I think he's messing with folk.

Although the Walmsley one could be true. When he did it it looked very similar to the ankle injury Ward picked up a while back that saw him miss 6 weeks. They could risk him giving the significance of the game but has to be question marks over how well he'll be able to perform.

Just seen this. I was hoping that IF we get their we would be in the West Stand as had started to become something of a lucky end for us.

And even if your wet dream above all came true, Wigan would still only be 50:50 to win the GF

It's the East stand we've had for ALL our GF wins

Thought we were normally in the East stand? thought the West was the far side of the ground from the road, where we lost to Wigan in 98?

Correct

Sorry, i said wrong way round.

Yes, that's what i meant though, we will be in the stretford end (tunnel side) if we go this year, will feel a bit strange.

He would be a massive miss for them, I am sure he will be on the field but will he cope for long enough to make it worth it

I'd be surprised if Walmsley didn't play but we should handle them whether he plays or not. He has to carry their pack far more than he should have to, even when 100% fit..

Hicks is the ref for Friday
Thaler is doing the other semi

Silverwood and Bentham are the reserve refs on the night, the former getting the Million Pound game on Saturday.

Child again doesn't get a game when it comes to the crunch

I'd have preferred Thaler doing our game.

I don't think Hicks is that bothered about offside which is a major concern against Saints as a more stringent ref can penalise them all day for it, especially on their own line.

Before people start, I realise ALL teams are guilty of stretching the patience of the ref on this, including us, but Saints IMO have stretched it more than most this season under Cunningham

Thaler would've been my first choice but think they've got the right two at this moment in time. Silverwood is erratic, Child is rubbish and Bentham is only just back from injury.

Joke appointment , Hicks is an accident waiting to happen, this will be the biggest game he has ever taken charge of and for good reason he is not up to it , he has dropped lucky in his last 2 games although what he let Saints get way with against Wigan was disgraceful . Only Child is worse , i genuinley think this will cost us the game as Saints laying on and standing offfside will go unpunished and we are not great at home playing the ref as we try to play to the rules more than most so i can see the usual us getting up quick them slowing the game down therefore they will hit the gain line quicker than us hence taking all our energy and thats apart from howlers such as the knock on he gave against Sinny last week

Not fussed myself. Hicks might let a bit more go than some but the worst momentum killer is a ref that constantly pulls up play. Bear in mind that although some teams lie on more than others there are few refs with the bottle to penalise this proportionately. As a rule, they're far happier doling out lots of penalties but distributing them fairly evenly rather than be seen to be awarding one of the sides far more than the other. As for the knock on against Sinfield, that just comes down to human error from which no ref is immune.

some Humans more prone to making mistakes than others , plus a ref just ignoring things as he does is ok if it is minor things but to just let anything go as he did when Saints were so far offside against Wigan is just wrong . He has been around a long time and never been thought capable by his bosses to ref a game this big , in fact he has been a rare sky live game ref and for good reason .