Farrell and Mossop are the 2 big misses out of the 19, both have played out their skins this year. I think Spencer could do a good job though providing he's match fit. They have TP back for them who always causes damage against us, we'll need to wrap him and Roby up. Laffranchi won't be that much of a miss for them IMO.

True, our forwards have been very good but we'll be without a big part of that - Laffranchi has been enormous for us the last couple of weeks.

Hopefully Rush will resist the temptation to bring in TP at prop and keep him and Sia running wide where they are performing so strongly. There's certainly an argument to start Flannery in the back row and have TP from the bench for impact, but we need to get off to another good start and it's not like Wigan have oodles of impact on the bench. For me that means something like:

Perry
Roby
LMS
Soliola
Puletua
Wilkin

Clough
Magennis
Flannery
Flanagan

Whatever 13 we start with our bench is going to be very weak will be the weakest bench we have had this season.

We need to counter what have been strong starts by Saints in the past 2 weeks whilst not effecting our ability to keep a good lntensity level up during the game by having little impact coming off the bench. To do that I'd put Hock on the bench which will give us some impact from 20 mins on whilst ensuring the lad is fresh at the back end of the game should we be chasing it. I'd start Tuson who works overtime in defence but doesn't add a great deal from the bench ahead of Hughes who's a big, athletic lad who will trouble them around the edges later on.

Tomkins
Charnley Goulding Carmont Richards
Finch Leuluai
Prescott McIlorum Lima
Hansen Tuson O'Loughlin

Subs-
Dudson Hock Hughes Mellor

I'd be happy enough with that team infact I'm pretty excited by it.

Agreed, im quite concerned about whats going to happen when we have to start making interchanges. If we pick up an injury in the forwards we are goosed.

Considering just who we have out that's still a surprisingly strong 19. I've felt confident all week and even with the injury's within the squad I haven't changed my mind on that.

I'm with Bilko. We're gonna have relativley inexperienced bench so Lima coming on alongside some of these youngsters will help. I know we need to get off to a good start, but we can't give our all in the first 20 when there's another 60 to go, and expect kids to hold their own in arguably the toughest part of the match, the last quarter.




I we'd better watch out, because the Saints bench your proposing is littered with game breakers.

My main concern with that is having Hock on the bench, I can see your reasons for it but why would you start one of Wigan's best players so far this year on the bench? He needs to start the game and help our forwards set a plat form early. My only changes to that would either Hock for Tuson or Hock for Prescott.

Which was PRECISELY the point I was making, if you'd care to actually read.

/

I have re-read it and concluded that you made a mistake by saying you'd play Puletua off the bench for impact, but in fact when naming the team you'd like to see, Puletua is instead named in the starting 13.

So which is it, Puletua either starts or comes off the bench? Because at present you've got both bases covered.

I don't know what that means.

I literally have no idea what you're on about, I would suggest you read it a third time.

I don't to be honest.

I'm juggling that many thinks at present there all going to pot, including this.

I typed a reply, then re-read your post and saw that you'd already made the same point, so deleted it.

Don't worry, only two more sleeps

Your juggling your [i'thinks'[/i !!!, you should see a doctor.

I really don't think Prescott and Lima are going to be able to hold this side together. If I was Saints coach, I'd be bringing out the following pack

Perry Roby LMS
TP Sia
Flanaghan

This would be by far our most agressive pack and whilst your two boys maybe able to handle Perry and LMS, they cannnot cover all 6. It would be effectively like having to handle 4 props all at once and Sia, LMS and TP can all shift when they bust through. I doubt we will go with this as Wilkin is a certain to start, but even with Wilkin is does not stop the impact from our big 4. That would leave us with Flanaghan, Flannery, Clough and Megennis. Why maybe not household names they should be more than able to handle themselves at this level and Flanaghan inparticular can really crunch a few in the tackle. Both benches lack strike players, but our 4 can certainly hold the line and did so last week and the week before.

Hock would be the one player we will need to wrap up as he can create 2nd phase but we have tacklers who should be able to wrap him up man and ball.

Yeah Lima and Prescott will need to handle a full pack because guys like Hock, Lockers and Hansen are mugs with no big game experience aren't they!

Jeez 2 wins bring 'them' out don't they!!

im not sure people have seen much of mcilorum this year either, so hopefully hell make a statement on friday.

Game doesnt need playing then you've told us what's going to happen.

Lockers head choppers
Hock I think you may have missed that but I think I said that he was your packs main strike power
HH.... Meh!!








Well if you want to do a deal, how about we will keep it a points difference of 12 in Saints favour and then we can all have a nice rest for Easter monday.

I see the village idiots are out in force tonight...

Massive step up for Dudson who's been playing for a team struggling at the wrong end of Championship 1. What a game for the guy to make a name for himself.

I would definately keep Lima on the bench.

I see Lima, Mossop and Prescott as our main props, with all of them fit it doesnt matter who starts on the bench etc but with one of them out we need to have one starting and one on the bench because if we have to bring 2 of them off and replace them with the lesser props then we lose any fire power that we had in that match. It happened in the opening game vs Huddersfield, we started with Mossop and Lima and when those two came off and Flower and Lauaki came on we got absolutely bullied by their pack.

We need to keep one of Prescott and Lima on the pitch at all times on Friday.

I'd go with:

Tomkins
Charnley
Goulding
Carmont
Richards
Finch
Leuluai
Prescott
McIlorum
Hansen
Hock
Tuson
O'Loughlin

Lima
Mellor
Hughes
Spencer/Dudson depending on Spencers injury.

Gutted the Ginger Pearl is out, he has been in fantastic form recently.

That's the team that I would pick, although it seems like Wane has already made his decision to play Dudson.

I reckon he might go with his favoured 4 forwards on the bench and have Lima, Dudson, Hughes and Spencer, assuming Spencer is fit to play.