As most seem to agree, I’d get King back in and let Lindrop sit this one out. Someone above mentioned resting Tai next week, which is a good compromise with Lindrop getting another chance lined up.

Philbin is a tough one. Was playing well before the injury, but in no particular order we have Vaughan, Currie, Harrison, Yates all ahead of him. Musgrove is at risk, can blow hot and cold, but I think he gets in before Philbin.

Assuming Fitzgibbon comes back, he’s first choice in the second row. Nicholson likely holds that other spot. Meaning Bateman gets the 4th bench spot in a first choice 17.

Leaves out Philbin, Crowther, Wood and Holroyd for rotation.

If Lindop is out as well you need one of them in.

Sorry, I had put King in. I think the backs are pretty clear cut. Dufty, Thewlis, Tai, King, Ashton, Williams and Drinkwater are locked in as first choice, barring injury. Lindrop’s time will come, but I would expect to see him protected, maybe see him against London (twice) and maybe Cas and Huddersfield in the run in.

If that was reference to my comment, I never said boot up the bottom. I said it's a squad wide reinforcement that no-one is a shoe in. If you recall under previous administrations as soon as the "star" player recovered from injury they were back in the side automatically, irrespective of the form of the player they are replacing or indeed their form. It got to the stage that we would play "star" players in unnatural positions. I am glad these times are behind us.

Anyway we call have our own views, personally I don't think Lindop has been overplayed. He has played 3 games in a row. The other 3 games date back to Feb, May and June. As he scored 2 tries in his last game I would argue he deserves to keep his place.

Not much point looking back too much. New broom & much better back up players now (which did make life a bit more difficult last year). Sorry didn't realise who had brought up the shoe-in comment. Personally I would be happy with Lindop but I'd guess King will be back if totally fit.

Nice problems for the coaching team to have though. I would say Lindop deserves to keep the spot but he is also our future and long may it be. On the other hand King was doing nothing wrong before the injury so Lindop got the opportunity. Glad I’m only a sofa coach as so many of us are but it’s great debate and a great place for the club to be in just now.

In previous seasons, if we had quite a few injuries and were forced to play some youngsters, we (the fans) almost felt like we were beaten before we started, and the team might even have subconsciously felt that way too. Now, it's very different. It's great to have a healthy squad, but when we do have to rely on the youngsters out of necessity, I'm not worried any more. They are good enough.

Dufty
Thewlis
Tai
King
Ashton
Williams
Drinkwater
Vaughan
Powell
Yates
Nicholson
Holroyd
Currie

Walker
Musgrove
Crowther
Bateman (rotating with Currie)

I'd Save Fitz and Philbin for London to be honest.

It's a huge game tonight. Our remaining fixtures look better than Wigan's on paper and they were less than convincing last night. I'm expecting a great atmosphere tonight. Looks to be a good crowd with very limited in the North/East/south Stands online.

whatever happens i think KR & Wire have been the two most exciting teams to watch in the comp as nobody really knew where theyd both be at the end of the season, everyone else is just same old same old and wigan have been found out to be a 2 man team

Most thought burgess would be a flop

Many thought we was a flash in the pan

i just hope we can stop that shift play with dufty drifting in and getting ashton in space

What did sky dub it, first time we met? Contenders versus pretenders?

Baring injuries in the warm up, King, Philbin & Fitzgibbon not in the 17 tonight. Lindop & Holroyd both keep there starting places.

Bateman on the bench.

It will be interesting to hear why King and Fitzgibbon are not in the match day 17, no doubt Burgess will give us an update after the game. It makes a great statement of confidence in Holroyd and Lindop and will give a big boost to the rest of the Academy to boot.