So it’s Fax yet again this weekend and both sides are coming off the back of dire performances. I expect a few changes to our lineup where injuries permit.

Keyes back in? Move Wildie back to hooker with Doyle back in? I think Hallas and Flanagan have lost form and become distracted with trying to wind up the opposition recently. Against Fax that’s a possibility again given the history. In fact if I were Grix I’d make putting those two off their games a big priority. They are weak links when goaded.

Pickersgill back in? If you drop Grant (as must happen) then unless Rickett gets a chance you have to move Ryan back to the wing.

Webster back hopefully. Probably for Gibson who didn’t have a great game.

Up front do you stay with Magrin or bring Bustin back? Backrow was below average versus Leigh so maybe Farrell back in if fit for someone.

Shame Hitchcox is a couple of weeks off.

Season defining for me. Mathematically we wouldn't be out of the play-off race but I think the wheels will have well and truly come off if we lose this. The attitude of the teams being questioned and it will be interesting to see if we get a response. We're at home against a team who've lost 3 in a row in the league (which included Batley & Barrow) add to the fact we owe them for the Bash and Cup, we should be coming out like men possessed.

Kear has some tough decisions to make on line-up. We'll be boosted by Webster, Keyes etc. But he needs to drop a few players who he's been loyal to. I don't believe wholesale changes will do us any good, but theres a few top players not performing at the moment and it should be made clear. The Ryan at FB experiment is surely over too.

Personally I'd go.

1. Pickersgill
2. Ricketts (if Grant plays after the Leigh game I give up)
3. Webster
4. Oakes
5. Ryan
6. Keyes
7. Lilley
8. Bustin
9. Wildie
10. Crossley (lucky to be in as he's making some awful reads at the moment in defence)
11. Storton
12. Farrell
13. Minchella
14. Flanagan
15. Wood
16. Peltier
17. Roche

Genuinely couldn't decide who to put in that last spot. Kirks knock-on was in excusable. I just don't think you should walk back in the team making that kind of attitude error.

Might want to merge mine Bullseye as I posted a new thread on game minutes after you

Dropping Kirk would be very harsh,hes been one of the most consistent performers this year. Yes he bombed it but I wouldn't say it was an attitude issue?

There's players still getting picked week in week out performing far worse than Kirk (injuries play a part in that though obviously)

Wonder if Kirk was concussed slightly. He got a whack on the jaw shortly before that blooper.

I also agree he's been pretty good this season. I can forgive the odd mistake even if it was a total howler.

Won't happen but I'd line up like this:

Pickersgill
DFJ
Oakes
Webster
Ryan
Keyes
Wildie
Crossley
Lilley
Kirk
Storton
Farrell
Michella

Flanagan/Hallas/Doyle
Wood
Peltier
Bustin

Wildie looks a better halfback than Lilley, so I'd keep him there with Keyes. I'm hoping Lilley will make a permanent move to the hooking role at some point in the future so give him a go there now. We seemed to do ok with him at hooker towards the back end of last season. I'd also be tempted to put Doyle on the bench before Flanagan/Hallas as I don't rate either of them.

Flanagan and Hallas certainly were poor versus Leigh. If Doyle is fit I'd have him on the bench.

If DFJ is out then Rickett must be in with a chance. 4 tries in the reserves and carried the ball strongly, he can’t do much more than that. Kear surely can’t pick Grant after Sunday so Ryan goes back on the wing and Pickers back at fullback.

Well, I listened to Mick's interview with Kear, and he was talking as if he was going to be giving a few people a week off. Mind you, he said the same after Featherstone and then didn't - but somehow I think he will this time. I just think his patience has run out. It will interesting to see who...

I agree that this week is season defining. Lose, and we will be back level with Halifax, and quite likely 6 points off the Top 5. That would be too much to claw back. Win, and we are still in it, and depending on other results could be 2 points off the Top 5 with most of those teams still to play.

I’d go with:

Pickersgill
Rickett
Oakes
Webster
Ryan
Keyes
Lilley
Kirk
Wildie
Crossley
Farrell
Minchella
Wood

Doyle
Peltier/Roche
Bustin
Storton

The game on Sunday is in must-win or season over territory.

After Halifax at the weekend, we have four of the top seven teams still to play in Toulouse, Toronto, York and Sheffield.

Looking at the remaining fixtures of the other sides chasing the playoff spots - ourselves, Leigh and Toulouse have the easiest runs in.

York are the side most likely to be at risk of missing out on the top five playoffs as they have six of the top seven sides still to play and finish the season with games against Bradford (H), Toronto (A), Featherstone (H), Leigh (A) and Halifax (A).

When you factor in playoff ticket money and the extra increments and columns ticked, John Kear won't be far off with his estimation of £200k less central funding in 2020.

What's concerning with the side at the moment is the lack of a winning culture. Hopefully, John Kear can find that in time for this weekend.

What estimate is this? As the promoted team we only got £100k central funding this season.

I think he means missing out on the top 5 would cost us around £200k in income.

Hopefully we havent budgeted on a Top 5 finish plus if we finish 6th or 7th we will have more central funding than we had for this season.