I don’t doubt for a minute that Widnes will give us a game ,they are full of confidence at the moment , but so are we ,there are doubts about Craven for Monday , and we have better forwards than both Lawtonand Dupree.
I’m predicting a Leigh win ,the Dews pitch wasn’t up to much and Dews are a below average team , who had no subs left due to injury problems , after 50 minutes Leigh will still be running hard at Widnes , something Dews didn’t do .

I find myself agreeing with you Charlie(I really should get the doctor to check my meds ) but yeah Widnes seem to be getting a lot of attention after their start but the reality is they have only beaten one team that will be around the top 6 at the end of the season. The other 3 teams will be in the relegation battle. Their form could count for a bit against Leigh but I really don't expect anything other than a comfortable Leigh win.

As for Dupree, he is another product of our local Siddal club and was available to anyone who wanted to talk to him this last summer but by the sounds of it there was not a load of interest and Im really disappointed that Fax didn't try to get a deal done for him as he looks a really good prospect and is the type of player we look to be missing.

Must admit I would have been happy to see Fev in for Dupree too having watched him a couple of times for Oldham where he stood out a mile. He looked promising when he played for us on DR a couple of years ago, he hadn't filled his frame then but is starting to strengthen up now.

I've seen posts on 3 or 4 different clubs' forums since Monday's game coveting Dupree, that ship has sailed for us Championship clubs now though I think, with the dearth of props especially British-born ones it seems inevitable SL clubs will be circling in May.

A few mentions of Lawton in this thread, he's a bit of an enigma. Absolutely massive unit who can and has caused real problems out wide at this level, but also has some definite weaknesses.

He was a handful and scored two tries in last season's 1895 semi final at Featherstone but then Fev put Ferres and John Davies gang-tackling him in the league game at Widnes and they totally got under his skin, I think he must have lost the ball four or five times in the first half alone. He can also be an iffy defender with a tendency to get wrong-footed and concede a high tackle.

He's kind of a back-row version of Keegan Hirst in some ways, but there's no doubt he can cause problems if not watched, and he definitely seems to have improved since his first spell earlier in his career before he went to Australia.

Looking forward to this one. You lot clearly confident. Just like the fax fans were when we turned them over the other week on a horrible pitch

We look far fitter this year and brown and Davies have been tremendous in the pack. Having watched Mellor for numerous years at the stadium, I’d take matty smith any day. Chamberlain and Brand nothing to write home about either. Would I say I’m confident heading into this one ? Having looked at the Leigh squad this year in comparison to other years, there’s not much to fear IMO.

Going to be a tight game, and it could go either way so let the best team win. Our forwards have never been our strongpoint so to see the damage they’re doing this year up the middle is a blessing. Il be attending with quite a number of us. Glad the price has been knocked down to £20 too. The extra £5 doesn’t bother me but it’s principal for a lot. Monday night on tv, £25 encourages fans to stay away. “I’ve had the same dig at our own club and hope we accommodate and price is fairly on Monday night tv”. It’s the championship, hopefully there’ll be a good attendance.

Also, lots of talk of Lawton and Dupree. I think Doro and Davies have been our best forwards so far this season and get through the hard work.

Lyons stepped up for Craven well but I’d rather have DC. Owens has been a miss but Roby scoring welll. I think it’ll be far more evenly matched than what you lot are giving us credit for. And I’m not screaming off the roof tops 4/4 wins. They have been easy opponents but the performance in those wins, 3 away, have been a huge step up from previous years.

It certainly gives both teams, and the rest of the league a good look at one another. Always enjoyed my trips to Leigh.

As I’d already said you struggled to beat Fax , even after they had give you an 8 point start , and the pitch will be nothing like Faxes or the one atDews , Remember Dews had no subs to replace because of injuries , our bench is very strong .
Your wingers Ince and Holroyd both struggled at Leigh , and it will be a change for you to come up against a big mobile pack , our halves will have their tails up , and our backs are very speedy , whether chamberlain and brand play depends on Lammy , as we have Nisbet and Dixon ready .
I’m going for a Leigh win by 14- 16 , and we won’t underestimate Widnes .I think it good the club has reduced it entry prices to help encourage fans of both Clubs to attend , hopefully a good atmosphere and and good game .

Pretty balanced response. I’m not expecting an easy game, nor am I expecting Widnes to really push for promotion. But they have surprised me early on. We’ll stay level headed and for me it’s all about the league, but Monday night will set a marker.
I was pretty impressed with you lot against Fev when you went down. Gutsy up the middle and a good pack. Will like to see how Dan Norman goes if selected. The lads a cardboard tank and did nothing at Widnes. Only young and whether he can change that around punch holes up the middle, let’s see. He’s a giant of a man, but that doesn’t correlate to damage.

I wouldnt know where to start for a score prediction but if yours is any close, it should be a great spectacle. And let’s have it right this is rugby league here. An 8-0 lead was earned at Fax, not “given”. We used 15 men all game and played brilliantly. But we can’t go into Leigh with arrogance. Nobody has yet tested us or spread the ball out like I’m imaging your lot will do, very excited.

I’d like to play as strong a Leigh squad as possible. We have injuries but players coming back and new players settling in really well. It would be good to see how we both go. As crazy as it seems, grass has been a real burden for Widnes. Far too used to that plastic crap up at Halton stadium. You can see how much more comfortable we look at home (as most would I’d imagine). But we just look more comfortable and fitter this year.

It’s interesting, because even going back as far as 2006, there’s always been a clear favourite in this league. Hull kr and cas teams back then were sensational. Your lot have had some great teams. Toronto & Toulouse. But this year, even though Fev are favourites, I don’t think they’re light years ahead of the chasing pack, and I’m hoping as a result, it creates a more compelling and contested contest. Look forward to a pint in that pub on the edge of the car park.

"Never" is a long time, Pat. When Leigh were up in SL the time before last, IBRC, you finished bottom of the pile but Leigh got nothing from you all season. We had a decent pack but, for Bongser's money (not that he has much), yours was the pack that won those games.

Hoping to be there, but chances looking slim at the mo.

Up The Comics (Comics not Chemics).

How are we clearly confident? Widnes still have bragging rights after the last win at LSV and are forever lauding it on the Twitter Widnes feed.

We owe you one.

I’d forget last year. Dewsbury turned us over twice last year, many changes since then.

Just reading a couple of comments on this board, that’s all. At the end of the day, there’s no reason Leigh shouldn’t be upbeat. Beyond that first Fev game, which I thought you played pretty well l, Leigh have had a strong start. Despite Widnes’ easy opponents, I’ve been pretty impressed and definitely encouraged with what I’ve seen this far. Beating Leigh away is always a big coup, and I’d love us to take a big crowd and get the win. But I just want to see another Solid performance which will bode us better in the league this season than previous years.

Barrow the week after for me is more of a priority in the championship. Regardless of Mondays result I can’t see either team making it beyond the quarter finals, but you never know. As previously mentioned, it should be a great watch for both sets of fans and neutrals alike.

I’m showing my age here , but Dupree ?Widnes might have had Simon Dupree playing ,was he on the pitch ..?The game went as I thought we played them off the park , our forwards are far stronger , more mobile ,and very hungry , our halves played well , and we bombed about 3 tries, we will improve as the season progresses , but bring on the Geordies on Sunday , hopefully Nene will be back , though young Lois Roberts had a good game .

Smith better than Mellor! I think your memory is playing tricks on you Pat. Matty Smith is an excellent kicker but he has nothing else in his locker, unlike Mellor who thinks he is a Prop Forward (Might have something to do with all the headshots he keeps taking). Half-backs need a pack going forward to do any damage and Widnes got stuck in their own 20 for large chunks of the game.

Leigh's pack was totally dominant and I believe they will get much better over the season. Good luck getting promoted, because on this showing you will need it.