That squad is depressing, no hooker, actual halfbacks, will we score any tries?
That said Wigan won't know what to expect either so you never know ......

Except when you do

Surrender monkeys out in force I see . . . .

Lomax or no Lomax, COYS!

Realists. Realists.

Exactly, it's a derby so anything can happen, but Wigan must be favourites

If that 19 is true then I suspect we'll get nilled.

I feel French. Tight defence v no halfbacks and no hooker = nilled .. oh and I forgot a pack with all the aggression of a 2 day old puppy

At the end of the day, it comes down to who wants it more. Unfortunately, it's usually Wigan.

It's 50/50 for me. Wigan have the edge in the backs especially if Lomax is out but we should win the forwards battle. I'm going to go Saints win.

If Lomax is out or anything less than 100% fit and bang on form, we just don't have the ability in the backs to trouble Wigan, whether we can win the forward battle or not. With Roby missing, the chance of us winning the forward battle is remote anyway. TP is a decent player, but plays with his slippers on and avoids the hard yards and the rest of them have the fight and aggression of your average 6 year old girl. Sia's a decent player, but he's all defense and has nothing in his armour with the ball.

Bad news - Lomax definitely won't play at this point.

Worse news - We're planning to go with Wellens at 6.

We are 5/2 to win Wigoon are 2/7 on.

Our odds are widening (Lomax news) and Wigoon's are shortening (News that Wellens is at 6).

Just brilliant. That's just brilliant. The funniest thing I've heard in decades.

We are the most flippant of fans, Brown is terrible he engineered a huge loss to huddersfield
Brown has no idea's we struggled to beat Widnes
Brown is a genius Wilkin at 7 a master stroke
Brown is a good coach for youth development and can spot a good academy player bring Percival in
Brown is the same as Rush keeping old heads (meli, ade), whilst kicking out Gaskell and Makinson
Brown is a fool 'allegedly playing Wellens at 6'


Lets just see how it goes, we've had a few surprises so far this year, I would not be surprised if he did play Wellens at 6 and I would not expect that to be the last surprise of the year.

OMG!!

Although I had this reaction to Wilkin at 7 and it seems to have been ok...

To be honest I fully trusts Brown's judgement. Whoever plays there will be the best option available to us to suit Brown's tactics.

It probably is the best option available to us. What other option does he have?

Gaskell not being picked for whatever reason, Hohaia out injured, turner best off at centre, too big of a game to throw Charnock into...etc.

Looking at it objectively he's probably been forced into making this decision and it could (could!) be a genius move.

Is makinson good enough to play FB? He didn't do too well there this time last year.

I agree, but also think we can't judge Browns judgement on the outcome of a single game. He is learning what his best team is, and what his players are capable of, because to be honest none of us really know. We probably wouldn't have had Lomax at 1 and wilkin at 7, but through a combination of luck and judgement brown has put them there, and succeeded. If wellens flops at 6 and we lose tomorrow it will be worry it if brown comes up with a trophy winning team in the next couple of years.

It doesnt really get any worse than that

People said similar about Wilkin at 7.

Perhaps a steady half back pairing with a bit of game sense is just what we need to maximise our advantage up front, especially when missing an experienced hooker.

Let's wait and see.

Friend just text me who been watching the captains run and he said Wello and Flash were switching between 9 and 13 with Makinson at 1, Percival in the centre with Jones in the second row

Hmmmm.

If Jones is in the pack you'd have to assume Turner will stay in the centres and Charnock will play 6.

Just text me again , Charnock was at 6

Don't worry, guys. The day is saved! We now have the mercurial talents of Stuart Howarth at our disposal.

Howarth goes straight into the squad, so you'd imagine he'll play.

I can't contain my excitement.

Not good enough to get into the Salford team but good enough for us - although it might have more to do with Gaskell going the other way.