Should be a decent game and a chance to make up for the challenge cup debacle. Fingers crossed that Holmes and Jowitt are fit but seems Jowitt is the more doubtful.

Can't call this.

Would be absolutely massive for us to get a win here. Getting the two points here just puts us in a position of looking up at the top two whereas a defeat means we're scrambling to get into the play-offs again. With Toulouse away up next, two back to back defeats would be a bit of a dampener.

Think Keyes is a blow for them, although we'll have to see if Jouffret dons his dinner jacket and tears us a new one again. Adam O'brien to come back to haunt us?

Jowiit out so I expect us to revert to the slowest halfback pairing in the UK in Patton and Lilley.

Unless Lawford finally gets a chance.

Big game for both sides but probably more so for Fax as things stand. Going 4 points behind us in the league would put a dent in their top 5 hopes. Fax win and they go above us in the standings.

Another step up in opposition quality from the last 4 matches.

If Jowitt is out I’d slot Lawford in at 7. Maybe have Appo coming off the bench as I think that’s where he’s most effective. Not sure what Wallace has done for him to dropped the past few weeks either. But can’t change a winning side too much.

Holmes
Blackmore
Arundel
Gill
Foggin-Johnston
Patton
Lawford
Baldwinson
Lilley
Rodgers
England
Butler
Thompson (if he’s still here).

Segeyaro
Scurr
Appo
Matongo/Wallace

If Thompson has gone. Butler to 13. Wallace to SR.

Once again I would like to know exactly how bad Lawrence is injured. He keeps appearing in the 21 squad but never makes the starting 17. Will he ever play for us again?

Me too mate. I’ve stopped putting him in the side now. I’d also like to know what’s happened to Brad Foster. Thought he looked decent in pre-season and did okay in the first game.

Foster was injured in a warm up against someone and is working back to fitness, didn’t play in reserves at weekend so suggests he isn’t quite there yet. Lawrence from what I understand is fit but hasn’t broken back into team yet and despite being captain isn’t it a good thing that we are winning and we don’t need to change a winning team and you aren’t just guaranteed your place becomes you are a senior pro?

There were some Huddersfield fans that would have been happy for Lawrence to go around again for another year. He should be ripping it up in the Championship but he absolutely isn't.

I understand that Betsy and as much as I like Baldwinson I think Lawrence, if fit, would improve the team and offers more than him to the team especially his leadership qualities.

Hudders fans may have wanted Lawrence to go around again but maybe the club knew more about his physical condition and let him go as a result?

Well he’s either not quite fit yet and they don’t want to risk him or the coaching staff don’t agree with your Baldwinson v Lawrence opinion

As we see from the post above, someone hasn’t rated his input so far buts it’s all opinions and it’s Greenwood and Nobles that counts at the moment

When he’s back fit and ready I’d slot Lawrence in at 13 to replace Thompson when he eventually leaves.

Lawrence being in is a no brainer IMO. He's not a player that "rips it up" he's an 80min grafter, and more importantly, a voice and leader on the field.

It's not case of him getting loads of niggling injuries. It's been his hamstring which unfortunately we have to make sure is 100% right.

Hamstring injuries can take ages too.

For those who go to games like myself you’ll see Michael running on with instructions, water etc. I don’t believe anyone deserves to be dropped at the minute and hamstrings are tricky. I’d rather he was in prime condition for the business end rather than knackering him now

And that’s exactly what I think they are doing with him, nursing him back so he’s fully fit and not burnt out by business end

Tricky one this. Both previous games we were under strength in the pack. The league game we won because Leeds d/r strengthened our pack and Holmes completely nullified Keyes’ kicking game.
The cup game we lost because we were still under strength in the pack, Walker didn’t nullify Keyes’ kicking game and Holmes was injured early.
This one, Keyes isn’t there, and Fax have missed him recently. But our pack finally is up to strength without any D/r needed.
And there aren’t really any of their pack I would swap with. I would expect Jouffret will have a much more uncomfortable time this weekend and we do seem to have worked out how to get the most out of our pitch. I think an 8 point Bradford win.

Lawford is playing for Hunslet this weekend.

Oh the Fax fans won’t like your comments Highlander. Remember we are constantly told none of our team is good enough to get into the Fax team… this despite spending most of the season above them in the table and both of us being inconsistent.

Either way, I’m never confident of a win over Halifax. This will be a real test and a step up from the teams we’ve played under Lee/Brian. This performance will show whether we are now a top end playoff side or not. Performance not result.

Halifax fans seem fairly confident of a win. Let’s hope it’s good weather and a decent crowd and atmosphere and we turn them over in another tight game. It’s in our own hands. A win and we make a bit of breathing space with a likely loss to Toulouse away up next. Two losses on the bounce and we are dragged back into the fight for that last playoff spot.

At least we are mixing it this year. Apart from Featherstone, it’s proving hard to predict.

It's just weird isn't it. Proper desperation of "my dad's bigger than your dad" stuff.

I've no problem saying Halifax have some wonderful players.
Walmsley and Jouffret are a joy to watch. The fact is we're evenly matched hence we're next to each other in the table and are 1-1 in the head to heads.

Simply come down to who kicks, attacks and defends better on the day.

From this fax fans point of view there is always some stupid stuff said by some fans when it comes to the Bulls. But for me i just enjoy the rivalry without getting into that sort of thing and as for the game i think you have summed it up well it is all about who gets it right on the day.

With Jowett being out for at least 2 weeks as I see it we have 3 options to fill his absence. First is keep Holmes at full back and play Lilley in the halves with Chicko starting at hooker. Second is moving Holmes into the halves and playing GF Jr at full back and thirdly playing Connor Wynne at full back and Holmes into the halves. Shame we have let Lawford go on loan as that would have been the best solution. What do we think?

I like Lawton. Everytime he plays he’s always done really well. And other than Holmes (in his limited games at halfback) he’s the only one to really take the line on.

However, now that he’s gone on loan. I think Greenwood/Noble will revert to a Patton/Lilley HB combination. With Segeyaro/Flanagan sharing the hooking duties.

If the games weren’t as important as Fax at home and Toulouse away (both teams are near us on the table and we have a real chance at winning both). I’d be tempted to play Flanagan Jr at 6 like he has done for the reserves as he’s been playing well there. But I don’t want to throw him into two huge games.

With Lilley and Patton in the halves we're too slow and too predictable so I'd be saying Halifax by 6