I'm not being a pessimist here but I think they have to be favourites on Friday, we've had two very tough Easter games. They have had a straight forward win against a below par Saints and I'm not expecting much of a test tonight from Hull KR ( but I hope I'm wrong ).
Gidley returning to the side will make a difference for us and hopefully Russell is fit too.
Anyway I'm looking forward to it..

No Westerman on Friday and Gids has a dead leg. Danny Broughs dead leg kept him out for weeks hope that's not the case.

I'm assuming the 'dead leg' was just cover for him being rested.

Our injuries are killing us at the minute. I think the list is now Tomkins, Gelling, Williams, Crosby, McIlorum, Bateman and Farrell (all from starting 13) plus Isa.

Hopefully we will have a few back on Friday and the game is a thriller.

Russell
Lineham
Evans
Atkins
Penny
Gidley
Sandow
Hill
Clark
Sims
Currie
Hughes
Westwood

Ratchford
Cox
King
Jullien

I'd bet good money that this will be the side.

Wigan should be favourites given that they've only lost one game at home in the past two years.

Has Jullien jumped the second row selection queue ahead of Wilde?

IMO it can go only two ways. A blockbuster or we will smash them. Our defence is too strong for the pies to roll on us.

Our defence is stronger.

It'll be the first of four or five meetings this season as I reckon it doesn't take a genius to figure out we are the top two teams by a mile. I'll reserve judgement on our prospects until I see what sort of team we manage to put out. Can't see you 'smashing' us though.

It probably will be the first of several clashes yes. I've not got too excited by our season yet. I know it's looked good (in parts) and winning your first seven is fine, but look at 2011 - if you lose the knockout games, it all counts for nothing. We could have in theory won all our league games this season and then lost in the semi final. How gutting would that be?

Wigan could be without John Bateman and Anthony Gelling

I fear a Pie team of youngsters more than any.
History tells us how against all odds they always do us.

I think in terms of the bookies they will be favourites for this, there isn't much between the 2 teams and they have the home advantage (seriously how many 50/50 calls will go our way). I'm hoping that it will be a classic and we can put in our best performance of the season. 80 minutes like the first half against Cas would be nice.

Who's the ref..please be Thaler

A pie mate at work said they had some young ref called Kendall vs HKR. He said that even him and his mates were embarrassed by some of the calls that went Wiggin's way!

.........so let's hope it's not him

Have to go with Wigan on this one I'm afraid. Too many tired bodies from the last 2 matches. Wigan will have a strong line up even with their injuries. We've injuries too, but there will be more than 13 tired wire bodies on the pitch.

We've got 5 hours on Wigan. No excuse for tiredness.

Don't see why we should be any more tired than the pies?

Hull match must have taken a lot out of them.
Wigan will bring some fresh players in - partly through necessity.
Gids and Russell will probably come in - both recovering from injuries which is slightly different to being 'rested' - along with someone to replace Westermann.
I hope I'm wrong but the talent machine at bringing young guys through at Wigan means the replacements will be ready.
That's why I think we'll be at the wrong end.
Very happy to be proven wrong !

What has suddenly happened to our strength in depth that we had till 3pm on Monday ? Teams have had to cope with 2 games over Easter since Adam was a lad & until 20 years ago the players had to hold down full time jobs as well.

Ref is Hicks video ref is Bentham.

Difficult to predict with both teams losing players with hopefully some returning, if Gidley is back I would give Patton a go at interchange hooker it may have been hinted at on another thread it's just that I keep going back to Ratchford is a centre.

Gidley back would be a boost but we have other good players to give us a chance of a win, Wigan are doing nothing wrong at the moment so would be favourites on home soil, as for myself always the optimist and looking forward to a good game.

History tells us when things dont go to plan in big games for Wigan, they apply thug tactics.
The loss in the Grand Final still etched in my mind!

TS learnt a valuable lesson from that defeat, not to run a bench with 4 forwards again.
For that reason Ratchford covers all our bases. IMO I think he'll start off the bench, initially as hooker replacement.

Agreed

Since when did Ben Westwood play for Wigan? And was Blake Green your Stand Off that day? I think you're confused.

'People in glass houses...' springs to mind my friend OR 'You started it (the thuggery) and we finished it'.

Whichever you prefer.