Team for me, assuming Langley and Blythe are out, and Foster and Bateman are back in:

1 Kearney
5 Kear
12 Whitehead
3 Lulia
17 Foster
19 Addy
6 Sammut
8 Scruton
9 L'Estrange
10 Manuokafoa
11 Bateman
16 Olbison
15 Walker

14 Diskin
27 Sidlow
22 Murphy
21 Donaldson

or:

1 Kearney
5 Kear
15 Walker
3 Lulia
17 Foster
19 Addy
6 Sammut
8 Scruton
9 L'Estrange
10 Manuokafoa
16 Olbison
12 Whitehead
11 Bateman

14 Diskin
27 Sidlow
22 Murphy
21 Donaldson

Is Diskin sure to play? Apparently he was taken ill and was briefly in hospital IIRC. O'Brien to come in for him if so.

Think we'll miss Langley and Blythe for go forward. They're two of our best in that area.

I'm nervous that we could end up with a right hand side trio of Murphy/Whitehead/Kear again like we did against Widnes. The three of them defending alongside one another is a recipe for disaster.

On the plus side, having Bateman back might result in Lulia/Foster getting more ball in space if Bateman plays on Keith's inside.

Depending on the injuries, I think Bateman should play on our left edge. Lulia has seen far less of the ball than Blythe this year and Bateman will help move the ball out to him.

With Whitehead missing a lot of tackles, I can't see him improving this weekend with big Cory Paterson on Hull KR's left edge.

He's played every game so far, and we are 8th, so I would suggest we are average with him!

I don't want to think about how we'd go without him. At the start of 2011 he missed most of the pre-easter games and we were utter turd.

Ben Thaler will be the referee.

Joke/Disgrace*

*Delete as appropriate

Can it not be a disgraceful joke?

I didn't want to delete either of the words as well

That'll do. According to the Pussycats, he played a blinder for us against Wakefield at Odsal.

We hate Thaler more than you and he hates us more than anyone!


You'll be reet.

Fair to say as a club we don't like him either ([url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/14/hull-kr-justin-morgan-rfl-super-leagueFew years ago[/url // [url=http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Hull-KR-Rovers-demand-answers-referee-Ben-Thaler/story-16077835-detail/story.html#axzz2NMo8QsISLast season[/url)

Good work. HKR 4/5 favourites already for Whingers of the Week. I am praying for Bulls to beat HKR & Leeds to beat Wigan inbred hillbillies for a possible Whinge-off battle to surpass the Rumble in the Jungle.

I'm going to start blaming the referees for us failing to win Super League next year. It's clearly their fault. And the way we're going with blaming them so far before the game is even played, it seems a logical progression.

I heard that a boy was born yesterday in a hospital near the M62 and he's going to be the ref who shafts us in the years after I'm dead and gone...don't know how he can live with himself.

www.ubuonline.co.uk/news/article ... -Students/

www.ubuonline.co.uk/news/article ... -Students/

[url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbulls/10291253.Purtell_comeback_in_nick_of_time_as_Bradford_Bulls_decimated_by_injuries/Only 12 players able to train this week[/url

Looks like we're in for a hard time on Sunday as we're potentially missing Diskin, Foster, Blythe, Walker and Langley.

The prognosis is not good doctor, not to bothered about Diskin we seem to play more attack when he is off the field, Foster and Walker/Langley i am more concerned about

We're certainly asking a lot from the returnees. Big effort required on Sunday to keep our home record.

If Purtell is only going to figure from the bench then who's going to play on the wing if Foster, Walker and Blythe are all out? Looking at our remaining fit players we seem to be a man short. Looks like someone's going to be in the 17 that isn't fit.

Kearney
Kear
Whitehead
Lulia
Purtell
Addy
Sammut
Scuton
L'Estrange
Manoakafoa
Olbison
Bateman
Donaldson

O'Brien
Sidlow
Murphy
???????

Bullseye, perhaps ME can put his boots on and show us how its done.

Maybe one of those lads that are in the squad but are not ready for full exposure to competitive SL eg Sam could figure somewhere, but FC is clearly keeping his powder dry until the fitness tests are done today.

What home record?

Considering who is and isn't fit, I found it a little surprising that Sam Wood played in the U19s last night. If Foster, Walker and Blythe are all unavailable, and Purtell can't start yet, I would think Wood is just about the next option.

Looks like one of Foster, Walker or Blythe may end up playing, which if they're not fit is far from ideal.

Makes you wonder if saving £25k on Ainscough was the right option given that he had a good injury record.

Not sure if it was a case of saving 25k as opposed to the money just not being available.

Maybe he's pretty certain that one of the group is going to be fit [or fit within reason.. but he's just not sure which?