No Howarth? Wow.

Hope the Walnes get a run. Williams to drop out for Manfredi would be my choice.

Lee to play 80 minutes then?

No spare hooker or halfback is a strange one, especially given our recent luck with injuries.

If Lee is happy to play 80 minutes, I'd rather that than Howarth interchanging...but not having any kind of backup for the spine seems a little out there.

Looks like 4 forwards on the bench, unless he puts a winger there.

Hope Sau makes the game.

No Howarth - who are we going to blame for defeat this week???

What if we win?

Cross that bridge when we come to it

Don't get me wrong, I want a Salford win as much as anyone on here, just don't care much for the scapegoating that goes on.

I don't think he's first team material, he's a squad hooker who's been playing first team and struggling in my opinion...But I wouldn't blame any of the defeats on him alone, it's a team game after all. He does work hard just isn't quite making the grade at the moment.

Back on topic though, really hoping we can pull off a win on Friday, could do with a bit of momentum & are surely due some good fortune this season.

If push comes to show Gleeson to move into the halves and Walton into the centres. That said think he looked a much better second row than he has done at .

I meant to say that about Walton actually, I'd like to see him start at second row. He was impressive against Widnes.

I think Hock, HH and Walton @ 13 would be a very potent back 3.

You really do need to watch the games or is the coach also making him a scapegoat?

Our two defeats thus far haven’t been Howarth’s fault, but that doesn’t excuse how poor he has been during those and the Wakefield game. I like how people get defensive and suddenly shout “scapegoat” when in reality it’s just the majority of us (and evidently Noble now too) agreeing that the lad just isn’t good enough to be a Super League hooker.

I agree with Walton, thought he was brilliant against Widnes. I would like to see him brought on from the bench again though, I thought his impact was enthusiastic, strong and gave us a real lift going forward. I hope someone sticks to his shoulder too, because many of times he would have off loaded to a supporting runner.

That's why I say above stick him at #13, looks powerful going forward and get into position to create for others which is what we've been lacking in a number 13 for a good while now.

Yes I agree, some blame should lie with the coaching staff for continuing to play him.

It just makes me laugh how he’s being branded as a scapegoat when he’s clearly just not good enough and everyone can see it. He has made just 52 meters forward so far this season with an average gain of just over 3 meters from 15 carries (Walne has made more and he only played 30 minutes against London) – I’m not usually one for stats, but an average gain of 3 meters for a hooker is outrageously poor and so is only 15 carries, couple that with his painfully slow distribution and his shoddy defence means he’s never in a million years a super league player. I don’t think the OPTA stats show how bad his defence really is either as to my knowledge they don’t count it as a missed tackle when someone gets bumped then they join the same tackle again after someone has hold of him. Howarth does it all the time, goes up high for the big hit and just bounces off the player then dives in at 3rd man therefore doesn’t count as a miss.

I would love for him to make me eat my words, but unfortunately he lacks the talent so I doubt that’s going to happen.