Would play Ward at loose.

Wigan's strategy will be to draw Leeds down the middle then look to exploit the edges with the pace and agility of Tomkins.

They're not a team that is going to rip you apart with big men down the centre of the field, so I don't see the need for an extra heavy footed defender in the middle third.

Gonna be a busy one in the Carnegie terrace then if 1500 have been cut from the South.

Yep. You need to impersonate that woman for me & your kid please.

Only on a weekend.

And you have to pay upfront this time.

But your notions included
- picking Singleton at starting prop for the CC Semi even though all our props were fit and available.
- wanting Chisholm to play so desperately that you've accused McDermott of....
A, Giving in to player power
B, Only interested in picking older players
C, Giving certain players games based solely on their Oz background
........I expect your next accusation of McDermott not picking Chisholm is because he's a racist.

The shout for Watson to play comes from the fact we have 2 first choice backs out, the back-up (Vickery) hasn't played well, the 2 players out of position (Ablett & Watkins) don't look entirely comfortable (especially unexpected in Ablett's case), also Watkins vs Richards on the wing looks a good match-up and finally because we are at home and despite last week we go ok at home usually (so much preferable to an Away debut) and the Wigan pack has a few missing and if we can win the forward battle with Peacock returned to the starting XIII and the probable return of Bailey then hopefully we won't be giving Wigan the good field position for their kickers to really test any FB too severely. Also went for Keinhorst at centre because his opposite number looks like being Thornley and he's still not massively experienced himself at centre at SL level himself. I said I resisted the choice of swapping Keinhorst over with Moon because not only is that Wigan's stronger Centre/Wing partnership but when I watch Wigan, Tomkins seems to attack the left side (from our perspective) of the defence more than he does the right side.

See some people actually think it through, not just go 'I want the Academy lad/s to play regardless of the situation'!

The meanest walk by anyone bringing on the kicking tee. EVER!

So it appears McShane and Clarkson are dropped for Friday unless something drastic happens injury wise. Achurch is playing, which I think he is still not ready yet - no special performances at Hunslet that I have seen.

They are also keeping the Vickery/Ablett partnership - Guess Mcdermott doesn't like to be proven wrong and wants to make everyone eat humble pie. Bad move - IMO.

Cant believe they haven't moved Watkins back to Centre, doing nobody any favours at FB. Lets hope they give Watson a run at Wakefield.

If Baileys Fit Id go with,

3. Kallum Watkins
5. Ryan Hall 4. Joel Moon 12. Carl Ablett 25. Joe Vickery

13. Kevin Sinfield (c)
6. Danny McGuire
8. Kylie Leuluai 7. Rob Burrow 10. Jamie Peacock
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan 15. Brett Delaney
14. Stevie Ward



9. Paul McShane
16. Ryan Bailey
18. Chris Clarkson
21. Richard Moore

clearly you didnt read my post - I said McShane and Clarkson are not playing - Period

Sorry Brian.

Yes, I did read your post.

However, clearly you are struggling with the statement "Id go with" based on the 19 man squad. I dont actually pick the team.

Seems like McShane is always going to be made the scapegoat when things don`t go right.
Didn`t see our coach drop Burrow after the WCC.
Not sure Achurch at this stage offers any more than Clarkson either.

If true, that's another headscratcher that would make for a very one-dimensional bench of Bailey, Achurch, Kirke, Moore. Not that any of them other than Bailey will be getting more than 15 minutes.

I didn't go to the Hunslet game but he scored a try and had 2 assists. That doesnt sound too bad to me. Also, I think Clarkson deserves dropping after last week. 4 errors, a penalty and he only made 83% of his tackles. Granted, when he actually held on to the ball he looked decent, but a couple of those errors were dead set takes in crucial areas.

Id go the same as what I said last week;

Watkins

Vickery
Ablett
Moon
Hall

Sinfield
McGuire

Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Delaney
JJB
Ward

Achurch
Bailey
Kirke
Moore

It shows to me that he is expecting a tough forward battle and the more big guys on the bench the better. It happens at International level all the time and especially in the NRL. Hudds had a bench full of forwards last week too. I don't see a problem.

I thought Mcshane looked decent when he came on but its typical Brian Mc.
He clearly still has his favourites WTF has Kirke done to retain his place??

Beats me why you would have 2 Props and 2 Second rowers on the bench. Should have had a versatile player to cover the backs too.

So Vickery goes off injured what are the options? All sorts I guess but none ideal

TBF on Kirke, this has been his best spell in the 1st team IMO. He's upped his work rate and has been winning the majority of collisions. I'm fine with his inclusion at this moment in time.

I count 3 props and 1 second row



You can't throw a back on the bench "just in case"! That's a waste of a spot totally!

I can imagine Mac will think the same way. Certain players always seem to get that treatment whereas other constant none performers retain their spot. Not hard to see where the frustration creeps in.

In Clarksons case, he started the season well and was rewarded with a 10 minute cameo off the bench late on in the WCC. Nice.

I thought he ended last season well H but if we are (rightly)dropping Clarkson on form Kirke should be ditched aswell imo and certainly before Mcshane.

Can't you understand why? Clarkson is a great ball runner and catches out tired defenders. Macs thinking was probably that the game needed size with it being an all out war at times. I'm sure he didn't go into the game planning to give him 10 mins. Circumstances change though and sometimes it happens. I don't buy into this "favourites" bull-crap. He sees them every day in training, we don't.

Kirkes been good this year. If you're going on last week, didn't he go off after 7 or 8 mins injured? You can't say that's a reason to be dropped.

Danny Mags is on SSN at the moment.

If he doesn't have a "favourites" section and its BS H why then is it only certain players get dropped after losses or poor TEAM performances??
Also re-Kirke not just last week he was poor v Cas and Ordinary at ST's whilst not been a "stand out" in any other game imo and yet we see the same old faces dropped the same with Burrow at times how come he's starting every week irrespective of performance?
Just to add re-Burrow i know how good he is and what games he's won M.O.M and how many rings he's got etc etc i'm talking current form (although he had a decent 2nd half v ST's).
I've no problems with Clarkson getting the drop this week but there were others that deserve it before Mcshane imo.

Kirke adds more defensive stability to the team though. McShane is an awful defender and that was the reason he was put out on loan in the 1st place. Ball on hand he's ok, but I cringe when someone attacks him near our line. Too many people underestimate how important defence is, but IMO if you are a turnstile, no matter how good you are with ball in hand, you should not be playing SL. (See Kevin Penny)