I reckon a tenner for the Swinton game will be a decent way to spend a Sunday afternoon whatever team we put out. The Leigh game we usually lose - so I guess armed with that information you takes your choice. I suppose it depends how much you've missed the rugby since September. For mine, I'll be going especially as I miss two weeks whilst the club are over in Australia (but that's another thread!).

I don't bother with friendlies these days. The Old Locker cup matches used to offer up some spirit in the past, and often a bit of biff.

I’d imagine it’ll be the strongest side we’ve put out in the Leigh fixture for a long time. Even if we rest the international players, we’ll still be pretty strong. Something along the lines of-

Escare
Davies Sarginson Gildart Burgess
Tomkins Shorrocks
Sutton Powell Flower
Tomkins Farrell Isa

Subs
Nuuausala Clubb Tautai Hamlin Wells Marshall Ganson Field

I hope so. Pretty strong side that. Our new squad needs to be tested and I'm really looking forward to this one.

I'd go:

FB Escare
RW Davies
RC Sarginson
LC Gildart
LW Burgess
SO Williams
SH S.Tomkins
P Nu'uausala
H Powell
P Flower
SR J.Tomkins
SR Farrell
LF Sutton

S Clubb
S Ganson
S Tautai
S Isa
S Shorrocks
S Hamlin
S Marshall
S Forsyth


Missing:
Manfredi - Injured
Leuluai, Bateman, O'Loughlin and Navarette - Played in the world cup
Bretherton, Higginson, Davies, Field and Barnes - More than 1 injury away from the 17. Better off getting a full game v Skolars than 10 mins v Leigh

I've included Williams despite him playing in the world cup because I think it's important for him to get experience playing together with his new HB partner.