Ashton
Bateman
Crowther
Currie
Drinkwater
Fitzgibbon
Holroyd
King
Lindop
Musgrove
Nicholson
Philbin
Powell
Tai
Wray
Thewlis
Vaughan
Walker
Whitehead
Williams
Yates

Interesting call in the back row, with Fitzgibbon, Bateman, Nicholson and Currie now all available. Maybe it will be Fitzgibbon on the bench this week, as it's his first game back, but after that, there's a decision to be made. Either way, it doesn't look like Holroyd will get any more game time this season, unless we pick up injuries of course. If that's the case, he can count himself very unlucky, as he was playing really well.

Yes, Fitzgibbon on the bench this week - Burgess hinted as much. I'd assume Bateman to start left back row before moving to 13 to spell Currie?

Longer term, yes I think Holroyd will sit out the rest of the season unless we suffer with injuries / suspensions. Tough on him but then he's played more games this year than he could have dared hope and has areas to work on.

Fully fit Currie starts at 13, Fitzgibbon starts left back row. That leaves one of Bateman or Nicholson to play on the right with the other on the bench in place of Crowther - tough on him as well.

For Leigh I'd expect

CTW
Thewlis
Tai
King
Ashton
Williams
Drinkwater
Vaughan
Powell
Yates
Nicholson
Bateman
Currie

Walker
Musgrove
Fitzgibbon
Philbin / Crowther

Pretty much agree with your line up, tough to choose between Crowther and Philbin. .With Harrison out I’d probably go with Philbin

Leigh squad: Gareth O'Brien, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Josh Charnley, Matt Moylan, Lachlan Lam, Tom Amone, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Kai O'Donnell, Jack Hughes, Matt Davis, Frankie Halton, Owen Trout, Ollie Holmes, Keanan Brand, Umyla Hanley, Louis Brogan, Brad Dwyer, Darnell McIntosh, Aaron Pene.

Just the eight ex-Wire players in there, by my reckoning!

Plenty with a point to prove. This could be one of the hardest games of our season & the Wire will need to be at their best. No room for half ars*d efforts this week.

I don’t think we do half d efforts any longer. We can play poorly, come up against a good side or have Matty Russell start on the wing….but the effort effort is always there.

How the mighty are fallen, we are Leiigh’s feeder club.

Yeah exactly this, i would like to see Philbin get another Game under his belt. His speed and energy will suit this game i think.

I wouldn’t risk Fitzgibbon at all for this game. The squad has been more than capable of getting the wins in his absence.. Leigh at home are a formidable force and with a play off place still attainable, Lam will have his team firing. Plenty of rough tough rugby by Leigh, might see that dodgy shoulder of Fitzgibbon go again. Save him for the final couple of games running into the play offs..

We don't have any real knowledge on the subject matter, medical, or personal, but in principle I agree with you Bobby....instinctively feels 'right'.

Whilst I understand the need to test it out prior to the GF, (ha ha) another couple of week's rest and recuperation with runs out v Huddersfield and London surely wouldn't do any harm and while he's been great for us, and probably first pick all things being considered SR isn't a position that we've been suffering with.

This, but also, wouldn't start him from the bench and waste 2 interchanges

I have a feeling we won't see Fitzgibbon tomorrow (which means no doubt he'll play). I don't think it's worth it and certainly not from the bench.

Can understand the hesitancy around it, but for me, if he's fit he plays, if he's not fit (or wont be till next year), save him for a game that really matters.

If he starts on the bench he goes to backrow when Currie comes off and Bateman moves to the middle - shouldn't be wasting a bench spot that way?

I agree, mainly in relation to getting him match-fit. Let's not forget that he has played just 65 minutes of rugby in three months, and there are only four games to go before the play-offs. He needs to get some decent minutes under his belt ASAP.

If fitz is full fit (touch wood) bateman becomes a bit of a luxury, he's been better at back row, wasn't as good as a middle(imo) unless we're going to change the bench layout (9 and middle replacements) and the way we interchange (subbing back rowers) we've done that a bit but mainly end of games, comfortable leads

He’s only had one game at 13 though right, and that was his first game? He's improved since then and will have a better idea now you would think on positioning and plays etc. for me the back row should remain as Fitz, Nicholson and Currie, with Bateman on the bench to spell Currie and provide cover for 3, 4, 11, 12 & 13. He takes Crowthers place on the bench.

Burgess said he gave Fitz an extra few weeks to take the pressure off his comeback. He's been in full training for at least 2 weeks, if his shoulder is going to go it doesn't matter who we play.
He needs match fitness running in to the playoffs, if he doesn't play it will be harder each week until he does.

I don't think Fitz is going to be fully fit at all this season, I hope I'm wrong, but if not, I hope SB has learned from Wembley and doesn't risk him in the playoffs or the GF - if we get there!

If Fitzgibbon is fully fit, the second row spots are himself and Bateman. With Nicholson at 13, Currie to take a bench spot over Crowther. Bateman is showing game on game improvement, if he continues, then his form going into the playoffs and his experience in knock out rugby will only help Wire. Currie in the bench gives more options in covering various positions which he’s played before. Am starting Nicholson, I just think he offers more in attack with the lines he runs. Picking up the tries as well something he has done more than Currie this season.

I think this shows the signing of Bateman was opportunistic rather than fully thought through. Currie is currently undroppable in my view, unless SB wants to rest him.

Agreed, it’s Currie’s distribution that sets him apart from the other three, his spot is as nailed down as a fully fit Fitzgibbon for me.

Tonight will be one of, if not the toughest game of the season for us. Leigh will be right up for it and in good form. If Fitzgibbon is fit, he has to play. Have to keep the pressure on the top two.

I can't argue with your post IF he is FULLY fit on the other hand and I think that most of the wrap him up for another week or two posters are saying this is isn't the ideal game to test out an 80% Fitzgibbon as you say it will be our toughest game given the opposition and what's at stake.

Just hope we make the right call and of course get the win NTW

Bateman has been much better in the last two games and played well.

For me though, if everyone's fit, our best back three on the evidence of this season are Fitzgibbon, Nicholson and Currie.

If there's any doubt over Fitzgibbon's fitness tonight though he should definitely sit it out because it will be a tough, physical game and Leigh will want to hurt us. Paradoxically those are the same reasons I would want a fit Fitzgibbon in the team if we came up against them again in the playoffs; he was the one who dragged us off the canvas in the home game.