gardner, mcarthy-scarsbrook and lomax all came into the hospital today, to have niggles checked out.

On the assumption that Sammut will unfortunately receive a one game ban from Red Hall the following would be my starting Seventeen for Saturday (again on the basis that both Elima and Purtell are fit).

29 Platt
33 Pryce
2 Purtell
3 Lulia
24 Crookes
1 Kearney
6 Jeffries
15 Hargreaves
14 Diskin
16 Manuokafoa
12 Whitehead
26 Bateman
23 Addy

Interchange:

9 L'Estrange
4 Walker
21 Burgess
11 Elima

At some point all of our recent efforts will result in a dipped perfomance, more so with the likelihood that although those taking the field will be "fit to play", a few will be carrying injuries already given the nature of the game.

Hopefully we can get a win, but if we do, it won't be a big one and we'll have to play well for most if not all of the 80 mins.

I think we might just come up short, as I think Saints are a bit like us, with preferring to play away from home at present. Injuries seem to be effecting both sides so we could easily see more than a few players playing out of position.

IF, and its a big IF, Elima, Purtell and Sammut are all available (and Langers has a come back like Lazarus) then I reckon we could beat Saints - moreso if they are still missing Roby (as expected) and possibly Lomax.

Saints are likely missing Soliola, he suffered serious facial injuries at weekend in merseyside bar.

Kearney was excellent attacking from full back at the weekend so I wouldn't want to see him moved. But to be honest I tried putting a team list together moving Addy to the halves and I ran out of forwards, so I can't see a better option than this



Could Purtell play wing with Walker as his centre and Pryce use his size in the forward pack off the bench?

Fingers crossed Sammut can play.

Kearney
Pryce
Purtell
Lulia
Crookes
Addy
Jeffries
Hargreaves
Diskin
Manase
Elima
Whitehead
Bateman

L'Estrange
Burgess
Joseph
Walker

On the assumption Langley & Sammut are unavailable

ditto. langley in for joseph, if available, and used as a prop.

Referee confirmed as the Silverthon.

I hope he's spending sometime this week working out where to stand at the PTB.

if the club are prepared to play Joseph...

Video Referee St Helens supporter Steve Ganson.

Why do I get the distinct feeling Silverwood will be handing the majority of Bradford tries for Ganson's adjudication?

What's your prediction's for this Saturday's game?

innocent until proven guilty?

Quite true, but it wouldn't be unusual for the club not to select him until it's all sorted out.

Personally i feel sorry for Ainscough, was playing well last year right up until injury just a shame he hasnt been given a shot this year to prove his worth,

and TBH if purtell is fit id have Ainy outside him just for his pace as he showed last season away at saints !!

To drop Pryce after a decent first showing wouldn't be very fair either.

Because you are a typical paranoid Bulls fan? Despite you being the RFL's darlings.

With it being the standout fixture of the weekends games, I predict it'll certainly live up to that billing in terms of closeness of score and competitive nature.

Both sides are heavily handicapped in the playing personal stakes which is great leverage for another Saturday night classic.

Extremely close to call with so many key players missing see Luke Gale for Bradford, James Roby for Saints.

Losing Sammut to the arbitrary panel is a massive blow in terms of our ability to turn those ordinary ball handling plays into something with a bit of razzle-dazzle.

The key area to where this game will be won IMO will be around the ruck area. This is where I feel St Helens will struggle on Saturday when trying to close down/stop L'Estrange and Diskin.

Who are two very competent natural leaders of attacking Rigby League from the ruck into the heart of the opposition defence.

I'll say Bradford 26-22 St Helens but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see St Helens leave with an equally most narrow of victories.

Safe journey coming over.

Good post mick-hopfully Diskin and L`Estrange will keep up the good work of the last few weeks-on the goal-kicking, did Ben Jefferies kick goals for wakey against us a couple of seasons ago at Odsal? If not Addy to loose-forward and goal-kicker.

For me, keep as little disruption as possible, presuming injuries are what we think.

Keep BK at 1, Addy to 6, Whitehead & Bateman in backrow, Elima(if fit) to 13 to hopefully hand out some pain to the St's HB's.

Bradford crocks : Scruton, Gale, Kear, Kopzcak, Langley (poss), Olbison, O'Brien, Sibbit, Sammut (Ban)

Saints crocks: Lomax, Soliola, Roby, LMS, Flannery, Clough

Both will have patched up teams. but I'm still expecting a close tough game thats good to watch.

We are more crocked then them. Nah nah nee nah nah.

Nothing about me is typical

If Elima and Purtell are fit it massively boosts our chances of a win.