Is that why Delaney was "rested" too?
Let's see who makes the 17 tomorrow.

Lets hope it is a good game, but all the talk about saying this game will sort out who wins the league is rubbish. It is only for two points and will help sort out where a club finishes in the play off. At the moment both Leeds and ST Helens are unbeaten, but I have yet to see anything that suggests that either side will def be at Old Trafford.

What I would like is a repeat of the 2007 play off game where we might have lost but we battered St Helens to death and they did not turn up for the GF.

It will be close

Close, hhmmmm nah

I think a can of this is on the way.....

I haven't seen anyone say that. That would be silly.

The only thing I'll lay money on is that Ablett will not, despite the clamour on here, be at LC.

You don't sign one more England international outside back than you need, and then drop them for a second rower.

1. Zak Hardaker
2. Ben Jones-Bishop
3. Kallum Watkins
20. Tom Briscoe
5. Ryan Hall
13. Kevin Sinfield (C)
6. Danny McGuire
8. Kylie Leuluai
9. Paul Aiton
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan
12. Carl Ablett
15. Brett Delaney

7. Rob Burrow
14. Stevie Ward
16. Ryan Bailey
23. Brad Singleton

Agreed, but before the season started I reckon McDermott probably had it planned to move Hardaker to centre if needed with BJB going to FB. However Hardaker's form so far this year makes that an unfavourable switch.

Whilst I agree with you, Didn't they just do exactly that on Friday?

A bit different with it being London. If we go into any game against one of the top teams with one of the centres missing and he opts for Ablett there (with presumably Briscoe and Hall on the wings) then it would really make BJB's mind up about not staying.

I agree with this guy.

I hope they don't do it again, mind you.

Willie Manu now apparently ruled out for Friday.

Correct.

Walsh, Turner, LMS, Amor, Wilkin, Walmsley, Manu all definitely out.

Wheeler, Percival and Hohaia are unlikely.

Friday should be fun!

Pity about all the disruption to the first choice St Helens squad. Takes a lot away from the contest and renders the result even more insignificant than it otherwise would have been.

Could still be close mind and hopefully will be for the cameras.

Props that started but didn't see the season out under coach McDermott:

2011 - Ben Cross and Luke Burgess
2012 - Jay Pitts (?)
2013 - Darrell Griffin

2014 - Any candidates yet?

Squad for us:

1. Jonny Lomax,
2. Tommy Makinson,
4. Josh Jones,
5. Adam Swift,
6. Lance Hohaia,
8. Mose Masoe,
9. James Roby,
11. Sia Soliola,
14. Anthony Laffranchi,
15. Mark Flanagan,
17. Paul Wellens,
22. Mark Percival,
23. Joe Greenwood,
24. Gary Wheeler,
25. Anthony Walker,
26. Matty Dawson,
27. Greg Richards,
32. Lewis Charnock,
33. Andre Savelio.

Normally I would love to see a close contest with us just coming out on top, but in this instance I hope we really wallop the Saints.
Not that I'm saying we will do.

wow, lots of big names missing there.we really should win comfortably but you can bet we will still be made to work hard for the points.

Would expect Moon & Ward to drop out for us.

Ward was poor last week while Achurch had a good spell, no point risking Moon when we have plenty of cover.

You'll only really need one tactic: get Burrow to run at Masoe. Burrow will score every time! Masoe is getting better and better going forward but he's so big that Burrow could run to Bradford and back for a curry before he made it to the tackle.

Real dilemma here. If moon is fit then how do you drop BJB? He's played really well, not a lot ore you could ask of a winger.

You couldn't ask for much more, but you couldn't ask for much more of Briscoe either and he's the more dangerous winger imo.

We *could* use the early season to experiment with formations and ways of using the bench. The amount of minutes Peacock, Delaney and Ablett get through (and that the coach wants them to get through) gives us the chance to maybe play BJB on the bench and bring him on at fullback with Hardaker moving to 6 and Sinfield to 13 in a St.Hilaire/Harris/Powell way. Even if that might not be the best use of resources it could still be a positive to have a reserve back on the bench in a game like the Huddersfield one when we're not even using all our forwards.

But with Burrow on the bench as well we would be playing with 2 backs on the bench which I doubt we will do.

What's the dilemma? Hall may well have got three tries last week, but Briscoe has started the season far better than him, and BJB last two performances have been better than both (despite not as good a player IMO). Therefore you drop Hall.

RYAN HALL: 5 Tries, 5 Appearances

TOM BRISCOE: 5 Tries, 5 Appearances

BEN JONES-BISHOP: 4 Tries, 2 Appearances

KALLUM WATKINS: 4 Tries, 6 Appearances

ZAK HARDAKER: 4 Tries, 6 Appearances

JOEL MOON: 2 Tries, 5 Appearances

Given he is both recovering from an injury, and our least prolific outside back, I'd say drop Moon.

Hall is the best winger at the club and his form has returned. Briscoe started like a house on fire (outside Watkins) but in his last outing (outside Moon, Ablett and Ward) was poor. He's still the second best winger at the club. BJB has been excellent in his two games outside Watkins, He's still the third best winger at the club.

For me the decision is easy and it's simply do I select BJB at left centre ahead of Moon, if Moon's fit, or do i leave BJB out.