I'd go with that. For a win we will need to see some big improvements from last week. It's not just from the players who were tired from the short turnaround but also from those who returned last week after injury and looked equally knackered most of the game. This week we have two more players potentially returning after injury and Flower's was a long lay-off so I don't expect him to last long either.

Surprised Sam is out again. It didn't sound that bad (swollen knee) last week.

Wasn't it his knee that kept him out of the play offs last year? Perhaps a bit of a niggling injury there. We need to be sure to have him available v Widnes so it's probably just a precaution

Perhaps as well IL is getting rid, can't have a liability in the squad...

maybe Wane's made the decision, not Sam...using it as another experiment for "life after Sam" ?

methinks he must be fast coming round to the feeling that we need to buy in a specialist full back.

Well the ones tried so far don't look ready so maybe there is something in this.

I hope to god we've come to the conclusion that we need to buy a new winger and fullback a while back because if we've not or certainly if we don't we're knackered.

Hampshire, Burgess, Tierney etc have great potential but we're crazy if we think they can take over from 2 club legends at the ages of 18/19 with a handful of games between them. It wouldn't just be suicide from our point of view but it would also be unfair on those lads who's potential and ultimately careers could be ruined.

I'm sure Lenagan and even more so Wane aren't that daft.

On the rumours thread, the wingman is Tom Briscoe and a forum inspired rumour for full back of Minichello.
As said, just rumours!

Those rumours would be the calibre of player we need to replace Richards and Tomkins. The truth is even those two will be a drop in quality but its about as good as we're going to do at the moment and I'm sure we'd still be in the hunt with that sort of team.

They would really ease the pressure of having to throw kids in.

I don't think Briscoe would be a drop in quality from Richards, 3 years ago yes, but not now

Briscoe needs to find some form though, he's having a very poor season but I suppose his heads probably not in the right place.

The thing we can't forget with Richards is that goal kicking ability. He is worth a mountain of points that Briscoe wouldn't be and we'd probably end up with Matty Smith or Charnley kicking goals. That will cost us a few points a game IMO.

I do agree Briscoe has certain parts of his game now though that outweigh Richards when he's on form.

We also need a top quality goal kicker!

I can't see us signing one. Matty Smith has knocked a few in from the touchline, hopefully they've already started training him up