Yeah, that would be my guess. I'm expecting:

Dufty
Thewlis
Ratchford
Mata'utia
Ashton
Williams
Drinkwater
Vaughan
Clark
Bullock
Currie
Nicholson
Harrison

Kasiano
Mikaele
Walker
Holroyd

Price has a few options when it comes to rotation. I agree that he'll probably start with Vaughan up front and Harrison at 13, it's more a question as to who the other starting prop is.

Kasiano and Mikaele are best used coming off the bench but having both on the field together does concern me. Nicholson can play at the back but another option would be to give Walker bigger minutes and spell Clark at 13.

I'd start whitehead or holroyd, keep Harrison to come off the bench and Tey break up the mikaele kasiano poser

One of them being that he doesn't have to pick the team since he's not employed by us anymore

Doh

The problem is, no one is silly enough to believe that Price is alone in insensitively using a term that's deemed unacceptable, it's obviously something that's been banded about training when referencing a player's core strength belying their true size. I'm sure if we placed microphones in every club and had a dedicated team analysing all that was said, we'd be totally shocked. I'll bet even the most holier-than-thou players make occasional slip-ups in general conversation.

If we want to sort this out properly, we need to work on changing the culture within the playing side of the clubs. And therein lies the rub: As someone mentioned previously, match day is like the battlefront in a war. The players chant crazy war songs and are sent out to fight after being psyched up to 'make them bleed' and 'cause some hurt'. Just look at the 'TF and the Wire' chant and the tub-thumping for heaven's sake. I don't think I've once seen anyone complain about that on here (me included) and yet I know damn well it's highly offensive to women as I watch it, when I'm pumped up after a win. Shame on me for not condemning it before now. At least I'll own up to it and accept it's a problem, whilst at the same time being pragmatic enough to understand [iwhy[/i we do it. I'm not going to take the moral high ground like I'm some sort of perfect specimen of a human.

Is there an easy fix? I doubt it. It's a long-term thing that needs some empathy and context, and won't be eradicated by a bit of simple 'cancel culture' (am I still allowed to use [ithat[/i term?

).

Do we need to get the landed gentry involved in playing & running the game ? At least they play their cards close to their chests & manage to avoid or cover up spoken or other indiscretions.

That's the 17 I think it should be as well.

Good post. In truth nothing was said on the pitch, or by Price, that isn't said around the work place, class room, and between friends in the UK every single day - and much worse too. I've used both words in the past if I am being honest and I suspect many on here have too.

My issue with this is the club should have learnt from the furore after Price and had a session on "lad's don't say stupid things in a public place" and as for a professional sportsman to be so culturally blind and out of step is incredible. Mind you players tend to do stupid things - look at Westerman for example.

I am amazed the club has not issued a statement too.

If Kasiano and makiele are both on the bench, after the first one comes on I hope the other then comes on later to replace him. Having them both on the field at the same time is asking for trouble. Vaughan and Harrison can luckily do big minutes for us.

Yes, it’s a bit of a concern isn’t it? And I doubt Rohan Smith will have missed it either.

Harrison will almost certainly be playing 13, until Philbin and sadly much later McGuire will play there.

Bullock will be our 4th prop until Dudson is available to play again.

During the close season I pointed out that having Kasiano and Mikaele on the pitch at the same time could be a major defensive issue for Wire. The try that Leigh scored against us demonstrated that.

Mikaele didn`t look any fitter than last season during the Leigh game and needs to show that he is good enough to play Super League. I hope he can.

2 things …
If we go on to win the next seven games without him…does he walk straight back in?

Isn’t it better to lose him now than hole he learns a lesson?

Realistically, today and next week are the big losses. We need a fast start after last season, and he undoubtedly adds grunt and experience. After that though, we will have Dudson back then Philbin for round 5 or 6 and will be playing against teams that are expected to be in the lower half. If, having signed a whole new squad, we can’t beat those teams in round 3 to round 7 because of one player, then the problems run deeper.

Hoping tonight, with a decent crowd behind them, we can get the job done.

Philbin was ineffective for the majority of 2022 bar the last game or so prior to injury and perhaps since 2019.

Clean slate....

Amazingly, or ironically, Philbin was back to his best in the game where he got injured.

Please. My New Year’s resolution is to be positive, I can’t fail after 47 days!

Philbin is an internationally recognised prop, selected by two different England/GB coaches. Theres a player there, if we use him right.

Last year, and much of 2020/2021, are now archived with the late 90’s, early 2000’s. What doesn’t kill you….

just on the mcguire thing, has anyone else read the transcript on the rfl site?

its pretty comprehensive, and very difficult to argue with their reasonings

He denied saying the word, and even though there is only one independent witness I can see why the balance of probability fell against him. He probably would have been better just owning up and saying he screwed up in the heat of the moment.

However:



The same RFL whose CEO was caught making a targeted racial joke during a pre-World Cup publicity event. And who was let off the hook by making an apology.

Leading by example right there then?

Has McGuire apologised? Can’t really get a reduction on the grounds or remorse, without being remorseful.

I do agree though, can’t have idiots at the top. Need a ruthless and uncompromising media machine.

I’ve not seen an official statement from the club and/or McGuire yet. The disciplinary notes stated something along the lines of being clearly remorseful, but that remorse doesn’t excuse the action (something along those lines).

I guess the club had to wait to find out the verdict before making an apology, because McGuire’s defence was that he didn’t actually say it.

He's adamant he didn't say it, don't expect an apology

Sort of puts the club in an awkward position regards any statement. I guess they will condemn use of the word without actually mentioning their position on whether he said it.

Something should be put out though, then we can draw a line under it and move on having hopefully learned a lesson.

Have a read of the minutes, it's an eye opener