Gone for the season.

Where’ve you’ve heard this?

No luck with Props this season have we. Not sure who starts along with Ellis possibly KPP. Bring Nsemba in to replace KPP at second row. Have Hill, Dupree and Mago on the bench. Or look to play Smithies at prop and bring Shorrocks/Powell to cover 13. Few options but not ideal

I'd start Ellis and Dupree with Mago and Hill off the bench and KPP doing spells at both prop and 2nd row. We can ill afford to lose any more props now though. Injury, suspension and HIA could yet derail this season. Here's hoping for good luck having already lost 3 of our starting props this year...

We just can't get the full set of props on the field at the same time (ignoring the fact Cooper is done making that impossible anyway) and it's making things difficult. Saints have obviously lost their 2 and they're really important players but so are Cooper, Havard and Byrne and we may well have all 3 missing now going in to the play offs. Fingers crossed Havard does get back but it's a stretch to think he could be at his very best from the off (that's if he does make it back).

What I will say is that if Wigan do win it this year it will be fully deserved. Whilst I think Walmsley and Passi are better quality props than the Wigan props the fact remains that Wigan have done it tough in the forwards and had some real bad luck with injuries.

We can’t hide behind our two props being out with acknowledging Cooper and Havard have been out for a while and now potentially Byrne.

The signing of Dupree has been a master stroke as without him it would be even worse.

He's not really one that seems to need games to get back up to speed. However, given the stop/start nature of his season it may be asking a lot for him to come back and be "Grand Final ready" in his first game. My other fear would be bringing him back too early because we're short in the front row only to have him break down again during the game which would leave us an interchange down.

That said, it may well be a case of "needs must". We'll just have to hope for no further injuries/HIA/suspensions to those still standing.

Looks like Wigan may need to take a risk on Havard or Isa in the playoffs. Havard would obviously be like for like, if Isa came in KPP could move up front (which has worked well in the past).

Heard today that Isa is aiming for the first playoff game. As you say, would free KPP to front row if needed.

Big blow that, just as he seemed to be hitting a genuine run of form too.

As others have said Havard is now a potentially important player for us should we progress to the late rounds of the play offs.

I think if we can get him fit, even if he won’t be match fit he probably now needs to be risked for the final.

Hill has gone well in his last few games, his time has come to show what he can do in the big games.

Next man up mentality. Opportunity for Shorrocks/Hill. Also Isa and Havard if we can get them back.

Remember 2016

Byrne will be missed.
I’d play Hill on Friday. No disrespect to Shorrocks but we need some size to replace Byrne.

I can see Ethan on the bench for this game too.

Whenever we have injury problems I always think back to that squad that won the GF and that season in general,, S. Tomkins, J. Tomkins, McIlorum, Manfredi, Clubb, Mossop, players out of position, injuries throughout the season, losing 62-0 at Wakefield, how we won that year is still a mystery to me.

rather play nsemba than isa too