Echo what’s been said really. Over these 2 games I think Eckersley, Hill and Forber have done the most to push their cases for first teams games. I really like what I saw from Forber today in particular, so much so that I’d be tempted to give him a bench spot early in the season and let him have a crack.

I wasn’t aware that I had said that Barrow weren’t the best side, perhaps you can point me in the right direction?

It was a good game. Home advantage played a big part but overall I think the teams were evenly matched.

Last time I checked evenly matched means both sides were the same. An seem to suggest it was because they were at home that they won. They were the better side but doesn’t take anything away from the performance the lads put in

Barrow looked very solid and were much the better side.

Expected a bit more from Wigan today. Forber looked sharper than O’Neill.

I continue to be unimpressed by Miski. Decent carry but slow for a winger.

Looking forward to next week!

The last time I checked teams can be evenly matched even before they play. Playing at home was a big advantage for Barrow but that is not the reason they won. I thought both teams played quite well. Barrow played the conditions better than Wigan and deserved their victory.

He’s a decent squad player Miski but we shouldn’t be using a quota spot on a decent squad player, especially now we cannot replace Bateman. We can’t just bin players off though, so unless something works itself out over the season, it’s going to be tough to get anybody in and that could hurt us. The ideal scenario may well be that Miski is with us for the spell up until Thornley and Hampshire are fit and by that point maybe a deal opens up for an overseas forward and they can work something out. Looking at Zak Eckersley, I’d have no concerns with him getting some games if needed.

Certainly BArrow used the wind better than we did, I did hear that it got stronger in the 2nd half?

Looking at Barrow, their sub Archer looked a decent prospect and turned the game.

We have 2 games this weekend to assess the potentials - looking forwards to it already

Looking at who played yesterday, it looks pretty clear 16 names are pencilled in for week one, with only who starts at right second row, the make up of the props and who takes the last bench spot being open to debate IMO.

It looks like-

Field
French King Wardle Marshall
Cust Smith
Singleton Powell Byrne
Pearce-Paul Farrell Smithies

Subs
Cooper Havard Isa ?

It’s possibly knee jerk but I’d be extremely tempted to go with Forber as a wildcard on the bench. He could really catch teams by surprise early in the season. I expect we’ll probably see the extra prop or Shorrocks in there however. We’ll possibly know a bit more after the weekend.

Signed from Saints. I was surprised at that as I saw him a couple of times last season and he looked a much better prospect than Moss (who we have kept on)

I think though that he is a Cumbrian lad anyway so may well have just wanted to play nearer to home. He's certainly young enough to get another go back in the SL

Is Farrell fit for start of season?

Looking at his stats from last year and how highly the coaching staff seem to rate him I don’t see any way Ellis if fit doesn’t get in the match day 17.

The big red flag for me in that team is the secondrow.

I love how KPP plays, but he is far from the finished article and having to rely on Isa as back up at his age is a worry.

Nsemba been talked about but he’s a year off at least in my opinion. A spell in on loan would do him the World of good but I don’t think we have the luxury of being able to do that unless we recruit mid season.

Have to disagree about the second row. I worry about the depth but not the starters.

Not sure if there’s a better backrow in partnership in SL than Farrell and KPP. Both England internationals.

Give KPP a run of games starting and right second row and not switching to centre and he’ll start to build defensive combinations.

Genuinely don’t think 2023 KPP will be a big downgrade from 2021/2 Bateman.

Just checked, latest report suggests he will be fit.

Yes he’s good to go mate. There was a plan in place to roll him out for the GF if we made it.

He was fully fit around Christmas.