No Makinson for Saints and Percival touch and go. Could be anything scratch 1-5 for us. Don't think they have played together once yet this season.

Guessing:

Hopoate (until he goes off)
Bennison
Hurrell
Matautia
Grace

Makinson is obviously a big loss. If Percival plays & with Hurrell coming back, it could still be a big improvement on how you finished the game vs Cats.

How has Bennison been going this season? Must admit he's a total unknown quantity to me.

Makinson is a huge loss but even more so for his goal kicking. He’s not prolific by any stretch but with Percival out I’ve no idea who will kick.

Smith is barely missing his conversions.

Really up against it now and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Wigan start as favourites with the bookies.

Percival won’t play.

Bennison is a promising young kid, more a FB though. He reminds me of a young Steve Prescott, very light weight but pacy and a good step. He’s certainly fearless.

I have two tickets in the Gallowgate End for Saturday only. Bought with membership discount so only £12.50 each. Happy to drop them off locally if you want to buy them mate.

Interesting that you're so certain on Percival. Not suggesting you're wrong at all, but he's been doing the press work up there hasn't he?

I think had Lees not had his ban rescinded, then I'd be making Wigan decent favourites for this one. As it is, you've still got a very impressive pack which will be tough to deal with, especially with the added physicality that one or two of your backs will be bringing.

That said, there's no point pretending that Makinson, Dodd and Percival (assuming you're right) all missing doesn't harm your chances. If we can stand up and get a roughly equal amount of ball and territory, then I'd back us to win.

Yeah you're right about our pack and correct about him doing the media work. However Woolf made no reference to him in his presser when he confirmed that Hurrell, Hopoate and LMS are all back. I'd be very surprised (but delighted) if Percival plays.

We'll need to keep it tight to win. My fear with the reshuffled backline is that with French and Field you will have too much pace on a big pitch. In the grand scheme of things it wouldn't be a disaster as we would still be top (unless you smashed us!) but that would see us level on points and physchologically Wigan would have won the last 2 games.

Saints are 6 point favourite with the bookies.

Doing it tough in the backs at the moment, but the pack is in decent shape which gives us a chance in any game.

Hopoate and Hurrell back is very helpful, plus Grace getting more minutes into him after a big lay-off and Lomax getting to grips with playing injured, but we need Hopoate to actually finish a game and losing Makinson and Percival on kick returns is a blow.

50/50 game I'd say, should be an enjoyable one. Here's hoping the refereeing is better than our last two games which have been pretty shambolic.

I was surprised to see Saints let Josh Simm go out on loan with the disruption to their backs, I would have taken a chance on Simm at Wigan, played well whenever I have seen him, and certainly better than anything I have seen in their academy.
It appears that Woolf will be leaving and Paul Wellens taking over next year (told about it in May) so interesting times ahead at Saints.

Before this season I would have agreed but he's been poor when called upon this year - Davies and Bennison have done a better job in the outside backs and with the strength we have in the back row Sione playing in the centres makes sense also (albeit him having to move there cost us on Saturday when he butchered the 2 on 1 for the Grace no-try).

I don't think Simm had a contract for next year so a loan move makes sense for him - I hope he goes well.

38-0 and we go top