady and improvements on what we had but by no means spectacular). But I'm glad to see my irrationality is setting back in now we're getting to the crunch - Dave Woods' positve write up for the BBC and lots of youngsters in the pack has got me all excited again



I think I need some help

Bailey, yes I'd give you that he is a bit of a steady eddie type player. Still not sure why we've signed him either!!!!



Anderson and Feka are hardly steady, though. Anderson has scored some great tries over the years and Feka, well we don't even need to go there. I'm just hoping we can see him at his wrecking ball best, some stage this season, at the very least.



As for the team, if the pack has potential get on top early doors and create some confidence, then the game should be ours. Jewitt is one of the most powerful props around, he just needs to believe in himself a little more, and Neal looks quick for a prop. The only changes I'd make if we had our first choice 17 out would be Cashmere and Anderson, in for Parker and Spencer.

no Gleeson in the 17??

Instead of?

i think it will be a struggle with that pack it is poor we will struggle to get out of our own half as usual. i hope im proved wrong