Wazza Guardian is saying Dec Patton to replace Kurt & Toby King for Ryan

I think if I were Patton or King I would be playing this game as if it was a Wembley final. Atkins will only be out for one match and Kurt Gidley's omission has 'rest' written all over it rather than injury. If they impress it will give TS confidence to use them a bit more liberally during the last 7 games. And without the pressure of the big Catalan and Hull packs or the innovative Wign tackling style, HKR seems like a good choice to show what they can do.

In an ideal world every player should be under pressure to perform every game to retain his shirt. With the younger squad members it should be even more so as they have limited opportunities.

With regard to resting players it would be good if we could give big Hilly a week off, I think it would do him a lot of good but just can't imagine our team without him playing.

I agree with the reason of resting him, but with Sims, Dodds, Gidley and Atkins missing already, I don't think we could afford it. Maybe vs Salford?

What a mickey poor team, HKR comfortable winners.

Yep your right can't believe it's not us receiving the start on the handicap

Gidley out with minor hamstring injury.

Yes, I saw that BW. It's just that Gidley is 34 and I think 'slight hamstring' is TS speak for one match rest after a couple of tough games.

He is just joking - and being complementary about the quality of the team we are putting out regardless of injuries.

Did you not notice in the widnes game he pulled up and was limping? Managed to run it off and obviously with that winning kick he looked fine. Apparently he has pulled it again during training so wouldn't be surprised if he misses Salford as well. We need him back for Cas and Hudds tho, especially if Brough is playing, he will make all the difference.

I know, maybe my quote didn't come across as the same,the hint was in the handicap,oh well back to the drawing board.

I think Wigan will be challenged this week, so we have an opportunity to catch them. Sadly, I don't see Hull slipping up tonight.

If we do drop points tomorrow, the tilt got the top is over, and we would be chasing to make a home semi.

I don't quite understand why our tilt for the top of the table would be over? wouldn't we still have 10 games to catch them after Friday?

Yes but would then require us to win them.ten games and hull to lose a few too. We have blew our great start and our inconsistent form.gives us no real indication we could go on.a ten game win streak. Whilst it's mathematically possible it's also highly unlikely we will get top spot

he was studded apparently. Quite nasty front of his shin.

just checked its 8

It's not that big a gap. We win tonight and we are two points off top even if Wigan win tomorrow. If we are level with Wigan and Hull, we'll be top cos our points difference is so much better. Catalans might pip us on points difference if they get a couple of big wins.

It's happened a lot this year it changing after the initial bet.

It's pretty typical of us in the past where we lose games like this instead of clawing back points.
Also, good to see like for like replacements in the squad when injuries happen etc rather than juggling everyone around and players not having a consistent position. Maybe we have turned a corner in learning lessons on both counts.

i'm hopeing we've learned a lesson on taking kickable penalties when the time is sort of right, rather than going or bust.

Just hope our game management doesn't suffer with Gidley not playing, especially if its close

Dead right!
I must admit over the years the refusal to kick simple penalties has annoyed me in tight games especially when we look unlikely to score a try. We have been guilty of being too optimistic of our attacking potential. When we fail to score the try it only seems to add to the pressure on us. Leeds with Sinfield (remember him) rarely turned down the simple two points.

I agree, although when we played them in the Challenge Cup Final rightly or wrongly (beer goggles?) I saw it as a sign of weakness, or perhaps it was less to do with beer and more to do with the confidence I had with our team at that time.

It can have the opposite effect too. Remember against Hull a few week back. The whole stadium screamed for us to 'take the two' we did just that, then everything went flat, and that was when Hull won the game IMO.

its now 6