Can you really see Burgess being fit?
He’s allegedly been nearly ready for 3 weeks but I just don’t see it.
I’d have Byrne before Clubb and Clark

I think Lam suggested Burgess would likely be another week and there’s certainly no need to rush it. If he is fit then I’d play him in the reserves this week and then ease him in to what looks a more comfortable fixture on paper the following week against HKR.

I’d go the same again but swap Leuluai and Smith round. We can’t afford to get pinned on the back foot away from home with a poor kicking game.

I don’t think Burgess is fit but I can see Lam putting him in even when he’s 70%. I would have Bryne before Clubb and Clark but Clubb seems undroppable and Clark has been solid tbf.

Burgess needs to have a go in the reserves before throwing him back in IMO. Same team as Hull for me. Should be an interesting game

If Clubb is to be a starting prop then I'd have Bullock the other starting prop with him.
Partington, Byrne & Clark off the bench.
Smith to start and TL off the bench.
Otherwise same as v Hull.

If you’d have looked at this fixture before the season you’d have thought it wouldn’t be much of a test but they’re looking the underdogs at the min Huddersfield and going about their business very well. It’ll be a hard earned win against them IMO.

I’d go with a strong pack again, playing slightly wider targeting Sezer and Gaskell to tire them out. They’re the main threats IMO.

1 French
2 Marshall
3 Bibby
4 Zak
5 Manfredi
6 Smith
7 Hastings
8 Bullock
9 Powell
10 Clarke
11 Faz
12 Partington
13 Smithies

14 Bryne
15 Lockers
16 Havard/Tommy
17 Isa

It's weird, on one hand I'm hearing Wigan are extremely concerned about the ongoing hip injury G Burgess has and on the other hearing he's only a week or so away from making a comeback.

One things for sure those fifteen minutes against Wire was probably the worst I've seen from a Wigan forward for many a year. He looked about two stone overweight and unfit (think back to 1980s Rugby Union prop body shape) and he was blowing air from the first few minutes.

I just can't see him being ready for weeks (and I'm only talking about his fitness not his hip injury here).

George needs a good run in the reserves prior to stepping back into the first team. Ideally he’ll be back in the squad 2 games or so before the Good Friday derby and be good for that game.

I don’t think the club can afford to rush him. It’ll be a financial disaster if they did.

The way the season works we have no reason to rush him back at all. Bring him back into the fold after several games in the reserves and when he is 100% around July/August time ready to push us towards OT. The young lads ran out of gas last year come playoff time. With Burgess and Flower both out at the moment we have the chance to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Not a chance I'd be throwing him straight back into first team. He was miles out of shape, surely that hasn't fixed itself in the meantime whilst he's had an injury. Get him in the reserves if he's fit to play.

Looking forward to welcoming you all over. Hopefully a good game with no injuries. A real shock start from us to the season. Would be huge to carry it on but you are a fine team.

The way AL is talking it looks like he’s going to throw him back into the first team fold immediately and probably alongside Ben Flower. We can go on all day about how they should be in the reserves for a few weeks but throwing them both back in opens up huge competition in the pack and surely Clubb is looking most vulnerable. I’d argue Partington is at risk too, although he can be switched to the back row.

IMO it sends the message that name matters more than form if he walks straight back in. The lads aren't daft, they'll know if he plays reserves this weekend they'll need to be on their game to keep their spot the week after. If he comes straight back in and plays like he did against Warrington then fans will really start to turn on him and confidence becomes a factor.

but Powell came straight back into the team

He had to do though, he’s our best hooker by a mile. Our attack and defence improves with him and he plays 80 min