Here's how Phil Wilkinson see's us lining up -

Sarginson
Manfredi
Gelling
Gildhart
Charnley
O'Loughlin
Smith
Clubb
Powell
Flower
Gregson
Bateman
Burke

Breatherton
Sutton
Mossop
Tautai

Apprently Williams and Farrell are doubts dispite being in the 19.

Blimey! A real test this. Kevin Brown is probably the best player in the competition at present.

The bookies are giving Widnes +12 on the handicap and 3/1 to win outright.

I wouldn't normally bet against my own team, but no Williams and Farrell - may be tempted there.

I saw Phil Wilkinson's report and thought the same. Both Faz and Williams are named in the squad though.

Brown is great going forward, but isn't the best defensively, and goes down 'injured' nearly every game I've seen him play (slight exaggeration but you get the point).

Added to this is the fact that although Widnes have done well and look good, the teams they have beaten are all currently the bottom sides, including both Leeds and Huddersfield at the height of their injury crises. The only team they've lost to are Salford, which are incidentally the highest placed team they've played against.

I'm not saying they're not good, but we've got an unbelievable home record at present, and the best defence in the league so far this season. Widnes have scored a lot of points, but those massive scores were against teams with awful defence.

If we win I think it will be a low scoring win as our attack hasn't been amazing so far, but hopefully our home record and defence can pull through for us.

As with the previous five games we just need to find a way to win until the injured lads are back on board. Widnes have been great this year and look really well coached. Their attack looks excellent and they have players willing to make runs in to space to support the ball carrier. That said this will be their biggest test by a distance so far and it'll be the best defence they've faced.

It should be a really good game.

I'm feeling very confident about this one. Widnes are artificially top by virtue of playing an extra game and not having played any of the form sides yet (except Salford, who beat them). They're going well but I can't see them having enough to break our home record, particularly as we usually spank them at the DW. Our attack looked pretty threatening on Friday too. I'll go 38-10

Grimmy by name Grim by nature what a statment to make yourself look a right muppett. you say Widnes are artificially top by virtue of playing an extra game and not having played any of the form sides yet (except Salford, who beat them. Well go on then grimmy tell us the form sides you have played and beaten to be second hmmmmmm you beat huddersfield 18-13 beat widnes beat them 36-18 you beat hull fc 26-25 big win mate lol we widnes beat hull fc 46-6. you beat leeds 28-6 widnes beat leeds 56-12 !!!! you did have that massive win against the dragons mind 12-6 ha ha ha and managed to beat salford 20-16. widnes lost to salford as you stated after going down 22 nil to come back and nearly win 28-20. so i can see where your coming from with all them spankings of form sides you are dishing out lol





. I think a bit of respect and honesty wouldent go a miss but as your name suggests grimmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy.Ps i dont expect to beat u hope we do but it will be our toughest game yet and not impossible wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidnes

I see the education system in Widnes is thriving

It's alright, they've won a few games now they're the best side in the comp.

Just look back to 2014 and they were in a similar position at this stage in the season, where did they end up again?

I'm not saying I'm confident that we'll beat them, but I'm confident they won't be in the top 4 come the end of the season.

They've got a good side and are playing well, but a couple of injuries and their squad looks thin.

Widnes are where they are on merit, and it's completely disrespectful of any fan to deny them that. I have really enjoyed watching them this season, they have played some fast, open, entertaining rugby. The game tomorrow should be good test of where we are both at, but it won't be the defining point as to where either end in the August/September. As someone else has said, squad depth will play a major part on where any team ends up, it's highly unlikely that a club will go through the season without at least six injuries at various times, and whoever can keep their squad the healthiest as the season goes on will have the better chance.

I think Widnes have done very well this season - I like the way they have built up gradually over recent seasons and have improved year on year. They are top because they have earned it so far - maintaining that form especially as Rogues points out injuries can be a huge factor for any club.

I suspect we may struggle in this game against a form team and with possibly some key players missing. Any victory for Wigan will be a good one I think and I certainly do not expect it to be easy. From what I have seen of Widnes so far they pose more attacking threat than any team we have faced.

Hopefully a good game with a Wigan win at the end of it (by any margin) - will do for me.

At last a bit of respect and realism,I'm hoping we will give you lot a good game as imo we aren't as good as some people say but we are top on merit as apart from the salfraud game where we were shocking early doors we have beaten everyone put in front of us and that's all any team can do

This game will show where we are upto and I'm hoping for a fair crack from the ref for both sides so no-one can blame him for the result and it will make for a cracking close game (I hope)

I don't think you'll find any Wigan fan who, if he's honest, won't admit that this is going to be our toughest test of the season so far.

And I'm glad of that. I have fond memories of the days when Widnes were our deadliest rivals.

And you were doing so well..... I bet Leeds are you second fave team..

Where are all the Widnes fans on their forum?
A great start to their season, top of the league, big game tomorrow night against local rivals and their forum is dead. Literally!

Quote ="MattyB"Where are all the Widnes fans on their forum? A great start to their season, top of the league, big game tomorrow night against local rivals and their forum is dead. Literally!'" We are original and have our own forum www.wissl.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

Quote ="MattyB"Where are all the Widnes fans on their forum? A great start to their season, top of the league, big game tomorrow night against local rivals and their forum is dead. Literally!'" We are original and have our own forum www.wissl.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

Love to go and read the Widnes forum but I get a website safety alert. Warning: Trouble ahead Whoa! Are you sure you want to go there? www.wissl.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=14&am... may be risky to visit. Why are you seeing this? When we visited this site, we found it exhibited one or more risky behaviors

Love to go and read the Widnes forum but I get a website safety alert. Warning: Trouble ahead Whoa! Are you sure you want to go there? www.wissl.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=14&am... may be risky to visit. Why are you seeing this? When we visited this site, we found it exhibited one or more risky behaviors

I think we can see why the Widnes forum is hardly thriving. Outrun is clearly hogging the communal braincell.

Ok not so eloquently put Grimmy but you get the point. Do you think Wigan are blowing teams away? Who would you say was a fantastic result against? Wigan's biggest test so far was Brisbane and they failed miserably.

I read a heck of a lot of neutrals that tipped Hull to beat us last week and after a shakey start they couldn't handle us. Tonight is of course our toughest test but I'm sure the players are taking it more serious that some of the dismissive fans here.

A couple of weeks ago I'd have been more worried, but bar a ten minute lapse we really dominated Hull FC, and we looked better again against Leeds, and could have put 50 past them if Williams had played or a few passes had stuck. We have won our last 25 SL games at the DW, and since you returned to SL our record against you at the DW is:

Won 20-10
Won 48-04
Won 48-04 (again)
Won 62-04
Won 54-12

I know the 'done thing' is to say it'll be a tough one with no more than a score in it so I don't look daft if we lose but i think the above is fair reason for me to be confident. I reckon we look more likely to step up that extra gear and blow you away, or at worst grind out the win, than for you to finally end our SL home run. Obviously the players won't be as relaxed as me and will be treating this as one they will need to play at their best to win. FWIW if this was an away game I'd be predicting a win by no more than 6.

I am in the same boat as Grimmy pretty much. Except that if we don't win I won't feel stupid as it's just a prediction and nobody can be certain what will happen out there on the pitch tonight. But I'm not that worried that out home winning streak will be ended tonight.

As I said, if you look back to 2014 Widnes had a similar start to that season too, and fell off in the end, I am predicting something similar this year, unless they can be extremely lucky and remain injury free. They have a good team, and I think it will be a good game tonight, but if Wigan defend like they have been doing then I feel confident.

Am I reading this right that if Widnes finish in the top 4/5 you think it will be purely down to luck?

I thought our defence last week was very aggressive and looked really solid. Thought our attack quite frankly in the first half was pretty awful but improved a bit in the second half.
Just don't see 28 points between the teams.
If Widnes can defend their line well I'd give them a decent chance tonight unless we improve our passing game which has been pedestrian, telegraphed with zero dummy runners.
I would turn your argument around and say that we haven't played anybody yet that can actually attack at pace with perhaps the exception of Salford who could have nicked it near the end.
We have zero pace so will be interesting to see how we try and combat the Widnes attack particularly on a good dry surface. Looking forward to it.

Not sure I'd agree with you regarding zero pace, Manfredi and Charnley both made good breaks last week, not many can catch Gildart, Gelling, Sarginson or Williams, Bateman and Farrell and rapid for second rowers. Flower is very mobile for a prop. That's nearly half the 17 I'd class as amongst the fastest in SL in their position.