Agreed. If it carries on at the present rate, Uncle Rico should consider adding 'first player to be sin-binned/sent off' as a category in the prediction competition!

You're probably right, Holmes could play 13 maybe? I really think longstaff should play but I have a feeling he won't.

1-4 on, for a yellow card given in each of tonight's games, points to not if a sin-binning happens, but when in any given fixture at the moment.

Perhaps it's the bad memory of our trip to Belle Vue last year playing on my mind, but I'm a little 'saddened' looking at the respective, prospective line ups, they're missing Lineham and Gaskell but don't seem overly concerned on their board.

We've a couple or three missing/carrying a knock and given our form I think that they will fancy their chances..

Take this for granted and it could be a long afternoon.

I'm preparing to take my frustration out on the garden.

Given that tackling is now a yellow card offence our decision to go lightweight in the pack is starting to look genius, we shouldn’t have any problems getting upfield and scoring… erm…well…erm

I'm afraid we are going to have to get used to the new standards. It really does spoil the game when someone goes off but the game it is not going to go back. If you make contact with the head with any force at all, even if it's a accident you have problems. Barry McDermott can stamp his feet and moan all day and get excited by the big hits but he is a dinosaur.

True. I think there are a lot of people who used to enjoy the physical confrontation and "big hits", some dare I say, even liked a bit of biff. Dinosaurs.

Yep. I have watched the Wire v Wigan World War 3 game several times. Love it.
I am a dinosaur too. The game is still tough but nothing like it was. You used to be on your guard playing "tuckin pass" at training or in the play ground.

I do wonder about the RFL and RFU interpretation of "duty of care" and protection of players against injury. Of course we can't have the wild west but take away the physical confrontation/intimidation and that is a big part of the game. When you see other sports like boxing, MMA, hurling etc you wonder how that sport is allowed to continue in it's current form but a shoulder charge in RL is not.

I cannot imagine current RL players have ever made representations to soften the game like this, this is coming from the administrators and lawyers. RL used to be self regulating. A dirty tackle got resolved on field with summary justice, not in a tribunal bar for exceptional cases. It's diminishing the spectacle and pantomime. RL used to be blood and guts.

In my opinion this has lead to the rise of simulation and feigning injury (cheating) which is now endemic in our sport where players implore the ref to send an opposition player off. This was unheard of 10 years ago and is a deeply unattractive additional to the game.

I'm just glad I grew up watching Boyd, Sorenson, Ward, Skerrett, Sampson et al and have those cherished memories. Dessie thumping a show boating Offiah was worth the entrance fee alone. These players would never have simulated an injury, they would never give the impression they had been hurt to the opposition. These tough players had your admiration and adulation.

WG reporting that Bullock has an elbow injury and will be out for 4 to 5 weeks.

There was a family behind me at the Catalans game who were clearly newcomers. They seemed to be enjoying themselves but were vocal in their huge disappointment that the tiny scuffle at the end didn’t erupt into a full blown brawl. Drinkwater should still be straightening his nose.

Personally I was heartened to see Ellis throw a few punches for Wigan v Catalans. Biff to a degree really should come back. I’d say 90%+ fans would welcome it.

So latest from WG is that Magoulias will be assessed tomorrow to see whether he’s fit (he’s trained today). There must also be question marks over D Clark as he sustained a neck injury in a crusher tackle last week. If both are fit I’d expect that we line up as per last week with the following exceptions;

Philbin, D Clark and Magoulias to start. Hughes, Butler, Longstaff and, I’ll day, Davis on the bench.

If D Clark isn’t fit then Walker to start and if Magoulias doesn’t make it then J Clark comes in. With an even lighter pack this week I don’t think that we can afford the luxury of having a specialist hooker on the bench.

I watched last nights game and I’m still baffled as to what else Fonua could’ve done

I watched last nights game and I’m still baffled as to what else Fonua could’ve done

Yeah i'd Say Butler will be getting more game time with Bullock out. Cooper & Philbin to start, with Butler/Hughes/J Clark as Rotational Props......not the best. We're much much weaker without Bullock, and with Mulhern out as well we're looking VERY light. Gonna have to scooby do the S#!t of Tomorrow. I'm hoping to see Magoulias play but would rather not risk him too soon. Keep J Clark on the bench with Hughes for prop cover and put Longstaff at 13 maybe.

Yep. Bad decision methinks. I've not watched it much but if the video ref. was involved I'm very surprised a yellow card was given.
At the moment we have not gone quite so far as Union ... where you can get sent off for farting.

When I see how easy it is to lose a few forwards I do think it would be handy to have Doro still about.

Yeah and Robson out on loan isn't great either, i know you can't predict injuries but there was an obvious chance if we got a few injuries (like now) in the forwards we're goosed. So i'm hoping Butler does get a chance and hits good form quickly.

It should be for playing well within his weight, and within some more than that, but it’s actually because he is injured.

Unfair IMO, bullock hasn't been the problem in our front row.