The Deise hurlers begin their league campaign this afternoon when they meet Dublin in Parnell Park.
1. Billy Nolan (Roanmore)
2. Conor Gleeson (Fourmilewater)
3. Conor Prunty (Abbeyside)
4. Kieran Bennett (Ballysaggart)
5. Jack Fagan (De La Salle)
6. larlaith Daly (Lismore)
7. Tom Barron (Fourmilewater)
8. Cathrach Daly (Lismore)
9. Jack Prendergast (Lismore)
10. Patrick Curran (Dungarvan)
11. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
12. DJ Foran (Portlaw)
13. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart)
14. Stephen Bennett (Ballysaggart)
15. Colin Dunford (Colligan)
Speaking to WLR's On The Ball on Saturday, former Waterford hurler and former Dublin manager Humphrey Kelleher was impressed with the team, but noted one player who might not be getting delpoyed in the bets possible manner.
"It's a good team, a strong team. Interestingly enough; of the team that won the All-Ireland minor in 2013- there's six of that team playing and five of them are playing in the forwards, which I'm a little bit disappointed with. I've been a huge advocate that Austin Gleeson should be in centre-halfback on the Waterford team. He has been a mainstay of the minor team and the under 21 team, and Watford haven't really challenged that greatly for All-Ireland titles with Austin out of that centre-halfback position. So I'm surprised that Liam hasn't put him back in there."
The argument over Gleeson and where he should be played is nothing new. It feels like the debate has raged since he first pulled on a Waterford jersey. While Kelleher wanted Gleeson to move back the field, former hurling boss Michael Ryan thought the right decision had been made with where he was selected.
"I still think we need him up front. I mean, we're physically we're lacking up front and I think we need some big guys up front. We have plenty of defenders and I know that's what I bought him I think I think he's playing in the right place."
The Dub's come to this game off the back of an impressive run in the Walsh Cup, where they dismantled Wexford to lift the trophy in Croke Park. They were sixteen points the better of the Yellowbellies and Kelleher says that they have been a coming force for some time.
"If you look at the development of Dublin hurling over the last 10 to 15 years it has been steadily increasing in tempo, in physique and in frist touch. They're improving all the time. What I was delighted to see in the Walsh Cup matches were that the amount of points that they scored - I think on average; on the four matches they played in, an average of 26/27 points - and scoring 29 points against Wexford, a good Wexford team in Croke Park was a huge telling effect. And also 29 points against Galway."
We will have todays game live on WLR thanks to George Corbett Skoda, with Kieran O Connor and Brian Flannery from 3.30 pm.
