Three tough games in 8 days.

Sun 5 April - Leeds away Challenge Cup

Thurs 9 April - Wigan away Super League

Mon 13 April - Hull home Super League.

Injuries could be even more decisive.

Cheers

Ch.

Only the Leeds game matters though at this stage of the season.

The Wigan game is stupidly close to the Leeds game for us so I'd do a Millward and put the kids out, give them their chufty bangs and save our troops for the Hull game.

I don't think we'll have a problem with Wigan or Hull, Leeds in the cup will be the big test.

Personally thats what I think Potter will do. Sunday is a huge game that will take a huge amount out of the players if we win or lose and there's a possibilty that it could go into extra time.

Team for Leeds

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce
Long
Puletua
Cunningham (capt)
Graham
Wilkin
Flannery
Clough

Subs

Roby
Ashurst
Fa'asavalu
Cayless

Team for the pies

Lomax
Armstrong
Foster
Gilmour
Meli
Wheeler (if fit)
Eastmond (again if fit)
Hargreaves
Roby (capt)
Cayless
Dixon
Ashurst
Flannery

Subs

Wilkin
Clough
Fa'asavalu
Frodsham

Personally thats what id do as people have said its a short turnaround from the Leeds game to the Wigan game on the Thursday. Easter Monday back at full strength providing no injuries are gained.

Dixon is out long-term and why do Hargreaves Vs Leeds ?

Personally this is only my opinion but Puletua, Graham, Fa'asavalu and Cayless are all better in the front row than Hargreaves. Against Leeds we will need our best front row on the paddock.

I'd say Hargreaves is more mobile, stronger, a better tackler and can play more minutes than Cayless.

I concur, Hargreaves is ahead of Cayless in the condition he is in currently. But personally I'd overload with forwards given the versatility we have the side. (Gilly, Wilkin and Flannery could easily cope with any outside back position).

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce
Long
Hargreaves
Cunningham (capt)
Graham
Wilkin
Flannery
Clough

Subs

Roby
Puletua
Fa'asavalu
Cayless

I hope thats the team, strong all over especially in the forwards and good impact to come on off the bench.

I agree with stonecold_jpm.

Potter said in the press (or was it on the Saints website?) that he doesn't think Long will be ready for the CC match. Everyone else from the last Leeds game should be back though, but what state Wheeler is in after the Wakey game I don't know so I have no idea who would step in to cover Long.

Roby at scrum half ?

If we can put out a full strength team against Leeds it would be as follows

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce
Long
Hargreaves
Cunningham (capt)
Graham
Wilkin
Flannery
Clough

subs Pulatua, Cayless, Faasavalu, Roby

Ive gone for this team as Graham and Hargreaves are the established starting front two, Also the back row is playing outstandingly well and doesnt deserve to be changed


The bench also has an immense amount of size and impact on it.
It was shown in the League match that we had the advantage in the forwards , with Leeds being better in the backs.
This bench to me just further strengthens our pack.

For Wigan a lot will depend on knocks, and i will be surprised if there are not a number of changes.
I expect Wigan to defeat Saints due to the intensity of the cup game.

I dont think Saints are that confident about Long being fit. With Eastmond unfit and Wheeler going off at Wakey I wonder if hes thinking about Lomax for scrum half.
Its a huge game I know but I dont like messing about with a numer of positions to compensate for Long.

6 - Leon
7 - Wilko
8 - Jammer
10 - Bryn
11 - Brian
12 - Tony P
13 - Lego Head

14 - Robes
15 - Matty
16 - Mo
17 - Caylo

T'is the only way to go for this one. We can't go throwing a 14 year old fullback in at scrum half against the mighty Rob Burrow.

The Wilkin/Pryce combo seemed to work at Wakey but what position(s) do(es) that leave unfilled if the same was used for Leeds? I'm confused about the positions because this season everyone seems to be everywhere!

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce
Wilkin
Hargreaves
KC
Graham
Ashurst
Flannery
Clough

Roby
Fa'asavalu
Puletua
Cayless

He has Ellis available as well

I wouldn't pick him against Leeds, he looked a touch lost in the friendly I saw him in against Widnes and hasn't been near the first team squad since. If all our half backs are injured I think he'll go with Pryce and Wilkin at half back as we can cover the back row.

In respect of the teams for the games ahead, personally I'd pick the best team available on the day. If anyone is injured then they obviously don't play, but reduced training should help with any fatigue, and lets be honest, the wheels look like they are starting to come off the bandwagon that is Hull at the moment.

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce
Long
Graham
Cunningham
Hargreaves
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannery

Bench
Clough, Roby, Fa'asavalu, Cayless

I think we will patch up players that are due ops and would be 50/50 for SL clashes at this point of the season. Leeds is all that matters at this point.
Forget Wigan, Hull and whoever else has to follow them, they can be dealt with at the time!

I would have thought Roby would go at 7?

But Wakey were severely out muscled last week, it wont be the same against Leeds.

who is the third tough game? Leeds and Hull, yes. We will stomp all over Wigan, even if we rest the senior players.

Go all out for the Leeds game.

Wigan away I'd send the young lads out who have played this season, Lomax, Wheeler etc, along with an experienced pack. I think this would be enough to see us through.

Hull at home we should win. Should not lose your home games.

have you learned nothing from hullkr?

seriously though i agree the leeds game is the priority. The new playoff system means at this stage the cup should be our priority. Hull will have just played kr so will be tired as well.