I agree but Lockers will probably travel as captain of the club and as he’s on a lot of the promotional images. Maybe they could rehab in South’s (assumingly) superior facilities.

What do we get out of it if we win? Prestige? I assume there will be no limit on substitutions and that Souths are using it very much as a warm up therefore, it wont be competitive in the purest sense. Don't get me wrong I love beating the Aussies but on this particular occasion I don't think that it will haver the same kudos as a WCC. I think that this will be the first friendly for many years as I don't think that there have been any since Saints played St George some years ago??

I understand why the club are going to Australia and I don't have a beef with the club's rationale in tagging on the Souths game if it brings in some needed income however, if we get even one long term injury with say ST, Gildart or Williams then many people will be questioning why we included this game along with the Hull game. Potentially a high risk strategy but easy for me to say that without knowing the financial details.

I'd say so, yes. I hadn't thought about the substitutions. I hope they go full strength, four subs, ten interchanges. Otherwise it's only on a par with us beating New Zealand Warriors in 2013.

The South’s game is a game that isn’t needed end of.

Exactly. Complete waste of time. For South's it is a pre-season friendly. Zero prestige in winning it and just risking our players for nothing.

If Manu is our only casualty id assume we’d line up like

Obrien
Olpherts
Sau
Whelham
Johnson
Lui
Littlejohn
Mossop
Tomkins
Tasi
Jones
Huaraki
Flanagan

Brining
Kopzcak
Burgess
Nakubuwai

We ought to be able to beat that side.,

E-ticketing site says no seats available for Salford game. Surely we haven't sold all our allocation? What's going on?

Thanks!

This..

If it where pre season then there's sense to it but no it's at the start of the season after the injury nightmare of last year, surely an unneeded game.

Burgess is out. Replaced by Marshall.

I'm glad Vatuvei isn't playing then (not that I'd wish injury on anyone)! Marshall looked very good/productive ball in hand against Leigh, hopefully his defence has improved. Do we know how bad Burgess' injury is? We're a bit thin on the ground for wingers if he is out for long.

Wane said Burgess and O’Loughlin should be fine for the following week (not sure that’s true about SOL though).

Burgess is suffering with a lot of muscle tightness and reoccurring slight strains...he's still not at 100% IMHO.