THE long wait is almost over and it's time for the talking to stop.

A week after the rest of the Northern Ford Premiership season kicked off, the Centurions begin their march towards a second successive Grand Final on Sunday.

Given a first day bye, Leigh get down to the nitty-gritty this week when Barrow Border Raiders open the season at Hilton Park.

With 13 new players brought in during the off-season, the biggest headache for head coach Paul Terzis has been who to leave out, not who to include in Sunday's 18.

"I've had a few tough decisions to make, but I've chosen a side that I think will be too strong for Barrow," he says.

His squad includes eight new recruits. Neil Turley is rewarded for a fine game against South Sydney by getting first shot at the full-back berth with another new signing and number one contender, Simon Svabic, forming a re-shaped half-back pairing with John Duffy.

Martin Roden gets the hooking job but Terzis has another number nine, John Hamilton, among the replacements as insurance.

World Cup forwards Dave Bradbury and Chris Morley will make their debuts from the interchange.

"It's a pretty strong line-up in anybody's book," adds the Leigh boss. "There's strength, pace and quality right through from one to 17."

And, as Terzis quickly points out, the competition for places will be red hot in a couple of weeks with another dozen players fighting for jerseys.

Dave Whittle, Willie Swann, Kieron Purtill, Liam Bretherton, Radney Bowker, Jamie Gass, Michael Watts, Alan Cross, Paul Wingfield, Lee Sanderson, Jason Johnson and Saf Patel have missed out this week.

"Many clubs would be happy to have a team as strong as that," he smiles. "That sort of competition is what we've tried to set up. It's a long, hard season and you have to have the resources to compensate for injury and loss of form and have the ability to give players a weeks' rest from time to time." Terzis and assistant Norman Turley went up to Barrow last Sunday on a spying mission - and came back impressed despite Oldham winning a tight game.

"Barrow were unlucky not to take the money. All Oldham's tries came near the posts, so four points became six, whereas Barrow's tries were wide out and they could only manage one goal.

"They like to spread the ball wide at every opportunity and scrum-half Darren Holt is their pivotal player. Prop Damien Whitter also went well and they could have one of our ex-players, Tau Liku, in their side this week.

"Then of course there's Muzza (Anthony Murray). I know he'll be looking for a big game on Sunday."