I think Gaskell is some one you need from the start. Hes not san impact back for mine. He's some one who can peg a side back and apply pressure over the course of a game. I would actually go Lomax Pryce Gaskell to start with either lomax or pryce at fb. But Royce will not drop wellens and will not play gaskell ahead of pryce dispite form and the lack of a kicking game.

Id agree with this, Wheeler must play if fit. He was completely bossing wigan on good friday until he was taken out.

I don't know why some fans insist on harping on about Wello. He is our most experienced player and superb last defence cover. Also he organises the defence. We need him for those reasons alone with so many inexperienced players in the side. It's so obvious that I am amazed some fans do not see it. Defence is vital in big games. Some say it wins them.

As for Pryce, his attitude since deciding on the Dragons has been a disappointment but not really surprising. Whether he can be motivated into playing well on Sunday I don't know but I'm fairly sure that Simmons would have little trouble dropping him if he thought an alternative was a better option. He's benched Eastmond for most of the season.

I'm amazed you cant see that wello is past it. He's never been the fastest, but his positioning and tackling more than made up for it. Now however his defence is becoming questionable. 28 missed tackles this year is average for a fullback, but terrible for wello who has no other real facets to his game

I'd certainly have Wheeler in the 17, possibly 6 at Pryce's expense, but wouldn't even consider moving Meli back to the wing. He's been a revelation at centre, Foster has had some dream service and we've witnessed hardly any of the brainfarts that used to haunt him defensively on the wing.

As much as I know it won't happen, I'd love to see Simmons really mix it up by having a genuine attacking threat at FB, Pryce or Lomax, with Wello as the 'bench back' if we need to go safety first. That's not intended to be a sleight on Wello, more that we'd be introducing a new dimension to our game that Wigan are unlikely to have prepared for. Play off rugby is exactly about those brave, unpredictable and potentially match winning calls.

To begin with you conveniently bypassed my use of the word 'experience' which, given our season, has been vital. Wello hasn't been in the best of form since his injury at Wigan at Easter (prior to which he was fabulous). He isn't 'past it'; he's just suffering from a lack of form and some of that will be down to him playing with injury as have many of our players.

I'm sure we will see him back to form next season. Meanwhile, he has managed to pull off some great try saving moves even when off form and he brings vital experience to the field as a member of a team which is very much lacking in experience.

Pryce hasn't been an attacking threat since he decided to go to the Dragons and Lomax isn't fast so I don't think he would be much more of an attacking threat from fullback than Wello is especially given his tendency towards panic and his lack of experience. Makinson is looking more like a potential fullback IMO than Lomax. But all that is for the future. What we don't need next week is massive changes. We've had enough of those throughout the regular season. It's far too disruptive.

Pryce is one of the few matchwinners we have. If you're defending Wello on the basis of 'poor form after injury, surely Pryce is allowed the same mitigation. Chiming into the line from FB would allow him to drift in and out rather than carry the organisational responsibility. When he's free to roam, you get the best from him.

Lomax is far more pacy than Wello and certainly elusive. I'd love to see him on a kick return.

Makinson is also an option, but I'm liking him on the wing and I'd prefer to leave him there - safe hands on either flank with the ability to finish. Nice.

I take your point on massive changes. I wouldn't make them. But I would chance my arm a bit, and hopefully catch Wigan a little cold.

Yes Wello is experienced, but so is ray french, would you play him?
Wayne Bennet when asked how he'd kept Brisbane at the top for 20 years "Having the guts to drop your established 30yr old star for your 19yr old future star" Wello's not the best fullback in the league anymore, hes not even in the top 3

Brilliant!

i try

Not really because in his first three outings he made an impact and then he went silent, just passing the ball like Eastmond did. So I don't think his performance has anything to do with recovering from his injury. If he was looking anything like as committed as he was before his injury then I'd be as supportive of him as I am of Wello but he isn't and so I'm not. Just now Pryce isn't an attacking threat at all and so I'd be happy if Simmons dropped him. He's been a big disappointment.


Lomax is strong and he's nippy but he isn't pacey over a stretch. Makinson is. I'd love to see Makinson at fullback but not for these playoffs!


Stick Wheeler in the halves with Gaskell off the bench and interchange them! That would catch them cold.

Mind you, it would probably fook us up as well!