I reckon that we'll line up as this:
1. Zak Hardaker
2. Tom Briscoe
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Joel Moon
5. Ryan Hall
13. Kevin Sinfield (c)
6. Danny McGuire
8. Kylie Leuluai
7. Rob Burrow
10. Jamie Peacock
12. Carl Ablett
14. Stevie Ward
17. Adam Cuthbertson

20. Jimmy Keinhorst
16. Mitch Achurch
19. Brad Singleton
30. Mitch Garbutt

I'm sure that'll be the17 but perhaps with Garbutt starting and Kylie off the bench. I hope there is a plan to alternate Burrow away from being an 80 minute hooker with at least Sinfield figuring regularly at dummy half.

Let's not forget McDermott surprised us all once by starting Clarkson at dummy half, which I seem to remember went quite well??!!! Maybe Keinhorst at dummy half might not be quite such a surprise ....

That was when he lost both Aiton and Burrow though. We've still got the latter to pick ATM. Not a fan of it like yourself but can't see anything other than Burrow for 80 providing no injuries during the match. Just hope Robbie Ward gets into the 17 next week vs Hull (he made the bench against them in the cup game at there place) and his lack of selection his week is just McDermott thinking this game isn't the right one to bring him into the side.

Also the comparison of Clarkson/Keinhorst. Keinhorst has done well in his spell in the side but is still limited in his games for the club, Clarkson had been a solid hand, particularly defensively, for a number of years by that point.

Burgess being out is a big blow for Wigan. He is IMO the form winger in SL and usually causes us lots of problems and scores key tries.

Wigan will no doubt have a plan to get in our faces and target Cuthbo plus the usual blight that is the overlong wrestle with unnecessary bodies in the tackle.. I hope the ref observes the offside rules. Maybe for this game we should try to move it wide earlier.

the forecast for friday is appalling and I hope that the RU boys dont churn the pitch up. The weather could mitigate against our open off loading style of rugby and turn this into a low scoring forward battle which might suit wigan and their spoiling slow the PTB tactics

Well if Wigan's left side is going to be Gelling and Manfredi again then I suggest going down the Watkins & Briscoe side as defensively those two for Wigan last week vs Hudds looked dodgy and unfamiliar together.

Thinking more that BM is trying his hand at rotating Burrow and Sinny OR another at 9 and keep the bench more for utility with Keinhorst than bring in R Ward. I don't think that is such a bad idea as Burrow could play 30 minutes a half and when he is off we tighten up the game a little in the forwards.....yes not ideal but I think still a solid option with a stronger bench and cover

Said at the weekend we should look at Keinhorst as back up hooker.
Good hands and has shown he can tackle when defending up the middle.
For some reason struggles out wide.
Heavy rain might help Wigan but we have proved before we can move the ball about in those conditions.
Hopefully we don't revert to playing it safe.

As others have said (...A.Gilder? ) Get it wide early away from the wrestle, yes. But have we got a Todd Carney capable player to do this?

I actually fear for the likes of Cuthbertson this game; I'd hate for him to become a long term victim of Wigan's highly likely agressive 3 men in the tackle spoiling tactics.

Will hinder of style of play but on the other hand we are better equipped than ever in recent years in the prop department with Peacock, Cuthbertson, Singleton, an in-form Leuluai and Garbutt. In the latter we have something they've not played before and is proving to be a real handful. Don't really think the match at the DW was won or lost in some forward battle with Wigan's style stopping us.....we still threw it around and had them scrambling around at times with our style. I think we just made some poor mistakes defensively and whilst Handley and Keinhorst did ok, a starting 3 of...

1, Hardaker
2, Briscoe
3, Watkins

Will make a massive difference compared to the Watkins (who was disappointing at FB that night), Handley, Keinhorst lineup from a few weeks ago.

I'm actually hopeful that it's a close game (it probably will be) because if for arguments sake we had quite a lead I wouldn't be surprised with the game gone, for someone like McIlorum to end up injuring one of our guys with a reckless foul out of frustration.

Clarkson was terrible at dummy half. Just passed the ball on (slowly) every time, no variation or feint or step at all.

Was it under Smith or Bluey where we had Lee Smith and Brent Webb splitting dummy half when Diskin was out? That worked ok. You need someone who at least looks like they *might* run.

Clarkson had no rugby brain to speak of though wheeas Keinhorst seems a pretty smart player from what I've seen. I certainly wouldn't be averse to giving him a shot at 9 against Wigan. If it doesn't work out Sinfield would be Plan B. The advantage if Keinhorst works is it requires no other players switching positions during the game. I can't think of a team deliberately planning on having their main playmaker move to dummy half and back again during a game. There's probably a reason for that....

It does look as though Ward/Lilley won't get a go until after the CC final in any event. If BM was planning on one of them to be in the final he'd be crazy not to give them as many minutes as possible in the games beforehand.

Keinhorst at 9 is a brilliant shout if Ward is back.

Although I don't think any of these should be an option, surely S.ward and ablett are our two ball playing forwards. leave Keinhorst in the SR, he's still establishing himself in the first team. Stevie obviously played 7 at Wembley a few years ago and ablett has already played 6 this year. Though, like I say, I don't believe this is the direction we should be going down just yet.

Personally I would have given R ward a shoot this week. I know it's a huge game and if we win could open up a gap at the top. But Wembley is a bigger game. And two good performances from R ward could have been our answer for CC. It would deff have been a gamble but now or never kind of thing regarding Cc.

I think we'll be sticking with this team now for the next few weeks. I have faith in BMc

Another thing, isn't Robbie ward out of contract at the end of this season? This final run of games could be important to him now he has a chance to pla .

Don't be surprised to see Burrow being asked to do 80 minutes at dummy half.

Equally don't be surprised to see Wigan running Joel Tomkins and Gelling over the top of him all night.

That is my worry. Stupid not to have R Ward on the bench.
I know it's a big game but I think we need to give him a chance and cause as little change to the team as possible.

Agree...Robbie Ward should have been a straight swap for Aiton as soon as the club knew Aiton would not play again for Leeds. The lad needs tons of blooding now and if we had lost against Wigan it would have been worth it for what it would give these coming demanding weeks.
Burrow - as plenty have said - does just not have the skill set as a starting dummy half. He will be targeted no doubt in defence too. Guess Leeds must be planning on Stevie Ward taking up the tackling gauntlet....but whichever way you look at it the real forwards will suffer and blunt their attacking options with extra energy sapped away.
Possession is going to be so much more critical...maybe demanding less of the risky off loading game to the detriment of all watching. Still...i would rather that now than coughing up possession in these new circumstances.

burrow won't defend in the middle. I'm guessing he will go wider as usual

Yes i know...one in from Hall...but he will still be targeted in defence as 'Gilder' says

With the news that Aiton is out for the rest of the season, for me a mistake not to have faith in Ward. We can beat Hull KR with Burrow at hooker, but we won't be finding it as easy against the top sides, and certainly not a GF semi and final. You need a proper hooker, and as Ward is the only left option he should be utilised there for the rest of the season.

Would there be any mileage in trying Walters at dummy half?
He's about the same size or slightly bigger than Aiton, looks to have a bit of pace but I'm not sure about his hands or his passing ability.
Just a thought.

Not convinced with his newly enlarged thighs that Walters could bend down and still be able to pick the ball up.

He's got all the fluidity of movement of a Thunderbirds puppet this year.

this has got to be a joke?

I'm more concerned about getting soaking wet in a 2nd rate stadium. Probably only Cas and Wakefield are worse for the travelling supporters.