It's a really tough test although I think the supposed decent weather will suit us better then a game on a boggy pitch would.

We're big enough but I'd say this side is built on mobility and slick ball movement and dry pitches will only aid that.

All four back in for me. Charnley and Lockers won't lack too much match sharpness after only a couple of weeks. It may take Hansen and Mossop longer to get up to speed but they can be rotated around with some really energetic players like Faz, Hughes and Crosby.

I'm actually looking forward to a good game at Odsal for once.

Third place yes but, when you look into it, they've beaten London, Salford, Hull KR, Huddersfield, Castleford and Wakefield plus two draws. Four of those six victories have come at Odsal also with their one home defeat being 36-10 to St Helens.

Whilst Huddersfield was a superb win away, the rest of those victories are not exactly eye catching. Not knocking it because they are winning games that they have failed in during recent times, but they've been able to go about their business with no eyes on them. That changes on Sunday! I expected the national press men will all be in attendance to see if 3rd place is justified and Wigan is clearly the ultimate test.

We'll learn a lot about Bradford next three rounds. They have Wigan obviously then after the cup they go to Warrington away then play Leeds (again) at Odsal. If they are still up there after those three then we should all sit up and take notice. If not, then they are still doing well in the grand scheme their expectations, which should only be to make the play offs after three seasons of not being in there!

The draw with Leeds was certainly credible

You just had to actually look in to who they played and pretty much blow my glancing generalisation out of the water didn't you?





Very good point, I think their squad is looking decent though, solid pack with some size & skill, backs doing the business & Cullen looks like he may just be the man to harness the potential from Sammut... unless he drops off in the next few games!

Similar could be said of us in terms of who we've beaten to be fair though. A win against an injury hit Saints and a draw against Wire aside our victories have come against the smaller clubs in the main. We hammered Catalans which was our best win to date IMO but got beat at Huddersfield and Leeds.

I wouldn't take Bradfords form lightly at all tbh.

Just woke this morning to a real thick pea-souper of a fog at Odsal this morning. Are Wigan coming to town soon?

Who??

Team I'd play...

Tomkins
Gelling Goulding Thornley Richards
Green Smith
Flower McM Dudson
Hughes Faz
Lockers
---------------------
L Tomkins Burke Crosby Mossop

I don't see why HH should walk back into the team, he's had a career of getting in because a better player has balls up. By all accounts this has happened again, this season it should be a starting second row of Hock and Faz, if it wasn't for Hock messing up he'd be a starter at Wigan. More depressingly we would have probably started Hock and Hansen, which would have been a travesty as we probably would have never seen Faz's potential as we have this season.

Christ, yesterday wasn't my day was it!

The pitch was like a sand pit against Salford two weeks ago, was a real mess. Hopefully the dry weather will have allowed some repair work to be done.

Nice to be playing Wigan at odsal when it's not -5!

I think I'd give Lockers this week and next week to rest up, he was carrying us prior to the Saints game and I'd rather have him fresh for a big game at Hull in a couple of weeks. Sunday, I would go with:-

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Josh Charnley
3. Darrell Goulding
4. Ian Thornley
5. Pat Richards
6. Blake Green
7. Matty Smith
8. Gil Dudson
9. Mike McIlorum
10. Ben Flower
11. Jack Hughes
12. Liam Farrell
13. Greg Burke

14. Harrison Hansen
15. Lee Mossop
16. Scott Taylor
17. Logan Tomkins