That's weird, cos it seemed to me they'd kinda implied before that Williams was the most dubious of the possible returnees.

So still without 4 (maybe 5) of our starting 13, but nearly there!

Good to hear Sam Tomkins will likely feature against Hull in a couple of weeks too.

It is isn't it!

They also implied Joel Tomkins and Crosby had been more rested then actually missing out due to serious injuries and as ever Lockers injury seems to drag its feet for an extra week at a time until he's suddenly been missing for 2 months.

It's all a bit frustrating but at least it seems the end is closer.

Yes you are right only Williams back.

squad : John Bateman, Greg Burke, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Ben Flower, Oliver Gildart, Anthony Gelling, Nick Gregson, Jack Higginson, Willie Isa, Lee Mossop, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Lewis Tierney, Jack Wells & George Williams.

based on that:
Sarge
Charnley, Gelling, Gildart, Tierney
Williams, Smith
Mossop, Powell, Flower
Isa, Sutton, Bateman
Clubb, Tautai, Burke, Gregson
rest : Higginson, Wells

I'd rather play Wells than Burke, but I think Wane will go for experience

The 17 picks itself pretty much if they're all fit (Clubb and Tautai went off last week so it's tough to say).

It's another game against Wire I think we're unlikely to be able to win given the absentees but I think we'll make a much better fist of it then the game at the DW. It seems weird that the two fixtures have been planned so closely together.

Agree re:Wells - thought he ran well last week. Burke hasn't impressed me at all yet, doesn't run or tackle his weight so give Wells another chance off the bench!

That's a good call given the length of time he has been out. Williams could come on after 25 - 30 mins with greys on then rotating Powell.

My only concern with that would be Gregson defending in the middle. He was shocking in defence last week.

I understand your thinking but you have to realise that the regular season is already over halfway through and both teams have so far played each other once and could expect to play each other at least another 2 or 3 times after Thursday evenings second encounter.
Last season Wire played Hull home and away within a week, work that one out!

It's hard to work out.

It's a real shame that both these games haven't been planned well at all. To have the first one just after Easter and the second a few weeks later in a Thursday has taken plenty away from what should have been two belters in front of huge crowds.

As you say there could be another couple of fixtures yet so hopefully they'll be planned better.

Agreed
Consideration ought to be applied to this fixture.
I'm fully awhere of the echoes that Sts v Wigan is the biggest derby, well I would argue that except for the recent dip in Wire form over the last 2 seasons the W v W fixture has been the more meaningful derby in recent times, as it is once again tomorrow.

I hate Thursday games with a passion but IF they have to be played they should only be reserved for teams that have not too much distance bewteen them, otherwise you are looking at very poor attendances, something our sport can't afford before someone tells me football do it with no problem.