Ratchford Myler Briers O'Brien

Bloody good depth in the halves. Have we had anything like that in living memory?

To be honest, I'm not 'surprised'. I think Smith is taking the view that we're now in a situation whereby we have a squad that is capable of ensuring folk aren't wheeled out and any risks taken especially so on the first game of the season on a cold February day.

Briers had a knock last week. He's what, 34? If he's not 100% don't risk him, 2 years back we'd have had no choice. Even last season, I think we patched up Hodgson & Monas once or twice too often and it may be that it bit us on the arris in the playoffs with Monas playing busted etc.

We lost 3 of our first 10 last season, so you don't gamble from the offset.

Very true, although according to his Twitter he was due to play in the U20's game today before it got postponed so that would suggest that he's not injured and being 'rested' (at least that's my interpretation anyway!)

I know what you're saying. I'm not disputing that he's fit as such, more that it's probably a bit different having a spin around for the 20's than it is going to Hull and getting a good going over.

Maybe it's simply Ratchford & Myler have first crack at being the primary halfback partnership for 2012 with one eye on the future, who's to say they haven't earnt it. They might have trained the house down etc, it's upto them to fluff it, or Briers to really get fit & 'at it' to get the place back. I guess there's a million and one possibles.

It's another challenge for Lee at 34, one which I'm sure he'll relish.

Agreed, it could well be.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ratchford in action, his reviews so far have been pretty good.

He was training. Its funny that somebody who is the biggest harbinger of doom about Warrington's aging squad then allows his incontinence to get the better of him when Warrington play two young British half-backs in-front of Lee Briers.

With Myler, Ratchford, Briers and O'Brien competing for two spots players will miss out. That's the way it is at clubs with well balanced squads.

He had to have 5 stitches in his chin after the Souths game. Don't know if this has anything to do with it or not?

Dave Hadfield in the Independent says he isn't playing due to 'an unspecified breach of club discipline'.

Surely if he'd broke the rules then he wouldnt have been playing for the 20's today.

For somebody like Briers, I think playing in the U20's would have been more of a punishment than having a weekend off. Plus, a run out in the U20's maintains match fitness and keeps him ready for next week if selected.

Shame the game was called off otherwise we would have known for sure.

Just because we're punishing him doesn't mean we don't want him to be match fit. I'm sure Lee would rather be playing first team than u20s.

IF he has been a naughty boy in oz as rumoured then he derserves to be punnished.

He has had enough time off to indulge in whatever he wants, when he is on tour with the wolves he is at work and needs to behave accordingly.

Im disappointed in him to be honest.

Nothing to do with us, in the same way if i'm punished at work it's between me and the gaffer.

See you next week Lee.

I heard he has been cryogenically frozen. The defrosting process is scheduled to start mid September, be fully reheated for an October return.

Maybe so but it wont stop the gossiping goin on behind your back