I think it comes down to his physicality. He is deceptive, has an excellent short kicking game, knows how to throw a pass but you wouldn't want him taking or making many tackles to be honest. There's only so much someone with the body of Mr. Burns can do

i think grix offers more than harrison at loose. but i suppose he should be well rested after a week off! glad westwood is back.
Bridge to play half for sure... to dangerous with the ball in hand compared to the others!

Personally would leave Bridge and Hodgson on their best positions, centre an full back respectively.

I'd play Clarke in the halfs, his defence is good against a big agressive side and he has a good kicking game.

I just hope The Lord Tony Smith leaves M Monnas at 9 and doesn't contemplate us using Higham & Clarke in there. I cant wait for the team to be announced. Myler will be ever so important for us tonight and hopefully will continue with his good form. I'm not sure on Riley though following his showing last week. Hopefully we play Atkins at centre and Evans on the wing with Chris Bridge & big Joel down the other side. If Morley, Carvell & Woody produce the kind of game we know they can I think we will be fine. Warrington by 4 i would take now.

I quite like the look of Fatbelly's team earlier, especially the men @ 1 & 6. That could be a winner, whenever Briers is injured. Myler's looked good (for the most part) this season....Friday is a BIG examination of how far he's come in his time at Wire, with regards to Briers' absence.

I'm looking at Friday's game, the same way I looked at the away games @ Stains & Wigan. Both teams slightly depleted. Big battle in the forwards, and us to shade it.
If we defend like I know we can, we'll win. Hudds threw everything at Wigan a month ago, and the Pies just absorbed everything they had (good advert for Ultras, there), and then, hit them.

The Squad in full is (in numerical order):

1. Scott Grix
2. Michael Lawrence
3. Leroy Cudjoe
4. Lee Gilmour
5. David Hodgson
6. Kevin Brown
7. Danny Brough
8. Eorl Crabtree
9. Luke Robinson
11. Luke O’Donnell
13. David Faiumu
14. Shaun Lunt
16. Andy Raleigh
17. Danny Kirmond
18. Larne Patrick
19. Graeme Horne
20. Jermaine McGillvary
36. Jamie Simpson
37. Dale Ferguson

Due to Nathan Brown rotating the squad all season I wouldn't like to predict the line up. But our 4 props are likely to be Crabtree, Raleigh, Patrick and Horne, Probably the weakest front row we've had all season with Mason and Griffin out and then Fa'alogo missing from the 2nd row. The only position that is probably deffo is Grix at Full back who's been awesome all season.

Horne? As in Graeme Horne? Prop? What?


Not a bad time to play you then. We just need to get back to doing what we do best we should be OK. Hoping for a positive reaction to what I feel was complacency last week.

...fair play to Hudds, that's a pretty decent side, considering their absentees, too.

Cast your mind back about a decade, Hudds were seen as a bit of a joke when they hit SL. Slowly, but surely (not going into Richard Burton, here), they've built up a good squad. Couple of CC finals, and decent shows in the play-offs.

I've never rated Horne but to be fair to the lad he's been decent this season and we've bulked him up. Raleigh and Patrick will give 100% as always and I hope Eorl has some fire in his belly for this one cos he'll need it, all too often he goes too quiet in games for me. Wouldn't surprise me to see Tony Smith trying to beat us down the middle on Friday due to our lack of size.

Id expect faiumu to be propping as he has aleady done that this season, good footwork around the big men to free up the off loads. Im woried about high balls to the wingers though.

Sshhhhhh! Don't tell them how weak we are with high balls on the wings!!!

I thought Hodgson was a solid winger?? Maybe Lawrence is iffy but wouldnt put that many up to Hodgson!

Depends who Nathan Brown chooses as our Wingers tomorrow. Neither may be on the wings. I'd expect McGillvary to be one of the wingers, strong as an ox but a bit of a short.

It'll be interesting to see who Smith decides to use at six. I really don't want to see Monas moved into the halves, and I believe its highly unlikely too.

That leaves Bridge, Clarke or Grix in my opinion.

I've been invariably underwhelmed with Grix this year so he would be my third choice.

Some have hinted at Hodg, but seriously? With Brough's unreal kicking ability I can honestly say I'd like to see our first choice FB actually at FB for this one, thanks!

So, I'd go with perhaps;

Hodgs
Joel
Blythe
Atkins
Evans
Bridge (if its not working, can switch with Clarke/Grix)
Myler
Morley
Monas
Carvell
Anderson
Westwood
Harrison

Grix/Clarke
Wood
Solomona
Higham

Whether we like it or not TS is bound to play Mike Monas in the halves with Myler and Clarke/Higham at hooker. He'll still appear at acting half a lot though. Just can't see wholesale positional changes when just one will do. We might see it as a backward step but I'm certain TS doesn't.
I'll got for (until Juke proves me completely wrong) -

Hodgson
J Monas
Blythe
Bridge
Evans
Myler
M Monas
Morley
Clarke
Carvell
Westwood
Anderson
Harrison

I/change -
Higham
Wood
Solomona
Grix

That's a good point. I'd been thinking Brett at 6 because I think Bridge struggles making the right decisions there, but on balance you are right we need someone who can collect all the kicks we'll surely be receiving.

I'd leave out Higham - we need Grix for threequarter / halfback cover and Clarke offers more backrow backup.

Where is Juke when we need him? Lol

If our pack performs like it can and Monas is on form, we should see a significant improvement on last week, even though we are against stronger opposition. The players will be keen to put last week behind them so I am reasonably confident.

Hope you're right SEB. Think it'll be close.

clarke in the halves would be steadiest, without getting all radical.

monas should in no way be removed from the hooking position, not even in case of fire.

Do we want steadiness or creativity? If you want both, put Solomona at 6!! Anything but Clarke! INFACT pull Gary Hulse in on loan!!!

Too steady, if you paired Clarke with Myler you would have very little creativity in the halves. Neither of them are noted for taking on the line that often, Huddersfield have Robinson, Brough and Lunt who all like to take on the line, Luke Robinson has certainly upped his game in recent years and Brough is always a danger.

I`d go with Myler and Bridge in the halves, Michael Monaghan can drop into first reciever at the back end of the tackle count for the kicks.

I'd probably go with that too. However, I wonder if Smith might be tempted to stick Clarke there to shore us up in middle defensively, especially as they have Robinson/Brough/Lunt scooting from Dummy Half?

tbh, i was trying to keep the backline intact, but if atkins is back we could do him and blythe at centre. Or evans.

Thinking about it, last time bridgey played in the halves he was pretty good, much better than when he was a fixture at 6.

yes i agree faiumu may play prop position