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.

Jullien has made a few starts off the bench, Wilde hasn't made any yet this season. However now the 19 man squad is announced, and Jullien isn't included (and I'm surprised by this), I'd guess that Philbin will take the fourth bench spot.*

*If Westerman is out.

When black eyes take you out of a game the same way a broken ankle does.

Who went to hospital and who won MotM tells you all you need to know.

You have an interesting definition of thuggery if what Westwood did doesn't constitute it, but what Hansen did does constitute it. Hansen's was a tackle that wasn't even illegal. Westwoods was a premeditated act of violence that also put Green in hospital. He didn't get MoM because of any good play in particular but because of his bravery in playing on after the assault.

And before this goes any further I quite like Ben Westwood. He's been a great RL player for some years now. I just object to people calling Wigan thugs, when it's clear that acts of thuggery have always had their place in the game. So take off the primrose spectacles.

Back in the day it was normal play, attacking ankles was never the norm.
Still can't believe we haven't adopted the Aus rules on poophouse 3rd man in Wigan tackles at knees or below, tackles that did for Ratchford and Myler.

Does Ratchford have ankles on his thighs?
Didn't Ashton Sims get suspended last season for punching a tackled player whilst he was prone on the ground, oh it was halfback, seems pretty common for your big lads doesn't it?

Thugs missing the main thugs.
Flower and Bateman are both ruled out.
I can only see a wire win now.

Punches v leg and ankle breaks and knee reconstructions...yeah totally valid points.

Not only us that think this...it seems to be the general consensus throughout super league that Wigan are dirty in te tackle.

Now let's not paint ourselves as angels nor the other super league clubs because we put a little niggle and cheapness into the game.
Wigan are at a different level though, and regularly so, especially Bateman and McIllorum, the amount of times i wince at tackles they put in when i watch them on Sky. Tackling styles brought in by 'Madge' brought over from Aus and subsequently banned in Aus but not so here.

Since Bateman came to Wigan he has been suspended once, for punching, but that's o.k. isn't it.

Lets put it this way, have the RFL changed any discplinary rulings or brought anything in partway through a season due to house tactics being used by warrington wolves? no

have they done the same for wigan warriors? yes

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/ru ... -1-3291199 www.castigers.com/article.php?id=4003

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/ru ... -1-3291199 www.castigers.com/article.php?id=4003

My recollection of the Hansen involvement in the tackle that damaged Ratchdord's ankles was a shoulder charge to Ratchford's hips while he was already held.

The tackle on ratchford in the grand final should of warranted a straight red card and diffiantly a ban. Players in rugby league have sometimes short careers due to the nature of the game , they don't earn a fraction of football players. But tackles like that can end careers. It was a shocking tackle, you just have to look at the manager to see where it stems from, looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp when he starts snarling and throwing his toys out the pram when a decision goes against his team. I was go as far to say he purposely took ratchford out of the game. Thugs by name thugs by nature

Just hope sandow a up for it Friday and he can go pie smashing !!!

If we can't beat that Wigan side then god help us. It's the worst side we've faced for years.

I think gidley will be so important Friday, I know sandow has got all the applause at the moment and he has been sheer class, but I think we really missed gidley's organisation against hull, he could be the difference I think against Wigan if he gets us around the field with his skills.

We'll give it a dig I'm sure but to be missing 7 certs out of our strongest 17 is going to push it too far. We've have no fluidity in attack as it is and to lose our two biggest metre makers in Gelling and Bateman will be huge.

It'll be tight for 25/30 mins I reckon and then you'll pull clear. Wire by 20.

Why do games that involve the top sides always end up as p155ing contests on forums about which side is the dirtiest and which side has the most injuries?
I'm just looking forward to a great game irrespective of who's missing on either side
As a neutral i think you're both dirty sides that love to put the Niggle into each game..........So what

I also object to people calling Wigan the "thugs", it's a crap fan jibe I've never liked and I hate Wigan so it's not like I'm sticking up for them through some soft spot. If anything, the only Super League team who play with anywhere near the aggression and intensity of NRL teams is Wigan and they stand out for that but fans of other clubs think it's them being thugs when it's not. Fans of other clubs should be emploring their teams to play with greater intensity and aggression and we might have a better competition for it rather than moan at the one team who do.

I don't like Wigan's constant trapping in and moving off the mark to try and milk penalties or their remarkable lying on which at times is something to behold how they get away with it, but they aren't thugs.

I'm sorry, did you miss the fadge years ? 2010 onwards ?
I'm not one for jumping on a bandwagon or needlessly carrying on a meme for the sake of it (if you've ever rung the club shop, they would vouch for that )

But the goons reputation over the last half decade of being thugs and bending rules as well as leg joints is well earned. Granted, they're not had bad as previous but the ethos of wane is a complete negative in rugby terms.

Eg Ben flower.