I mean, you say 100%, cooper yes, both hill and ratchford have had their detractors over the last 5 years

If I’m to look to give Powell the benefit of the doubt on Cooper and Hill, stepping back from seeing through the lens that is a match day where it’s evident that they were our best forwards. But they’re could be more to it in the bits that we don’t see. I remember an interview with Adrian Morley around 2012 ish where he admitted that he doesn’t/couldn’t do a lot of weight bearing running during the season anymore, so would do a lot of the cardio work on bikes etc to manage his body. It could be that Cooper is shot to bits Monday to Friday but just about gets ready for the weekend.

I have seen no evidence of this, but just playing devils advocate.

You make a good point that none of us know the full facts in terms of fitness, attitude, longevity, financial demands etc. of anyone in the squad. Hopefully we’ll see some signings announced soon which could give us some confidence about next season.

Move em in, Cut em out

Briers wants Cooper.
Powell wants Partington.

I hope that's not right

It tells you he’s not happy with at least one backrower.

that’s one thing your post could be telling us.

Ps RD fair play for calling the Saints match as a lot closer than many of us thought.

No lollipop though.
I always put Wire to win, but I actually thought we would win against Saints this week and I lumped on Wire. I thought Toulouse would win too.

Wire have been thrashed by teamsters with big packs, whoever they are and there position in the league, not so much with teams with a light pack, (Hudds apart who clearly had their minds the CC semi final).
Saints have a light pack and Warmsley. What makes them great is their line speed, stop that, all they have left is the pace, match that, then you beat Saints. We just fell short, another 10 mins and we’d have had them.

But fair warning, we still have a light pack and we will get more thrashings, and more disappointing results, the game vs Saints isn’t our summer swallow.

Great backs and a shiitake pack.

So 100% on your predictions this week Nostradamus?

I would ask then does it matter if he performs to the level he does? Different sport entirely but I recall Deandre Hopkins for the Texans in the NFL very rarely if ever trained weekly, and he still caught everything thrown to him. Best WR in the league. Cooper is one of the best in SL. Whether he trains or not apparently?

John Woods was the best 20 a day, none trainer, who was fitter than his butchers dog, player I’d ever seen. He was still playing rugby in his 40s.

Partington is one of wigans undersized middles that was ineffective last year he's the smallest one of the lot