Hmmmmm i heard he may be back for wire as it was around that time anyway but who knows that would certainly be an interesting twist! I guess we will know once the squad is announced

Very much in agreement.

a lot said we would need another class hooker......imo the problem is the injury to Finch.
i think the plan was to spell micky mac with tommy.
tommys having to play half , and mickys having to do 80.......we dont have a plan b that another hooker would bring in.

after all my waffling in say.......YES

Absolutely agree. I'd rather concede the two points than aggravate his neck injury.

The club (not just blaming Madge, as he must take advice from the medical & support staff) has recent form for bringing players back from injury too soon - Roberts & Mossop for example.

Sam Powell?

I don't think he's ready, but wouldn't let anyone down. He is probably the best defensive scrum half I have seen, however to bring him into what is already going to be a severely weakened team is not how he should make his debut IMO.

if i was a Wigan fan i would be more excited at the prospect of seeing mellor than finch.

I would agree, at 18 he's still young and it's a big ask to throw him into such a big game and one where our side is weakened. Huddersfield have a fierce pack and if we lose the forward battle our halfbacks could get hammered. I don't fancy a match up between Powell and O'Donnell! He'll get eaten!
Powell has plenty of potential, the right attributes to succeed (including a much better kicking game than Leuluai or Sam) but now probably isn't the time. He has more chance of succeeding than Mellor in my opinion, but if we had to play a young halfback I'd prefer Mellor at this moment in time (not that Mellor looks any more capable of withstanding the physicality).

I think Powell is more capable of withstanding a physical game than Mellor, but I wouldn't play either of them against Huddersfield with all our absentees.

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but would you ever want Leuluai off the pitch?

If we do call Mellor back it looks like he'll be on the bench and Lockers will be at 6. I'm guessing Deacon must be out or else I don't see the point in Mellor coming back.

True. We want to win but no point risking players at this point to get a win. No point rushing players back for this game. Huddersfield won't go the entire season injury free either so if we are too threadbare to win this one we will just have to put up with it. I can cope with losing to a team in form like them when we have several players out more than I would have done losing to Hull on Sunday.

Looks like Mellor is returning. I would love for him and Leuluai to start. Lets see what he can do. Players who are true quality usually shine on debut, I can see him doing just that if Wigan win and he plays.

I have every confidence that Mellor will succeed, but my main concern is his lack of match practice over the last 18 months.

On the other hand, it's preferable to bringing Finch back, possibly too early, and in a way we've little to lose in a match that we'll probably start as underdogs with so many missing.