We are lucky that we have adequate cover in J.Tomkins but Hock always seems to have a good game against Catalans.

lets hope this is true. but he was named in the squad and the squad at check in were 1 player down .

think you might find it is bank holiday weekend

Gaz Hocks sisters post on sean ainscoughs face book page:

Kirsty Lousie Brown: did gaz make it love? mum said he couldnt find his passport the dumb ! xx18:11 · Comment · LikeUnlike

oh my god tricky

If Carmont, Hock and Richards are out.

Amos Roberts
Karl Pryce
Martin Gleeson
Darrell Goulding
Sean Ainscough
Cameron Phelps
Sam Tomkins
Paul Prescott
Mark Riddell
Andy Coley
Phil Bailey
Joel Tomkins
Sean O'loughlin

---------------------------------------------
Feka Paleaasina
Thomas Leuluai
Stuart Fielden
Harrison Hansen

I guess Tricky been on that Facebook site again

U'd play Phelps at 6 with tommy on the bench?

I'd go with

Phelps
Roberts
Gleeson
Bailey
Ainscough
S Tomkins
Leuluai
Fielden
Riddell
Coley
Hansen
J Tomkins
O'Loughlin

Feka
Prescott
Mossop
McIlorum

Phelps
Roberts Gleeson Goulding/Carmont Ainscough
Tomkins Leuluai
Coley Riddell Prescott
Bailey Tomkins
O'Loughlin

Feka Fielden Hansen McIlorum

????????????? hes not in the squad

After the wakefield game, I wouldn't have Goulding and Roberts on one side of defence. Or Goulding and Ainscough as a partnership either. Liability in defence - and one which Catalans' will look to pick apart.

I forgot about Mossop, let's see what Flanagan or Farrell can do.

If this is the case that we have had to leave for France with an 18 man squad, why are people naming their squads with all sorts of players in like Goulding, Pryce and even Mossop?
This is the 19 man squad that was due to travel:

Wigan Warriors squad

Roberts, Carmont, Smith, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Paleaaesina, Hock, Bailey, O'Loughlin, J. Tomkins, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, Prescott, Phelps, Gleeson, S. Tomkins, Ainscough

Presumably the team will have to be made up from the remaining 18 players that traveled, unless somebody could be arranged to fly out later, but I doudbt that to be honest.

Yes I would. Two players who are playing out of position and against Saints were still two of our better players. So I would like to see what they can do in their natural positions.

Thomas Leuluai played against Saints like a hooker. Instead of running out wide he took them on up the middle and caused them all sorts of problems. Just take a break he made in the first half as an example, jinking his way through the middle of the Saints pack and if he had seen Phelps on his inside we would have scored. New Zealand recognised that Leuluai was a much better player at hooker than at scrum half and from when they made that change we saw a different Leuluai and a different New Zealand team. The same applies to Wigan.

Cameron Phelps showed characteristics of a stand off on Thursday which incidentally is where the Aussies really rate him. He took the pressure of Leuluai/Tomkins with his kicks which were far more accurate and precise than Leuluai's or Tomkins in the first half. Our tactics were to kick early in the tackle count which is fine but we weren't making enough ground when we were kicking for touch. With Phelps we did and had Saints on the back foot. He also showed good support play last night which we don't have with Richards and linked up in attack a lot more. His bullet pass for Ainscough to score was fantastic and highlighted to me that this lad would/is a damn good stand off. He also made some cracking offloads in the first half on his kick returns, spinning in the tackle and allowing us to make breaks and confuse the Saints defence. Okay he was hit and miss fielding high kicks - the one which led to Pryce's try but that again further highlights to me why he is more suited to six rather than centre, fullback or wing. Yes he can play all them positions but IMO he is better at six. Also moving Phelps to six will allow Tomkins to play in his preferred position at scrum half. We would see a much better Sam Tomkins if he was played at scrum half.

I'd drop Mcilorum and put smith on the bench

Or the club

you are spot on with this.

I would be tempted to put sam at 7 and phelps at 6 with tommy starting on the bench and taking the field after 20 mins. The difficulty here is that tommy could play the full 80 at 9 meaning riddell is surplus especially given that riddell doesnt play like an impact hooker. His style is that of a first 20 mins starting hooker

I am baffled with this Hock story as some people claim he is in France.

If some of our fans are spreading crap about our best ( and local) lads I am disgusted.

It's best to ignore these stories, I find. Gaz is an easy lad to spread rumours about, because almost anything can be believed.

According to the rumourists, he wasn't playing last Thursday - as he'd supposedly 'disappeared'.

Really? That's a great rumour!

Will be interesting to see if he turns out - you'd assume that the club ask for the passports at least the week before so I'd be surprised if he didn't run out onto the pitch, injuries aside.

who are you getting disgusted with??? gaz hock is in wigan. not a 100% about the passport story but he is not injured apparently. just spoke to one of the players he is not there. RIGHT??? get it now???

also carmont injured not playing. phelps doubtfull will see tomorrow if he passes a late fitness test and richards 90% sure he is playing after training today. people who know sod all should be quiet!!!

Right thanks

dont mean to sound offensive but i am only passing on what i have been told , also there is quite a lot of stuff on facebook about it (depending on who your mates with

) believe me i would like nothing more than for hock to be in the starting line up tomorrow. great player . hope the passport thing is just a rumour though. I dont get told too much!! just team news . maybe its all a big wind up but thats what i was told and nothing else.

who are you getting disgusted with??? gaz hock is in wigan. not a 100% about the passport story but he is not injured apparently. just spoke to one of the players he is not there. RIGHT??? get it now???

Which is right then?