I think we have to keep Horne in the halves. He's playing well there and we're going to need every little edge we can manage with DJ missing.

If DH isn't playing then I think it must be Westerman and Horne in the halves and Rich Whiting at fullback. Please PG don't go with Azzer at halfback.

Horne's short kicking game this season, has improved out of sight. I reckon DJ will play, Whiting to FB for mine.

Horne's short kicking game has always been decent. It's his long kicking game that struggles big time especially off the back of poor exit sets. Hope you're right about DJ and agree re Whiting.

Did Sandercock actually say that Dobson was out for 2-4 weeks or are you basing this on the HDM headline of “Dobson out for derby?” If it’s the latter then you really should know better. As far as I’m aware Sandercock said Dobson needed to be assessed after the Bradford game where he came off with a slight hamstring pull.
Let’s be honest if it was mind games then playing him the week before is maybe not the best week of carrying it off.

Sounds like Holdsworth will play if what somebody reported pg as saying is true - if he only has the symptoms during games, he's going to have to be 'risked' at some point.
19s are out today anyway, so we'll see if he's been un-stood down. McDonnell didn't sound too bad from the quotes I saw, so unless he's broken down in training... if he's in the 19 i'm sure we'll work on the assumption he plays. How far off is Ellis? I doubt he'd back up on Monday, but they say you get through the first game on adrenaline, and best case was about now wasn't it? i hope they all play - got to try to be sporting! I hope they all play badly, of course.

Massive easter for us. Win 2 and we have a crack at the top 6 if we can improve our consisteny, lose 2 and we could be sat in 12th, potentially 6 points adrift from the 8th placed team and season over as far as I'm concerned

Shannon didn't train last week and hasn't trained this week. Not ruled out yet but highly doubtful. Either way Tom won't play fullback. Ellis is 3 weeks away. DJ could play but PG said last week he would be stood down for a month but tbh the player has been passed fit by the medics so I think it's his call.

Agreed!

Wasnt it mentioned on here a couple of weeks back (after the cas game) that Ellis had said he would be back for Easter?

Ellis was interviewed in the pass holders bar before the Cas game and he said he was getting his protective boot off 1-2 weeks after and would be pushing to come back sooner than the docs/trainers predicted. PG quoted this week as saying another 3-4 weeks though.

Ellis will be used as a morale boost after a written off Easter, I fear.

If Easter is as bad as a lot of people are expecting I hope Gentle takes a leaf out of John Kears book.Forget the league and go all out to try and get to Wembley.Who knows we could still salvage something from this season

There's a way from not training to not playing though - same for us, of course, with Dobson and Burns. Sounds like you're just nursing him through. if he's not training, he's unlikely to have aggravated it.
Holdsworth is a bit more of a genuine dilemma - it doesn't sound like he's really been 'stood down', which to be fair would be a bit of an inflexible attitude, given the unusual circumstances.

I can't understand all the negativity and pessimism on this board.

We are not one game from relegation, we are looking at a winnable run of games which can take us into the top 4 or 5 and into a strong position.

What I can guarantee on Friday is that we will be out sung in the early stages by the Rovers fans and this will galvanize their team.

We have to do the same, though I doubt we will manage it as their is a distinct lack of passion and belief unless we get 20 - 30 points up in a game.

You are only as happy as you make your mind up to be...

Come on... BELIEVE...