The only player I'd give an outside consideration of giving another opportunity to play would be Farrimond. I think the lad needs chances but on the balance of things and with us just having a break, I'd be going full strength. We need to do everything we can to win every game between now and HKR at home IMO. They're throwing a challenge down to us, the press are lapping it up and we're being spoken about in some quarters as though we've dropped down to being the second best side in the league. I think that will irk the players/coaches but it isn't just about mentally turning up to play HKR, we need to get our concentration levels up and get excited to play every week. At times, the players have looked bored and I get it but now is the time to ramp up. 

I think the press coverage of KR is great motivation for us.   Just what we needed this season to keep us pushing.

Without a doubt. Even as a fan, I've struggled this season to get up for most games after what we've done these past couple of years. I give HKR full credit for what they've achieved, it's brilliant and they've got just reward for the investment and hard work from the owners and the work put in by the coaching staff and players but every time I see a comment that they're now the best side in the league, I bristle a bit and I can only think it annoys the players and coaches at Wigan even more. 

We needed an angle to motivate these players this season and I think the press are providing it, which is brilliant for us. 

I really really hope its a Wigan v KR grand final with both sides at full strength. Let's go.

Unfortunately for me, I don't see them beating you in the Grand Final. They were poor on Saturday- admittedly in poor conditions- but they were 2 mins away from losing 3 successive Finals. 


Now conversely this may be the monkey off the back for them but I don't think they will have that big game performance in them come October. If it's wet on GF night, Smith will kick them to death much like Sinfield did to us for all those years and then it just needs a spark of brilliance from a Field or French and it's game over. 

i think the current Wigan side would have comfortably won the final at weekend if KR or Wire had played that way against us. Obviously we werent there, so we dont know. I do think that if we make the grand final, then we should win as we have the big game temperament at the minute. As you say, Leeds did it with Sinfields kicking (despite not being the best side in the competition but found a way to win the big game in the conditions), and in a different way when you won 4 in a row, you were confident going into a final that you were the best side and werent going to get beat. Getting the monkey off your back of losing finals, flipped something in the team and put them on a roll

now KR having the monkey off their back may lift some of the pressure off them, but if they play like they did on Saturday i dont think they'd be in the game to take it with a late try

I do think a lot of pressure will have been lifted now on the HKR players and you could almost see it weighing them down throughout the game. I agree with what has been said above, had Wigan been playing them on Saturday and had that many chances to attack them, it would've got well away from HKR but fair play to them, they were magnificent in holding Wire out, to then give them the chance to strike at the end. 


I think we'd now see them relax a little more in a final, with the 1985 line being put in the bin and that would make them even more dangerous. On the flip side though, I think Wigan will really fancy the challenge of knocking them back. There's no given it ends up in a Wigan vs HKR Grand Final but the rivalry is building really nicely. Willie Peters thinks they can go for the treble and I'm sure that will have got Matt Peet sitting up in his chair a bit. That game in August is one to look forward to, that's for sure. 

Peet has confirmed that Wade will be in the reserves again

I thought we had no Reserves game for another month so was expecting Wade to play v Hudds.

As we have a decent Reserves team as opposition (Saints) then that makes perfect sense.

Peet will surely want to put down a significant result after our SL closest rivals just won the C Cup.


No doubt MP will have seen the 2nd half from Hudds v Leigh. Well out of it at half time Hudds half backs took control in the 2nd half and came within 4 points of Leigh. The Commentators were saying the Giants half backs Lolohea and Clunes hadn't played together previously this season but their 2nd half they were impressive.


Our team selection may well be the strongest that can be put out. Whether the last bench spot goes to Leeming or possibly Farrimond is the unknown. 


Hirst was mentioned in despatches after the reserve game at Cas having scored three tries. Maybe he'll get a game at Cas or Wakey. Given that Sam Walters is being selected at prop then we need a reserve second row.


 

Fine margins in sport, Lindop correctly grounds that ball and KR have lost another final without scoring a try, this time against the side sitting in 8th.


He didn’t ground the ball and now they’re  talking about the treble. 


Can’t wait to welcome them to the Brick.