Hohaia vs wheeler is perhaps the closest battle when everyone's fit. The problem wheeler has is even when he's playing, I'm skeptical as to how long for.



Turner did have a very poor game vs castleford, but I'm a big fan of his in general - nobody deserves dropping on the basis of 1 game.



Given our situation having 2 props on the bench is vital for me. Hence laffranchi is there, having wellens, Manu and greenwood on the bench is back row overload! Plus, laffranchi is one of our top tacklers, i think he picks up some unfair criticism on here.



St. Pete: I think in the long run Amor and Masoe starting with walmsley coming on should extend that (aka instead of dominating the first 20, well dominate the first 30) our 4th prop options limit the chance we have of totally dominating like we have done with Amor and walmsley (both options in lms and laffranchi are better in defence than going forward) - but I think were yet to see a fully fit Amor walmsley and Masoe combo yet, and is something to look forward to in the coming weeks!

Moses last 15 mins was the best rugby he's played for saints so far.

My strongest 17 if all fit would be:



1) lomax

2) makinson

3) turner

4) percival

5) swift

6) lance

7) Walsh



amor

9) Roby

10) walmsley

11) wilkin

12) Jones

13) Sia



14) wellens

15) Masoe

16) manu

17) LMS





The backs pretty much speak for themselves. Our back 3 is awesome, makinson has to be closing in on England's number 2 shirt! The centres are raw talent but IMO will both come good and hohia and Walsh seem to have hit the ground running together.



The starting front row of amor Roby walmsley IMO is the best in super league at the mo! (and all English).



Good defensive back row to start with and impact from the bench in the form of manu.



Also got to have wellens on the bench he's been immense this year and his critics on here are deluded! He grafts, gives everything for the shirt and more importantly numerous times this season he has come off the bench to steady the ship! Great leadership qualities.

1. Jonny Lomax (No brainer)

2. Tommy Makinson (No brainer)

3. Jordan Turner (Earned his spot)

4. Mark Percival (Has to play when fit and Jones can play back row well)

5. Adam Swift (No brainer)



6. Gary Wheeler (Blind faith probably but he's the best option for me)

7. Luke Walsh (No brainer)



8. Kyle Amor (No brainer)

9. James Roby (No brainer)

10. Mose Masoe (Starting so Walmsley can be on the pitch when Amor is off)

11. Josh Jones (Leave him running wide instead of in the middle of the pitch at loose)

12. Sia Soliola (Has to play long minutes, no brainer)

13. Jon Wilkin (Ineffectual as a second row for me but can play a pivot role at loose)



14. Lance Hohaia (Cover and should spell Roby)

15. Alex Walmsley (We can keep intensity by having one of him or Amor on the pitch)

16. Willie Manu (Will be effective running and tired defenders and popping offloads)

17. Paul Wellens (He's earned his spot over the past few weeks)



Laffranchi, Greenwood, Flanagan and LMS are all perfectly reasonable options to replace any of the bench except Walmsley too.



For a more solid and defensive minded line up you can play Jones at centre, drop Percival out and promote a forward to the 17.

LMS is a prop.

Sometimes he is selected at 13, but he plays exactly the same game, which is up the middle.



He looks better when selected at 13 because there's two other props to share the graft. Louis like to pick his runs a bit more in order to deliver a bit more punch, but his defensive workload is always good.



Starting him and Masoe on Friday was a bit of a mistake, in my option.

Naming a "best 17" is difficult because certain opposition require different approaches to others. My 1st choice 1-7 is fairly straightforward:



Lomax

Makinson

Turner

Jones/Percival

Swift

Wheeler

Walsh



My front row would always be:



Amor

Roby

Walmsley



There are then numerous different combinations for the back row and bench, a lot of it depending on whether we start with a prop-type player at 13, i.e. LMS or Soliola, or somebody like Wilkin or Jones.



In the 7 remaining places Soliola, Manu, Wilkin, Masoe, LMS will all be there in some capacity plus one of Hohaia/Wellens for utility value. That just leaves one of Flanagan, Laffranchi, Greenwood,etc for the last spot. If Percival was at centre then you also have Jones to throw in the mix for the forwards.



It's good to have so many options, especially in the forwards. I'd love another out and out no.6 to put the icing on the cake though!

1. Lomax

2. Makinson

3. Turner

4. Percival

5. Swift

6. Hohaia

7. Walsh

8. Amor

9. Roby

10. Walmsley

11. Soliola

12. Manu

13. Wilkin



14. Masoe

15. LMS

16. Jones

17. Wellens