While you're weakened, especially in the halfs, not many will reach this stage of the season with a clean bill of health. You've got much better depth this year and you're at home where your record is excellent. The bookies only give us a +4 start, which isn't much bearing in mind our relative pre-season aspirations, but you're still favourites.

We're already a bit worried from some of what we've seen so far, but ateotd we'd (mostly) be happy with 8th and signs of improvement. We can lose on Friday and still achieve our goals - or not, we'll see.
Defeat would leave you needing ~13 wins from the last 18 games to come in 5th, going on recent seasons.

Nice try though.

Not worried at all about the game. We might be playing bad at the moment but they are bad. As I said in a previous post, their side is the worst since coming up with only dobson (especially) and patterson offering a concern. Our pack are far too strong and I think this is where we'll play it out and our backs are fairly strong in defence. I may get shot down here but I can't buy into all the gloom. With DJ and the rest cause it would be a lot better, but we are dealt the cards handed to us and I still feel they can pull it off. COYH

Would play Crookes at fullback. Has always seemed to have decent positioning in the games I've seen him play so far, and is very good at running the ball back so could do well there. It would also mean a back three of Crookes, Lineham, Briscoe, which is very pacey.
Whiting's good at fullback, but I would prefer to either keep him in the forwards or use him in the halves.

Crookes
Lineham
Arundel
Crooks
Briscoe
Whiting
Horne
Lynch
Houghton
O'Meley
Tickle
Westerman
Galea

Heremaia
Watts
Johnson
Pitts/Green/Bowden

Still not confident, though, as the team looks patchy in places.

I was at the Saints game and the one high ball Crookes had to take he dropped. Not a massive amount to go off I concede.

We're just second guessing Gentle really, if he sticks with Heremaia in the halves the FB slot goes to Rich Whiting, but if he doesn't then Rich plays with Horney and we've no choice but to play one of Tom or Cropokes at Fb and I can't see him changing that again, so reckon we'll see Briscoe still there.

By the way if he does stick with Heremaia at 7, I think PG must be watching a different game to us lot. I'm beginning to see why his previous UK stints were with leigh now. A replacement hooker at best. Thanks Mr Agar.

No doubt we are up against it.

However, even at full strength, stopping/restricting Dobson is key, always has been since he has played for them.

If we can keep our discipline, but get out the line at breakneck speed and consistantly put his kicks under pressure, I feel is our biggest chance.

Plus if he is carrying a dodgy hamstring make sure the shoulder goes into it hard in the tackle.

IMO they would have lost to Cas without him, stopping him is still key even with all our key players out.

I agree with him not being a 7, but I actually think Heremaia is a GOOD hooker. Unfortunately, he has never had a consistent run there. I'd like to see how many consecutive games he's actually played at hooker (either starting or off the bench), I bet it's not many at all.
I genuinely believe if Aaron had a good run of games sharing the hooking role with Houghton we would have one of the best hooking partnerships in the league.

IMO
Aaron has the better distribution than Danny, but no-one can dispute Danny's work-rate.

For mine,IF Danny can improve his distribution, he would be a GB hooker .

I think PG will stick with Tom Briscoe at fb with ...
J Crookes
Arundle
B Crooks
Lineham
Westy
Horne
Lynch
Houghton
Ogre
Tickle
Galea
Watts

Azza
Whiting
Johnson
Bowden

KR should win, we will have no kicking game or invention let alone leadership but in saying all that it is a Derby and anything can happen.

I think I would go with Whiting at FB, as we know he can do a job. We may be taking too much of a risk having Crookes there

It would be a bit of a risk but I think we need to take one with the situation as it is. I also think Crookes deserves a place based on his pre-injury form. Plus it's not risk free putting RW there and we lose his presence elsewhere if we do.

Agree fully, a sustained run with interchanging them both would be a great partnership. I think Houghton has to get his head around the fact he can't be playing 80 mins first though. That's what has effected his game a bit and he needs to adjust his mind-set. Having said that, he was exceptional again against London.

What do the five ***** stand for?

Well noticed