Shi&$%&^%

In better news, Clough is back after being cleared to play.

Beat me too it by a few seconds!

Not good. So all that waiting for us to have a fully fit squad has come to naught.

So we will never have more than 1 replacement prop on the bench for this season, I truely can't see the current method of playing 3 props from the start leaving us with enough left on the bench for the rest of the season. We surely have to look to Wilkin to play loose now?

Can someone merge the threads?

No

we could try wellens in the back row this week at wakey play pryce if fit at full back or even lomax gaskell or makinson which would mean tony p could prop and might work out better for the future

The last thing wello needs is 80 minutes of pack work.

Sums up our season doesn't it. One step forward is met with that step taking us under a truck.

Has the deadline passed? Perhaps a good move would be to sign a Championship prop now if we're got cap room (Which we should have?).

wouldnt be 80 minutes would it he wouldnt play at full match he would be took off for a rest and if pryce clough and shenton are fit this week with lms back from his banned we would have a very strong squad

That's dancing in the dark. Any good championship props are going to want more than a loan spell and Saints are going to want a prop who would be decent for a few years not just a stop gap for the last couple of months, who is then stuck on the books not getting a game for the next 2 or 3 years.

The good props, unless Saints offer serious money will be involved in the Championship playoffs so unlikely to be loaned out. We have what we have and need to make the best use of it.

With Flannel back, why not put Soliola at loose if it has to be a big guy, with FLannel and Wilkin covering 2nd row, and megennis on the bench with (a another back) and LMS and CLough.

Pryce still weeks away. thread below this one.

We're rumoured to be in for this Hill guy from Leigh anyway, so why not pay a nominal fee (Breakfast at Le Brunch for the first team plus a grand) and sign him now?

ya just saw that on twitter

I agree, Clough being back buys us a lot of miuntes work and LMS will be a welcome return. I just don't see the point of putting a knakered full back in the back row.

Is Leon back for this weekend!? No way!? If so, maybe he could have a run out on the wing if the Mako moves infield?

We've been rumoured from the fans but not heard anything from the club about it.

With Leigh going so well, his game time maybe worth more to them than any nominal fee (if we are really after him)
If Leigh were going to sell then when they lost their money backers would have been the optimal time.

Based on what we've seen this season it isn't much of a loss for us. He's been a complete write off this year and him being ruled out could be a blessing as he will recover around the end of the season and he can have an off season to get himself fit and ready for next season.

Clough, Shenton and LMS returning leaves us with just 4 players missing - two who won't return and two who have barely featured this year anyway.

Wellens, Makinson, Shenton, Meli, Foster, Gaskell, Lomax, Graham, Roby, Puletua, Wilkin, Soliola, Flannery. SUBS: LMS, Moore, Clough and Eastmond.

That's about as good as our team will be all year.

De-ja-vu......... same with Sia last year

and look how good he's been this year after a full preseason here

You could say the same for Flannery in his 2nd season.

exactly, best not write off the big man yet

Did he rupture two weeks ago, or did he partially tear it and completely tear it in the Hull game?

Unless it is a complete coincidence and it wasn't the same injury (which, of course, could be the case) serious questions need to be asked as to why the medical staff allowed him to take the field, especially considering that the same thing happened to Pryce with his injury.

Interesting this has only come out now, because the blokes sat next to me in the stand, were told by text during the first half of the match that he was out for the season.

It's only come out now because Tuesday is the press day. All the injuries come out on press day. Thankfully these days they seem to come in dribs and drabs, albeit a fairly big drib on this occasion.

As I said in another thread. Given that SL clubs are now unable to compete for top tier Australian talent they must either buy lower quality players or take a risk on those approaching 30. Most of the top clubs will choose the latter - but this leaves them entirely hostage to fortune with respect to injuries.

Over the next few years many of the top five/six will see one or more of their high-investment players wiped out by injury. Think of the way Sculthorpe disintegrated rapidly as he got older and then think of what mayhem might be caused by a SL club unwittingly investing a small fortune in an Australian Sculthorpe for [ithree years[/i.

It will cause all manner of strife as one of the reasons these guys will have been brought in is for their experience and if they aren't on the field it's worthless. This will cost Grand Finals and make chairmen think very seriously about investing large chunks of their salary cap space in veterans.

I know some dont rate him but Gareth Frodsham has got 3 weeks left in under 20's and then should be fit enough for first team