Who's blaming the ref...I was making a point that he is from Oldham
How many people would be saying things if ref was from bradford

No need for the sarcasm

Would make sense. Hicks is also doing the Salford game on Thursday.

I have to agree - our first choice forwards have looked a little suspect anyway, particularly against Leigh. We might yet see Lauaki doing more minutes than expected this season.

You would hope Clark will step into a starting spot with Crossley taking the spare bench place. I don't really want to see Lauaki or Fleming near the side unless we're desperate.

Typical though isn't it. We finally get 3 real top quality props (at least for our league) in Clough, Sidlow & Kavanagh, and they're all bloody injured!

I saw Kavanagh at the game - he's still got his ankle in a pot & on crutches so will be 4weeks at least I would think.
The club finally said what Clough had in todays interview - torn calf. So that'll be several weeks yet, depending on when he did it.
Sidlow will also be several weeks out with his broken hand.

Ferres lists the players that could step up (in no particular order??) "Rhys Lovegrove and Mitch Clark will push for starting roles and the likes of Jonny Walker, Steve Crossley, Epalahame Lauaki and Dan Fleming are also jostling for position."

If it is in order of likelihood playing, then Lauaki & Fleming are really in disfavour...

As they should be. If you base on how these players have done when they've been on the field in a Bulls shirt, it's about the right order. Lauaki and Fleming have done absolutely nothing for us except waste a bench spot.

Hard to say what the order will be to be honest.

As for Lauaki, if he's never going to do more than 20 minutes per game, I just don't see the point of persevering. If, on the other hand, he takes the hurt, he surely must be feeling at being dropped, and channels it in the right direction, then maybe, just maybe we might see a more effective bloke coming back into the 17?

From the little we see of Fleming last year I thought he was ok. Not a standout but I recall him breaking a few tackles and off loading which we ended up scoring from. He isn't a Sidlow/Clough but he showed a lot more Lauaki IMO. I'd like to see him given a shot this week.

As for Hicks... Wasn't he a ref for a televised SL game weekend just gone? If my memory serves me correct he had a very poor game and got a lot of stick from Eddie and co... Could be demotion.

I think with the refs, they're all Fulltime and I see no problem with them doing a game on Thursday, then another one on Sunday which looks like what is happening here. There are few SL games on a Sunday anymore.

Agree on Flemming, don't think he's anywhere near as bad as Lauaki. He did well against Cas. Ok it's they're reserves but you can only play whats in front of you. He made more tackle busts than Crossley and Lauaki last year.

Frustrating our 3 best props are all injured but it's arguably the best time for it to happen. Would rather they're out now than the middle 8s.

Sidlows arguably our most important player. Been immense this year. But it won't hurt him at the end of the year having a couple of months off.

From tonsilitis to a torn calf... Nice to be kept in the loop!
Lauaki would be right down the bottom of the pecking order of replacements for me, i'd sooner put Olbison or Haggerty at prop and see Mellor, Walshaw or even Blythe come in the 2nd row