To be honest I think we should have gone as full strength as possible until the end of the season and try to build some momentum, but not going to be the case for Friday by the looks of it. Not surprising really. www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... -1-5990705

To be honest I think we should have gone as full strength as possible until the end of the season and try to build some momentum, but not going to be the case for Friday by the looks of it. Not surprising really. www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... -1-5990705

I agree in a way but I'd still look to rest a few who need it.

Get them rested!

Important stuff starts in a few weeks.

Agreed

I'd go with something like:
1. Hampshire
2. Manfredi
3. Thornley
4. Gelling
5. Burgess
6. Green
7. S. Powell
8. Lauaki
9. L. Tomkins
10. Crosby
11. Tuson
12. Hughes
13. Burke

14. A. Powell
15. Spencer
16. Rhodri Lloyd
17. Williams (if his suspension is up, if not I'd play Lever)

but there are only 3 games (Hull, then Leeds, then the first play off) until our first knock-out game. Do we really want to go into that in such poor form? We defended well against Hull but our attack could do with some work, particularly when attacking the line.

Rest a raft Friday and then play our full team against Leeds to build momentum for week 1 of the play offs. That week 1 game is pretty much a practice match as well so if we're underdone at least we'll blow some cobwebs off.

Hull team-

Hampshire
Burgess
Gelling
Thornley
Manfredi
Green
S Powell
Crosby
Tomkins
Lauaki
Hughes
Tuson
Burke

Subs
Dudson
Spencer
Lloyd
Williams

For those who watch the 19s regularly, what are we like for hookers outside of McIlorum and Logan? Logan has played a lot this season for his first full year in the first team and it doesn't seem like we have a viable alternative when we need to rest Micky, meaning we have to start shifting the halves around when Logan is spelled.

There's nobody ready to step up yet. I'd like to try Hampshire out as I think that he would terrify a tiring set of forwards with his pace and footwork. I think that Logan's style is very much like Macs and I would like us to introduce something different from the bench. Maybe Friday would be a good time to try it? Start with Logan, bring Rocky on and Give MM a rest.

That's a difficult question.
Callum Wright and Jamie Doran are both adequate hookers who have good running games, but their passing is probably not as good as it should be (IMO)
Doran has been playing really well at #6 in recent weeks with Hampshire playing in the first team.

Long term Luke Waterworth looks a really top class prospect in that his passing (and choice of pass/run) is excellent, but he is slightly built and is still 1st year (U17)

The option on Friday could be to use Logan as starting hooker with George Williams on the bench. You could then move Matty Smith or Williams into the #9 position if Logan goes off, or Logan could "do the full game" Heremaia is suspended for the game so Hull may only go with one hooker.

Not going to complain if we lose any of these last two games as long as we have a fully for squad for the play offs. I'd rather have an away game to hudds than wire the first round of the play offs anyway.

Joe Burgess, Dom Crosby, Gil Dudson, Ben Flower, Anthony Gelling, James Greenwood, Jack Hughes, Ryan Hampshire, Rhodri Lloyd, Dominic Manfredi, Andy Powell, Sam Powell, Scott Taylor, Iain Thornley, Lewis Tierney, Logan Tomkins, Chris Tuson, Tom Spencer, George Williams.

That's the squad. Take your pick