I think Powell being left out is a mistake from the outside looking on but obviously we dont know the full picture. Moving French from fullback was also a mistake as this was one of the few things that was working well for us in this poor stretch.

French
Miski
King
Wardle
Marshall
Field
Smith
Singleton
O'Neill
Byrne
Farrell
Smithies
Ellis

Havard
Mago
Hill
Cust

The best performance we have put together this season was at Leigh with French at fullback and Field at 6 so for me that's the way we should be going. Ultimately, the game will depend on how our forwards go. Great to have Havard back, hopefully he's fully fit and ready to do good minutes.

In terms of Powell, he can go for me at the end of the season. Top servant to the club which im sure everyone appreciates but he simply isn't good enough to be playing hooker for Wigan anymore regardless of his relationship with Peet.

I think abandoning this option off the back of one very poor performance is silly. It may have made some sense if French is a much better defender but I'm not sure he is.

I don't think Peet will go that way though - he'll either stick to the Saints lineup or revert to the 2022 line up with Bevan on the wing and one of Cust/Hampshire coming in.

He seemed to indicate in his Wigan TV interview that we’ll be sticking with French at 6. It’s not just the shuffling around at halfback that is hurting defensively, it’s the people on the inside and outside of the stand off changing. We’ve swapped second rowers and then took King out last week as well.

I’ve no issue with Field at 1 and French 6 because I think French can do what he does at 1, when playing at 6 and it’s nice to have Fields legs at the back but we need to let things settle around them now. In saying that, I’m swapping both the right sided centre and second rower again in my team but I’d be sticking with it after that.

Field has been doing well recently with the boot.

I love French or Field in the halves in attack as I feel French is just a waste on the wing (especially doing yardage carries) but the defence issues for hard to watch. Field seems better attacking at 6 than French but vice verca in defence.

Could French not play 6 but defend out on the wing? Just means Miski defending in the centres and King in the half back spot.

Think King would be fine but Miski defending at centre may be an issue. Perhaps okay Thornley on the wing as he’ll be used to defending in the centres.

Just a thought!

Anyway the above won’t happen so my normal thoughts.

As NK has said I expected and wanted Powell back in for this game. Cade Cust is really bad defending and the likes of Vaughan etc will have joy running over him all day. Powell was very good against Wire in April and played loose for a lot of the game as we were short. Somethings going on there.

I’d also bring King back in for Thornley. I feel the Catalans right side defence issues were mostly caused by Field and not King. Thornley had a shocker against Saints last week particularly first half.

I’d like Nsemba to get back in the squad. As above he seemed to be scapegoated for the Catalan game. Had a flick through the reserves win against Saints and he seemed to be involved in most tries. Shorrocks has been ineffective since moving back to the pack, maybe a bench spot.

Havard back is brilliant, one of the best props in SL but under the radar even with some Wigan fans. Comfortably our best prop.

Sorry for rambling my team with that squad

Field
Miski/Thornley
King
Wardle
Marshall
French
Smith
Byrne
O’Neill
Singleton
Smithies
Farrell
Ellis

Havard
Shorrocks
Cust
Nsemba

Just seen a nice feature on twitter about Big Junior, with his Dad explaining about his upbringing. Nice unique story.

I’m guessing it’ll get shown before the game, he still may not play but we’ll see.

Cracking piece that. Wasn’t sure which country his family came from and certainly didn’t know Rigobert Song was his uncle and Alex Song his cousin (famous footballers from the Cameroon for anyone who doesn’t know the names).

On Wigans feed?

They retweeted it mate, the account it came from was @TheChallengeCup

1 - Field
2 - French
3 - Eckersley
4 - Wardle
5 - Marshall
6 - Cust
7 - Smith
8 - Byrne
9 - Powell
10 - Singleton
11 - Farrell
12 - Smithies
13 - Ellis

14 - Forber
15 - Hill
16 - Nsemba
17 - Havard

Powell not even in the squad