Kilkenny manager Brian Cody feels he has a stronger panel at his disposal than he had last year.

The Black & Amber, who used an unprecedented 49 players in retaining the national hurling league title, have also qualified for the All-Ireland decider, wherein they will face Tipperary on Sunday week.

Cody insists the squad is stronger than it was in '13 and has also defended his policy of rotating the starting XV so much across the season:

"I think it is strong," the James Stephens clubman is quoted in The Kilkenny People. "It is stronger than last year, not in any particular regard, but overall. We have decent cover for several positions.

"Sometimes you have a settled team because the competition is not as strong as it should - or you would like it to - be.

"If you had a strong panel and real genuine options for the team, then it kind of makes sense that you might not necessarily have the same XV every day.

"To me, it's a good thing. As I have always said, once you have a settled spirit and settled application and all of that, you are well on the way to having the requirement to give of your best.

"As well, you can have injuries at any time. If that disrupts your settled team, how do you perform then? I don't see making changes as a big thing at all."

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