We really needed a full strength side to put on a really good show on Sunday not least to keep the feel good spirit up; first home game with a bigger crowd and all that.

Stranger things have happened though. The one saving grace may be thoughts of the WCC in the minds of the Wigan players. And maybe a heavy pitch.

We should have put a bid in for somebody, maybe player exchange aswell. Everyone knows what happened last year. You need someone to steer you around the park, have 2 players that dont normally play at 6 and 7, and the opposition will just target them all day long, put pressure on and then the mistakes come.

Couldn't see Bradford winning this game regardless of Herbert and Briggs being fit. Don't think you've got much chance now.

That said, it depends on the team Maguire picks. If we start with O'Loughlin in the halves again then who knows - it really stifles the attack.

It's ok saying we should have put a bid in, but the club they're at has to agree a fee and the player has to agree to come. It's not as simple as just bidding for someone is it?

Even then, we DID bid for someone. We bid for Kyle Briggs, who unluckily has got injured.

How many players do you buy to cover for all eventualities, bearing in mind the salary cap. Do we make sure we have 4 quality halfbacks in the squad in case 2 get injured? Or do we make sure 5 in case 3 get injured?

It's bad luck that we lost 2 halfbacks early doors. Nothing but bad luck. We have players capable of covering, in Kearney, Addy, Ah Van, Southernwood and even Sykes. Yeah they may not be first choice halves, but again, how many do we buy just in case? Should we also buy 4 hookers just in case Diskin & L'Estrange are both injured?

You need to make your mind up on whether Wigan win because we have two halves missing, or we beat you because you play Flanders at stand-off.

Going to be difficult for us with another new combo at half - if we'd had our first choice we would have given you problems with Briggs kicking game. As it stands anyone could now take over for us!

Doubt you lot playing Flanders at half makes that much difference to be honest. He's not THAT bad. Granted he's not a stand-off but you've got other players who take over the creativty responsibility in Tomkins, Deacon (if fit), Leuluia etc. He gives you good defence and organisation.

we did put a bid in for someone- briggs. Without a rich backer we're pretty limited in terms of being able to pay transfer fees, especially coming of the back of a poor season attendance wise and paying sums equivalent to a big transfer fee to leeds every year for the harris fiasco (although I believe this is the last year we have to make that particular payment). Given there were a few other richer clubs, hull for one, also looking for halves who could easily out bid us transfer fee wise I dont think we did too badly. just pure bad luck both our playmakers being unavailable at same time. And were in a stronger position than most teams should someone unexpectedly become available mid season with both cap and quota space available.

When was the last time we had both of our halves on the pitch at the same time? i cant remember!!!!!!!!

Well we have never had Herbert in the side so what you never have you never miss and Briggs was ok in the first 30 mins or so last week then started to fade badly I felt.

Kearneys in-game kicking was good, Addy can add to that and Wigan will have one eye on next weeks' WCC whether they care to say so or not.

Also, Wigan were far from convincing against an extremely poor St Helens side.

For fear of sounding like a right hypocrite there is a bit too much doom-mongering so soon in the season...



Royston
Raynor
Ah Van
Walker
Platt
Kearney
LeStrange
Scruton
Diskin
Lynch
Whitehead
Elima
Addy

Koppy
Hargreaves
Sibbit
Sykes (only to cover halves)

No problem at all with that side.

100% Agree Dillgaf

Bradford 0-19 Crusaders

I think ainscough deserves his chance. He will be well up for making a point against wigan. Play him

Think we have a far better team now and alot better depth but our luck is rediculous with injuries to key men

Our first choice halves or two actual half backs?

He will get his chance, but not against Wigan. Despite Raynor having a bit of a shocker last week, his defence is considerably better than Ainscough.

TBH I think if it had been a crucial game herbert could have played this week. Thinks its a case of looking at the bigger picture. With langley and briggs both out for significant periods of time, would herbert playing have given us a significantly better chance of beating wigan on sunday? If I'm honest I dont really think it would.
The way I think potters viewing it is this. If herbert is brought back too soon, in a game we dont really have a realistic chance of winning and then aggravates the injury and misses significantly more games then we really are in trouble given briggs injury as well. So I suspect potter is taking the hit on the wigan game to ensure that herbert is absolutely 100% for the winnable run of games we have coming up after wigan is out of the way.

Ainscough can score from anywhere on the pitch given half a chance. Raynor cant. Ainscough deserves his chance to prove his doubters

It's not Ainy's attacking capabilities anyone is questioning though, it's his defence, which has always been regarded as suspect. And when you're playing against the team that will know his weaknesses better than anyone, I can completely understand why some may not want him to play.

If everyone was fit this week, I certainly wouldn't have picked him. But with that 19 man squad, I personally would give him a go, with Raynor on the other wing and Ah Van in the halves with Kearney.

The Pre season games we have seen so far... Ainscough hasnt looked suspect to me and have played well in defence. Understand where your coming from though with him playing wigan. The lad has a point to prove though and i think it work in our favour

Right I am seriously getting peeved off at most people on here so take a look at this:

1. Briggs created 1 try in the Leeds game. Kearney created 2 (from kicks) so do not doubt his kicking ability.

2. Addy is the same if not better than Briggs (may not be as fast) but he has brilliant hands and can kick very well, looks stronger as he is a little bigger.

3. Same team other than Addy for Briggs, Sibbit at Second Row, Whitehead at Loose and Sykes on bench.

4. Simple rugby beat Wigan last year.

5. Herbert probably wouldn't make much difference HOWEVER Orford did against them last year :/

6. Im sure the guys on the pitch will give 100%.

7. We are playing the SUPER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS so it would be a hard task to beat them. Lets hope they have a good solid game and not to lose by much but I'm being optimistic by saying BULLS TO WIN.

Bullboy i understand what ure saying but addy isnt a recognised half! Briggs and Herbert are. We are playing the champions not Keighley Cougars!!!

I know but im sure Addy played against the champions last year Leeds and did well.

Must be great to know that you are the one that is right and pretty well everyone else is wrong?

Its the fact that your already knocking the squad before they've got on the pitch. If Addy does crap then I'll hold my hands and say I was wrong but give the lads a chance. And you can hold me to that.