With no injuries I'm going for.


lomax
makinson
turner
jones
swift
wheeler
walsh
Laffranchi (underated by most saints fans)
roby
LMS
soliola
manu
wilkin

masoe
walmsley
amor (great signing)
flanagan/wellens

plenty of comp for the forwards so all will have to perform.
Same in the centres with percival showing promise.
As much as I've been willing Wellens to show promise in other positions I cant see any position that we don't have a better option now.
Someone pay for Lance's ticket home.

1. Jonny Lomax
2. Tommy Makinson
3. Jordan Turner
4. Mark Percival
5. Adam Swift

6. Gary Wheeler
7. Luke Walsh

8. Kyle Amor
9. James Roby
10. LMS
11. Josh Jones
12. Willie Manu
13. Jon Wilkin

14. Sia Soliola
15. Mose Masoe
16. Alex Walmsley
17. Mark Flanagan

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Percival
Swift
Wheeler
Walsh
Amor
Roby
LMS
Jones
Manu
Wilkin

Hohaia/ Flanagan (depending who we're playing)
Masoe
Soliola
Walmsley

Copycat

Jones to start with Sia on the bench? Am not sure that starting pack will frighten too many people and if we are taking a hiding after 20 will we be able to recover? I'd go the opposite way around and not sure I'd have Flash on the bench at all. If Beaumont goes well I'd pick him for his aggression.

I've gone for a completely solid starting pack, it won't score much but it'll take anything that is thrown at it and completely tire out the opponents. Then after 20/25 minutes you bring on Mose, Walmsley and Soliola to wreak havoc on a tired defence.

Lomax
Makinson Jones Turner Swift
Wheeler Walsh
Amor Roby Laffranchi
Wilkin Manu
LMS

Hohaia, Soliola, Masoe, Walmsley

Interesting Lance is still getting a look in.
That guy needs a serious attitude change in games and give 100% or F$%^ 0ff home.

You know, if everyone's fit, I'd take Flash over Wilkin. Much stronger physical presence.

He's been our second highest tackler for the last 3 years and is an absolute workhorse when it comes to defense (along with roby.) - he also has a lot more arrows to his quiver with regards kicking and passing game.

Flash is better angle running, and potentially more aggressive in the tackle (though a lot less of it) - but in turn he's not as good as sia at those things. Having Manu, Soliola and LMS rotating in the back row means we have a constant, aggressive back row, with Wilkin doing the long minutes.

As for lance, it's more someone who we can rotate roby with and make sure he doesn't burn out, rather than lance himself per say, we don't seem to have a hooker in the academy ready to step up yet - if we had it would be them over lance

Big call that. Agree on the phyisicallity, but Wilkin is more than just another backrower

Wilkin is a far better player than Flanagan.

I reckon Flash could match the tackle rate if he was given the minutes. Ant Walker certainly has.
Flash has more skills than perhaps we give him credit for, but for me, those abilities are not as important as being able to someone real hard. Back rows need to be hard and I feel that is an area Wilkin lacks.

I think that's a big call, as has been said in the clough argument, being able to do high workload in short spells is one thing, over long periods is a whole other story. Ant walker but is no where near ready to be a consistent challenge to either Wilkin or flanaghan, not to say he won't be though in the future

I like flash, and he will no doubt get plenty of game time, but Wilkin has gone from one of the most over rated a few years ago to one of the most underrated. He's a jack of all skills type of player, but his constant and tireless effort sets him apart, which is why I would always pick him before flash. That said, I wish he'd accept inevitability and follow in sinfields example and make the move to 6!

Lomax
Makinson Jones Turner Swift
Wilkin Walsh
Amor Roby Laffranchi
Flanaghan Manu
LMS

Hohaia Soliola Masoe Walmsley

Would be more than great if/when wheeler gets injured!

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Jones
Swift
Wheeler
Walsh
Laffranchi
Roby
Amor
Wilkin
Manu
LMS

Masoe
Walmsley
Soliola
Hohaia/Flanagan

I don't understand anyone picking Soliola on the bench. He's our best back rower by a mile and in our top 3 players. He HAS to start and play 80 minutes every game otherwise the intensity isn't there from the start.

I'd personally go with:

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Percival
Swift
Wheeler
Walsh
Amor
Roby
LMS
Soliola
Manu
Wilkin

Bench:
Jones
Masoe
Walmsley
Beaumont / Flanagan

No Laffranchi, Wellens or Hohaia in the 17 until injuries hit.

We obviously have a problem at 6 and Percival is a risk defensively but worth an early shot.

What's wrong with Clough? IMO he's one of the most underrated players in Superleague. In many ways he reminds me of Harrison Hansen in that he a fantastic workhorse of a forward, makes his tackles, makes his metres and never let's anyone down. O.K he may not look spectacular, but you need players like that in every team, someone who does the hard graft week in week out.

Brown's hardly given him the time of day since he's been here. Massive mistake IMO as he does all the things you've mentioned and does them just as well against the big teams as the small. He'll never command a massive salary and will be over the moon to play for his hometown club all his career.

Thought hard about this comment:

Is it because Flash chose to leave Wigan???? or did Wilkin support (secretly) The Pies as a youngster, as do 99% of the UK, excluding Scotland of course

Lomax
Makinson Jones Percy Turner (yes as a winger)
Wheeler Walsh
LaFrank Roby Walms
Manu Flash
LMS
----------------------------------
Wilkin Mossy Sol Amor

Reasonings...

Basing the structure on what South Sydney do, for the first 20 hit the opposition hard going forward with 3 props dominating. after 20-25 take off a prop, and move Wilkin to loose, then you have more options playing Wilkin as a ball playing Loose who can link up with the halves offering another aspect to your attack.

Thought about adding more size and power to your backline with Jones as a centre and Turner on the wing, then you have a nice mix of pace and power across the backline.

Just a thought!

I would be interested to see turner on the wing actually.

If we had two good centres he'd make a good winger but when we are weak in the centre and at stand off we would be completely mad playing him wing.

Wheeler as a 6, Jones and Percy in the centres.

I think the old saying "familiarity breeds contempt" applies.

I would add the proviso though that since Paul suffered a serious neck injury in 2011, he has not hit the same performance heights, and do wonder if this is affecting his ability to play to the max. I do recall that the injury nearly finished his career.

Interesting you raise Harrison Hanson as I thought you really missed him last night against Huddersfield. The Fartown pack blew Wigan open through the middle on a number of occasions. Something that rarely happened against Wigan last year.