Bullock
Currie
Drinkwater
Dufty
Fitzgibbon
Holroyd
King
Lindop
Musgrove
Philbin
Powell
Nicholson
Ratchford
Tai
Taylor-Wray
Thewlis
Vaughan
Walker
Whitehead
Williams
Wood

Still no Ashton, so Taylor-Wray or Lindop on the wing.

Yeah I'd go with Lindop. I'd probably go Tai in the centres. So for me

Dufty
Thewlis
Tai
King
Lindop
Williams
Drinkwater
Vaughan
Walker
Harrison
Nicholson
Fitzgibbon
Currie

Bullock
Musgrove
Wood
Powell

Harrison not in the squad.

A minimum of 4 changes from last week (Hayes, Russell, Harrison and Crowther).

I'd like to see Lindop involved but its also a decent game to give Tai a run, he's played wing before I think?

Any shouts for Ratchord at 7 ahead of Drinkwater?

Dufty
Thewlis
Ratchford
King
Tai
Williams
Drinkwater
Vaughan
Walker
Philbin
Nicholson
Fitzgibbon
Currie

Powell
Bullock
Wood
Musgrove

Not from me. Go for a like-for-like replacement - keep it simple.
I think Burgess has done the sensible thing by resting a couple of forwards this week too. No disrespect to Hull - who might be showing a few signs of improvement, judging purely by last week's result - but it's still the obvious game in which to do it.

Quote ="The Speculator" I think Burgess has done the sensible thing by resting a couple of forwards this week too. No disrespect to Hull - who might be showing a few signs of improvement, judging purely by last week's result - but it's still the obvious game in which to do it.'" Conformation from Burgess about Harrison and Crowther :- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/wa ... ve-returns

Quote ="The Speculator" I think Burgess has done the sensible thing by resting a couple of forwards this week too. No disrespect to Hull - who might be showing a few signs of improvement, judging purely by last week's result - but it's still the obvious game in which to do it.'" Conformation from Burgess about Harrison and Crowther :- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/wa ... ve-returns

Appreciate the heads up SHW, I'd swap Philbin for Harrison.

I did consider it in my suggested team above but then remembered Stefs pattycake with Lafai last week and though, Drinkwater needs to get a chance he's in the shop window now and needs to up his game.

I hope his kicking for distance improves and he keeps it simple I'm attack letting Williams and Dufty run the plays.

in the absence of Hayes, Drinkwater has to start surely?

Rather we played Shirley

I suspect Tai will be in the centres with Lindop on the wing.
(Must have missed it but has Russell been dropped or is he injured?).
Drinky at 7
Ratch 18th man
I'd start with Vaughan and Musgrove. Philbin seems to make his best plays coming on after 20 min.
Bullock, Wood and Powell fill the bench with Joe.

I doubt Russell will play for us again after his performance last week.

Taylor-Wray’s inclusion is interesting. It would suggest either Russell is well out of the reckoning, or the Dufty is being considered for a rest.

Not a bad game to pick for it, without disrespecting Hull.

I get that people are saying not a bad game to shuffle the pack including the "no disrespect" rider, but FC will be smarting,

I think that they've still got a few out but have a couple of big units up front, Truman on the brink of a comeback and they were looking a lot tidier v Leeds last time out.

I'll be happy to see us get back to winning ways and move on

Interesting one if he did get a game id put Thewlis at FB and start him on the wing i think FB for your early 1st team super league starts is a lot, even if that is your position.

Im with some others on here though id field strongest backline possible especially with Hayes missing in the halves i think Dufty is key to attack, and i think he needs a confidence booster game. I think Taylor-Wrays inclusion is a message to Matty Russell and a chance for a young guy to be close to the matchday side as a reward for his performance, let's get back to winning ways.

I would underestimate Hull at our peril. Changes afoot, players coming back, sense of "they think they've already won lads" in their dressing room (and in the past we've gone out with that mentality, or it felt like it)

Looking at the betting, the bookies can't tell if this is going to be a 6pt win or a 40pt win and neither can I at the moment.

It's just about finding the right balance. After the Hull game, we have a very tough run with Hull KR, the Cup semi-final, Catalans and Wigan. If we played our first-choice team against Hull, won easily, and then players were looking fatigued in a month's time, people would be saying 'why didn't he rest a few when he had the chance?'. I'm certainly not classing Hull as a gimme, but I'm still OK with Burgess resting a couple of forwards this week, and as you say, if we can just win and move on, then happy days.

Totally see your point and on reflection I agree. Although subtle it's probably this no disrespect angle that concerns me most. Admittedly it's probably genuine unlike when people use "with all due respect" in an argument often meaning the opposite.

Let's hope for the win and move on.

What i'd go for, but Taylor-wray might get a shot on the wing but i'm not sure?

I’m not sure we can pick Ratchford after the struggle that he had containing Lafai at the weekend. Yes, Lafai is a handful for anyone, but he was reduced to a turnstile. Didn’t offer much in the way of attack either. 18th man for me (for versatility and experience value)

Wrench is still the preferred choice, so I think it’s a foot race between Tai and Lindrop. The other going out to the left wing to plug the Ashton gap.

Thewlis is fortunate that we aren’t blessed in wing stock, his defence has been hit and miss for a while often finding himself in no man’s land between the centre and winger. That said, it must be really difficult having had three centres in the first 10 games, and disruption with both halfback and second row on that side. I think keeping Thewlis, Williams and Nicholson together has its merit, so if Dufty has a rest, put the kid at fullback. If we lose, it won’t be the fault of a kid. We have more than enough in the pack and halves to mitigate for a naive youngster and is a great show the squad as a whole that we are not panicking and reverting to Ratchford at 1 because he’s steady.

It’s a good debate about the pro’s and con’s of the bye rounds in the NRL. Clubs have a blank space on the calendar where they can push the stars to their limit knowing there’s a break in the horizon. Against our position where that rest actually opens the door to show youth players what first grade looks like, give them almost an action plan of where they need to work when they go back to lower grades or loans, and monitor their progress. For once, I think we’re in a good place on this and can make an informed choice on contract renewals having seen Holroyd, Wood, Whitehead, Lindrop, Taylor-Wray etc. in and around the match day experience rather than gambling.

Lots to be positive about. Complete 180 from where we have been.

Hayes' injury has forced one change but, in any case, I was expecting him to be withdrawn from the firing line at some point in the near future and Drinkwater to be given some game time and the chance to prove himself (he's had just 2 ½ games under Burgess). Russell had a bad game and needed to be dropped, Harrison and Crowther have played a lot of minutes and I think that there were signs, Crowther in particular, that performances were dipping. With Musgrove coming back, and with some tough rounds ahead of us, it feels like the right decision to rest them.

With four changes already confirmed by the squad selection it will be interesting to see whether or not Ratchford stays in, I suspect that he will.

100% They've got a big powerful squad, if we turn up like we did last week they'll run right over us.

We really haven't, we have Ese Ese who has been excellent and Pele with potential, that's about it in the pack.

Trueman should be back but has been out for months.

Briscoe will give us some go forward and Walker looks good, but should be a comfy Warrington victory.

The weather forecast shows heavy rain for the match, so I'm expecting a dour affair with lots of handling errors. My confidence is starting to ebb a bit, I must say. Not sure about comfy - I'll just be happy with a win.