Last season the Leythers and many other teams had squad numbers so we knew who was who. However the season before it was basically swapping shirts for the majority of players each week. What will it be like this upcoming season and if it's gonna be squad numbers again who's wearing what?

AFAIK it's the same as last year in that it is squad numbers, they will be announced later this month at a soon to be announced event.

Thanks Fred. Looking forward to it. Will that be before or after the new kit reveal?

I do not like squad numbers, can i ask what benefit does the clubs or the game get from them?

Nothing it's just one of those things that have grown in the game. It's like asking what's the point of having numbers all together. It still has importance

Yes you may.

A lot of clubs have shirts for their players made to measure so they are skin tight.

Had numbers 1-17 still been in use then the clubs who do order such shirts for their players would have had to employ a seemstress to continually sew on different numbers on shirts when players are injured or suspended.

Finding a seemstress is not easy Stephen' for example when did you last bump into one ?

Due to this fact the cost of hiring a seemstress has soared and therefore the squad numbers system is seen as a cost saving measure.

Surprised you didn't know that. Quad erat demunstrandum as we say in my local.

Four rat demons stranded?

Nice one frank

Well it sounds like that just before closing time.

probably at the same event but I could be wrong


TBH do players numbers as per 1 - 13 mean anything anymore?
I would argue, not, for instance last nights England V France game Chris Hill wearing number 10 (old loose-side prop number) was packing down at 9 on defensive scrums, on defence the numbers 6 & 7 are often as not defending on the wing, all for the good? No but things are as they are fortunately/unfortunately depending on your point of view, as a purist no I personally dont like squad numbers but as above do the old numbering mean anything?

It's also for the young fans. When you have a star in any sport you want to have a shirt that makes you feel like them. Also good for shirt sales.

I don't buy into that either. In 2006 there were no silly squad numbers at Leigh. Just simple 1-13 week in, week out.

Sophie was 9 year old back in 2006 and absolutely adored Aaron Heremaia. She wanted ( and received) a number 7 replica shirt with his name on her replica shirt during that season.

Just as in previous seasons Turley wore the number 1 shirt, Woods the number 6 and Drummond the number 2 shirts respectively

So for me there is still plenty of commercial potential regardless of squad numbers or not.