Chat GPT picks the following:

 Starting 13 (Grind Early, Expand Later)

1. 
   Lachie Miller – Creative fullback, safe under pressure.
   
   
2. 
   Ash Handley – Hard worker, reliable yardage winger.
   
   
3. 
   Kallum Watkins – Strong defensive centre with leadership.
   
   
4. 
   Harry Newman – Strike threat, aggressive edge runner.
   
   
5. 
   Ryan Hall – Set-start machine and safe defensively.
   
   
6. 
   Brodie Croft – X-factor playmaker, central to attacking shifts.
   
   
7. 
   Jack Sinfield – Composed organiser, good kicking control for first-half grind.
   
   
8. 
   Mikolaj Oledzki – Tough carries, sets the tone early.
   
   
9. 
   Jarrod O’Connor – Defensive anchor, sets a fast ruck tempo.
   
   
10. 
    Tom Holroyd – Brings edge and physicality to match Hull’s middles.
    
    
11. 
    James Bentley – Enforcer with aggression, ideal for setting intensity.
    
    
12. 
    James McDonnell – High work rate, dependable edge defence.
    
    
13. 
    Cameron Smith (c) – Ball-player in the middle, links with halves and spine.
    
    

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 Interchange Bench (Designed for Second-Half Tempo Shift)

14. 
    Sam Lisone – Impact prop, brings energy and offloads vs tired D.
    
    
15. 
    Jake Connor – Game-breaker; can slot into fullback, centre, or halves.
    
    
16. 
    Morgan Gannon – Mobile forward, capable of pushing tempo or shoring up edge/middle.
    
    
17. 
    Keenan Palasia – Adds late-game punch and line-speed with fresh legs.
    
    

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 Tactical Notes with Sinfield:

• 
  First half: Let Sinfield control field position with tactical kicks. Smith helps link play to edges. Croft picks his moments to run.
  
  
• 
  Second half: Bring on Connor to inject unpredictability — he can either slot in at 1, pushing Miller to a wing, or into the halves with Croft shifting to a more free-running role and Sinfield coming off if needed.
  
  
• 
  Late in the game: Gannon and Lisone can help push offloads and tempo against a gassed Hull middle.
  

I had to make it swap out Frawley for Sinfield, otherwise GPT 1st pick was Frawley

I too thought Croft went ok for his first game back and having to play alongside Connor will take time.
Give Smith a couple more games and if he played like he did on Friday drop him and play Jenkins.
O`Connor too needs to improve yet he is being asked to play 80 minutes.
Sinfield unlucky to lose out but not sure he is our answer to the hooking role likewise Ackers.
Lisone much better and Watkins proving to be a very astute signing.
When is ECW due back? As he could/should be the answer to our RC superstar.

Got away with one there.
Really poor first half, too many errors, coughing up possession and poor kicking.
But we'll take it seeing as we got done late on by Wire.


I agree that Handley is working pretty well in the centre, we could just do with another of him on the wing.
Newman is a problem. Not sure where we go with him.
He isn't playing well and is still acting like a child.
But at the moment, we haven't got much else.


Miller is getting better, but why on earth is he kicking goals? He's terrible.
Connor is a much better goal kicker.
If we still had Martin, we would not have needed that final try.
It makes a big difference.


There's a lot to like about O'Connor, but we need a new 9.
A dynamic runner, probably from the NRL.
Jarrod's passing from DH is way too slow and erratic.And when he shoots out of the line to try and get a quick hit in, it very rarely works.
He did it a few times on Friday and it's not a good look.


And we have 3 OS quota players not playing (granted, ECW is injured, but I don't think he would be in the 17).
That's not good.
Shows really poor recruitment.
All the OS players should be guaranteed starters.
Really need to think about this for next year.


Tbf Jenkins was really unlucky not to be in the 17. He's been really good.
ECW will be replaced by Sivo.
Lisone should be replaced by a better impact prop.
Frawley should be replaced by a dynamic 9.

Before the season started it was clear that we needed a top line kicker. We're not scoring enough to have the luxury of going up in 4's for any length of time. 6's creates so much more scoreboard pressure - Wakefield yesterday being one very recent example. 

A poor performance to be honest and lucky to win.

It frustrates me when we die with the ball on the 5th and fail to offload it. Some of Croft's kicks were poor and gave our defence no chance.


I also don't like the lack of captaincy voice with the ref. We need a captain who talks to the referee more and questions why some calls are being made. 


I've always made excuses for Newman but he just isn't performing. Shame McCormack, Simpson and ECW aren't available. I really liked the look of McCormack and Simpson.


Finally JOC's passing is atrocious and probably put us on the back foot a lot of the game. Put Sinfield in ahead of him. He has a nice crisp pass at least.

Jake Connor given a one point penalty warning shot across the bows, FC fans will be up in arms.....