Hardaker out now for at least 2-3 weeks (I got told last night it might be a season job if the rest doesn’t work. An issue with his neck).

Bateman possibly 4-6 weeks

French done for the season

Gildart maybe 2-3 weeks (I presume. I’ve not seen what Lams said on him).

Can we just move on to 2022?

Squad

[fimghttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/E49nZhyWYAQl58s.jpg[/fimg

We are still refusing to recall Hankinson then? Madness.

The question really needs asking as to why Hankinson isn’t being recalled. When we don’t know the facts, it just seems sheer madness at face value.

If everyone in that squad is available I’d go-

Smith
Bibby Isa Gildart Marshall
Hastings Leuluai
Havard Powell Bullock
Smithies Farrell Partington

Subs
Clark Byrne Pearce-Paul Shorrocks

Fourth full back in four games for me. I really think Smith could add a lot from the position in the way Richie Myler has at Leeds. He’s running the ball well and has plenty of pace to cause damage chiming in to the line. He’d hopefully be able to pick a pass better than Marshall can.

Getting ridiculous now, if it's not salary cap issues preventing him coming back then Lam's lost the plot,, half the tries Miski has scored for London Hankinson has had a hand in and he's kicking at 80%.
Weakening the pack by either playing Isa or Farrell in the centres is just an added bonus.

It seems that Hankinson himself doesn’t even know. Someone posted on his Instagram at the weekend asking why he hadn’t been recalled to Wigan. And his response was just the emoji of shrugging shoulders.

He’s no world beater but he’s solid enough and he gives you two massive advantages. 1-you can get your back row really strong and stop swapping and changing. 2-you get a superb goal kicker. He’s so much better than anything we have.

It has to be the weirdest loan situation I can recall. We can call him back, we have no goal kicker and we e had no centres all season. No wonder he’s shrugging his shoulders.

We'll probably bring him back to play 2nd row

A cricket score

No Widdop or Toby King for us... two of our main attacking threats missing. Could go either way IMO... should be a good game.

In the timely words of John McEnroe... you cannot be serious?

On paper their 21 is far stronger than ours. It’s depressing to say when we add in current form and confidence if we keep them below 50 it can probably be considered an achievement.

Im just hoping for a more solid performance with a significant reduction of errors and penalties (and no more injuries) to give us a resemblance of a foundation to build on.

I’m down on our chances but I wouldn’t go that far. Widdop is their main man this season and King isn’t far behind. They’ll beat us I’d imagine but I saw some good signs on Thursday regards our fight and I think we’ll give it a real crack.

It's all getting a bit 2005

Simple, you do not need a quality goal kicker if you do not expect him to have to kick goals.

I fear the youthful Wigan teams more than any. They’ve done us every time.
Btw, I much prefer to see Farrell and Bateman in the pack, playing prop again even, because to me, it means the pack depth is actually smaller. If Wigan can afford to put big game players like Farrell and Bateman at centre, I’d be very worried.