Lots criticise (quite rightly) BV but i still love the old grounds. Favourite away day is still Castleford, even though we havent won there in years!

Squad https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2022/04/ ... wakefield/ Hope Peet picks 4 3/4's instead of shoehorning a 2nd rower in there

Squad https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2022/04/ ... wakefield/ Hope Peet picks 4 3/4's instead of shoehorning a 2nd rower in there

Must admit to being quite nervous about this one. Could easily go either way.

I’d go-

Field
French Hardaker Thornley Bibby
Cust Leuluai
Singleton Powell Byrne
Bateman Farrell
Smithies

Subs
Havard Mago Partington Shorrocks/O’Neill

Well, we will have no excuses!

We're in great form...got home advantage and having seen the squad will have a coach who will have to make some real tough decisions and not select players who are playing really well...it's a long time since i've seen the competition for places as hot as it is now...

Hope you travel across in good numbers and make it a great atmosphere for the tv and hope the two teams both deliver and serve up a quality game...

I think you will be right on your 17.
Bateman and Isa will interchange at centre.

I just think that Hardaker is wasted on the wing but I suppose having Thornley and French back plus say Halsall on the wing is considered too too risky.

I can’t see Miski getting a game unless we have some more serious injuries. Some more time in the reserves and Newcastle is probably what he needs in the short term rather than the pace and physicality of the first team.
I won’t write a guy off after one game so I hope he can come on as the season progresses.

The likes of Miski, Halsall, O’Neill and Shorrocks will surely get an opportunity on Easter Monday or the game after that.

5 games in 20 days.

Sunday is the most important as I like a lot of people fancy a trip to Spurs this year!

Not sure Peets knows his best backline yet. So many solid options yet no locked in positions (bar Field and Marshall when fit).

Hopefully with the competition for places, people start emerging and separating themselves from the group.

I’m a bit perplexed by the Miski situation, it seems like someone has dropped a b****ck signing him and it’s looking not only a waste of salary cap space but also a quota spot. I know it’s early days but for him not to get a look in with our current backline injuries I don’t think it looks good for his long term prospects.

I presume he was cheap and worth the gamble I suppose

Looking forward to this one later, should be a great game to watch. If Wigan win, the RFL will be hoping we’ll be kept apart in the draw.

A Wigan v Saints final would fill Spurs ground especially with it being a new one that fans won’t have been to, if both teams win of course.

Wakey will be hard to beat today on a tight pitch and they have a great record at home against Wigan.

I’d never wish injuries on players so a few bans for Wigan players would be nice before Good Friday.

Tight pitch, one of, if not the biggest in the league, no excuses for Field and French today.

In terms of filling the Spurs Stadium up for the final, I’d imagine they’ll want HKR to get there. They’d take more than either Wigan or Saints IMO. It should be full whoever gets there in truth, I think a lot of neutrals will fancy it. I’m going regardless of who gets there and I haven’t been as a neutral for years.

Today will be extremely tough for us. It just feels like Wakefield have a lot of momentum and the crowd will play a huge part. It’ll be a superb win if we can get it but I can’t say I’m massively confident.

Yeah you could be right about the HKR point. I must admit I’ve toyed with the idea of going regardless, really fancy going to that stadium.

In terms of exposure and the good of the game though, a Saints v Wigan one would be great. First CC one since 2004 and from a marketing angle it would be a dream for the RFL.

Obviously it can’t happen now but the other dream scenario for the RFL would’ve been a Hull v HKR Final.

By “tight pitch” do you mean the proximity of the fans to the players because if you mean the size you couldn’t be more wrong as Belle Vues pitch is as big as the rules allow a RL pitch to be. A few years ago Trinity were ordered to reduce the width by a couple of metres as it was wider than allowed.

Wakefield have been playing well and look to have threats all over the field, if they turn up and are in the right mindset we are in for a good game of Rugby League. However, we are also prone to bad discipline and unforced errors which could see Wigan run away with the game.

My apologies then I didn’t realise. Always looks a smaller pitch, maybe it’s the camera angles. I’ve been there a few times and it does look smaller but clearly not the case.