I'm glad Wilkin is back. I think he adds that bit of craft close to the ruck - the odd little insde ball (giving or receiving), clever support and running.

Yeah, him and Wello are particularly good at working the markers and executing spot sets. It'll be good if we can get Perry back too for next week as we're looking a little light on the bench again.

Mmm, Magennis should go alright against Wakey. I worry about him playing against the bigger teams, but it might be good game time for him.
I would like to see Forster continue his run, think he could be a good one.

Magennis isn't playing this week so Forster will get a run out.

So he isn't. I missed that one.
Well then, as I said, I'm looking forward to Forster extending his run.
He's currently on 46 metres from 6 carries (7.66 average, also 8 tackles and 0 offloads). Let's see what he manages against a SL side.

I like the fact that Gaskell has been in the squad the last few weeks, shows he ain't going to be the forgotton man and must be doing something good in training.

1. Paul Wellens
21. Tommy Makinson
3. Michael Shenton
26. Josh Jones
5. Francis Meli

6. Lance Hohaia
7. Jonny Lomax

14. Anthony Laffranchi
9. James Roby
16. Paul Clough
12. Jon Wilkin
4. Sia Soliola
15. Mark Flanagan

10. LMS
13. Chris Flannery
25. Carl Forster
19. Andrew Dixon

I would be ok with this as the line up and I hope we really go at Wakey with the same attitude we will need for wigan. We've had an easy couple of weeks and really need to ramp up the intensity to see off the wiganers. I don't mind our eyes being on next week so long as that means trying to match the effort we will need.

Those stats are from the Widnes game where he played about 10 minutes so a very good effort. I don't think the Oldham stats are on there or if they will be due it being Challenge Cup rather than Super League.

I've read a quote from Mike Rush in the Star saying that although Wheeler is in contention for the game on Friday night, Jones has been playing well and so Wheeler may have to 'come through the reserves'.

Wheeler has been outstanding all season. He brings more to the party than Jones IMO, even though Jones has done ok.

Both have contributed more than Shenton this season, or at least showed the ability to. I don't see why Shenton is an automatic in his place if others are out performing him.

I agree but its because he is claased as so called "senior" player.



Also Wheeler should play instead of Jones - he offers more of a threat.
(If only he could stop picking up injuries; I've supported him all the way through but TBH its getting beyond a joke now.)

Outstanding all season? He's been injured for half of it, anonymous in every game he's played in the halves. In truth he's put in two or three promising performances in the centres. He doesn't warrant being thrown back into the side whenever he feels like playing a game or two.

I did think 6 carries wasn't a lot given his minutes against oldham. Never crossed my mind that CC stats wouldnt be on the Superleague site

Played all of two games in the halves hasn't he? And I presume you didnt go to Cas if you think he's been anonymous in every game he's played in the halves!

Not a strong squad then...




Expect us to line up something alond the lines of;
Richard Mathers
Peter Fox
Dean Collis
Paul Sykes
Ben Cockayne
Isaac John
Tim Smith
Kyle Amor
Paul Aiton
Andy Raleigh
Danny Kirmond
Frankie Mariano
Danny Washbrook

Kyle Wood
Vince Mellars
Matt James
Paul Johnson

1icon_cool.gif Matty Wildie
19) Andy Ellis

Yes, he has been outstanding all season. Better than Jones. He's now fit, he should be back in the side.

He was looking really good in the centre position earlier in the season. He was one of our best players by a mile during our struggles at the start.

Your definition of outstanding is very generous. He's shown promise in brief segments of games, nothing more.

Outstanding is James Roby and Sia Soliola this season. Everyone else is barely scraping adequate.

Lol oh you keep me smiling. Not the outstanding part but the barely scraping adequate.

Ignoring the fact you were wrong about him in the halves?

Saintsfan, I'd say he was good in the centres, outstanding v cas in halves despite not being 100%. My one worry is his defence this season

How was I wrong? We were utter garbage against Cas, a Cas side which had half it's players missing.

Wheeler is one of those players who got a completely undeserved reputation as a kid, but unlike the likes of Foster he doesn't get involved enough to make the mistakes that make your usual academy player crash and burn, choosing not to be bother playing instead.

He might make it at centre for Saints, but he's nothing more than a kid with promise but also major concerns.

I remeber Wheeler being arguably our best player in the first couple of games I saw, which would have been the home games against Salford and Catalan. Or maybe I'm thinking of the friendly against Widnes.

Anyway, Wheeler's a very good player when on the pitch, but I wouldn't be dropping Jones for him. I think Jones has shown a tad more than you're giving him credit for and, realistically, until we can get wheeler on the pitch consistantly, would we not be better off continuing Jones development by keeping him in against (no disrespect) more modest opposition?

Wheeler has been good this season, but not outstanding. Shown glimpses of class in at both centre & stand off. For me Josh Jones is deserving of his place, Wheels should take Hohaia's spot IMO at stand off.

We were, Wheeler wasn't he was the only one who looked a class act on the pitch and that was despite ebing thrown in too early. Your point was that wheeler hasnt played well in the halves. So you are wrong

Your tripe about wheeler is laughable, shown some fantastic touches and had some very good games this year

Stats now say 133 metres from 18 carries, so in Friday's match he's made 12 carries for 87metres (7.25 metres per carry) and 17-8=9 tackles.
Not a bad run out for the lad. Looks like he'll be an OK player for us.
I tell you what though, Clough isn't half getting through some work at the moment.

he looks like he could be very good.
Cloughy imo is back to his pre injury self, just keeps running in and doing the hard work. He goes quite unnoticed, but thats fine as we climb up the table with no show ponies, just players like cloughy and Lafanchi doing the hard work thats needed without Jammer