Reckon most of team picks itself, big question is Isa, keep him at centre and drop Halsall or move him back in the pack and drop one of Smithies/KP-P, reckon Shorrocks is safe to spell Powell at 9

Halsall has been solid as a rock. I openly admitted that in the limited times I’d seen him in the academy I thought he was ok but I wasn’t hugely convinced he’d be up to first team level. Whilst he has a way to go yet, I can only admire the start he’s made. He just looks so assured with and without the ball. He maybe lacks half a yard of pace to become an absolute stand out but I’d certainly keep him in for Thursday.

The rest of the questions would then be around the make up of the pack and bench. I very much doubt it being in Lams plans but if Bullock is available, I’d want him in and so we’re not getting pinned in our forty from the off, I’d probably start him and go-

Hardaker
Halsall Bibby Gildart Marshall
Smith Hastings
Singleton Powell Bullock
Isa Farrell Bateman

Subs
Havard Byrne Partington Smithies

Harsh on KPP and Shorrocks but you can’t fit them all in. In reality though I doubt we’ll see Halsall or Bullock and KPP and Shorrocks will be on the bench.

Some difficult decisions on paper but we all know that Lam will do what he always does and agree that he won’t play Bullock and Halsall.

I agree with 100% on Bullock. He’s never going to give you 60 minutes a game but somewhere if it can be untapped is a half decent prop who can make some much needed yards.

Isa at centre for me. His defence and aggression has been good all season and at times he’s surprised me with his willingness to offload and keep the game open. He’s not brilliant but very dependable apart from the odd BF.

Halsall with the high ball has been first class but I’m still to be convinced that he has the size or pace to be a decent centre but he still has lots of time to develop and hopefully with a better coaching setup he will kick on.

I quite like Shorrocks but he will never be a hooker and only Lam knows why he plays him there before lads who have all of their rugby in that position.

Not sure what team Leeds will have available but I suspect a bit of the old arm wrestle and quite honestly can’t predict who will win however, I don’t think Leeds will nil us again but we haven’t got it in us to score more than 2 tries if they turn up.

As a footnote it wouldn’t totally surprise me if he finds a place for Clubb in the 17

We are likely to have Tetevano (back after his latest suspension) Oledski, King & Mellor all back from injury

I'd have Bullock in as well but we all know that's not happening. can't remember him coming back on after that opening 20mins and considering Havard had a bit of a 'mare by his standards I think that sums up where Lam has Bullock in the pecking order, looks like Leeds will have their big lads back so we might be back to our Achilles heel of not being able to clear our own line.
I'll be amazed if Singleton and Partington aren't starting with Havard and Byrne on the bench.

Bullock broke 2 fingers and thus didnt come back on. He wont play this week.

Well that just about sums his season up, gutted for him, so much potential there, if Powell gets it out of him next year at Wire there will be questions asked

I think that almost assures that Clubb will play.

I think Clubb is done tbh. His reaction after the final whistle seemed that of a man who knows he won’t be in the side again. The players were all posting on social media yesterday about what a great bloke he is against the picture of him in tears. You never know but it seemed to be his farewell.

I still wouldn’t put it past Lam selecting him though lol

Sounds like that you are right.
With Bullock and seemingly Clubb out then Clark could probably make the 17.
Some interesting decisions to be made.

We had 3 senior props playing against Cats is that the answer.?

Of course three senior props is the answer. Almost the first game he played three senior props we beat the best team in the league who massacred us 48-0 at their place. Catalans didn't face a Wigan pack that Lam had selected all season and found themselves up against a set of forwards they never expected. Wigan were up at them from the kick off with Jacko hitting a 40/20 from the first set.

Whether Lam plays that winning formula is very doubtful indeed. With Bullock injured he'd have to play Clubb, Singleton and Clark. It really is stretching the imagination to expect to do play all three although it probably would be another winning formula. Lam has his ideas and that seems to exclude playing more than one senior prop.

I really admire the way Leeds over the last couple of season have accepted that they needed a period of transition. Thursday's match could be evenly matched but if this fixture was being played next season it could be a walk over for Leeds. They have made some really good signings for next season and the continued progression of the already brilliant Odeleski (sic) and Newman plus the emergence of Broadbent and Gannon stands them in good stead. We have really dropped the ball over the last few years and could do worse than looking at how Leeds are on the way back.

I don’t think we’ll see a repeat of the debacle the other week v Leeds and I also think we go into this one with a lot of confidence which is absolutely warranted.

We should be winning this game IMO.

Really looking forward to this game - a difficult one to call as defence is so important come play-offs and Wigan, for all their limitations with the ball, remain a tough and tenacious team in defence.

I fancy Leeds to sneak it but a real 50/50 I reckon.

Clubb knew on Friday night that it was his last match as the below normal strength squad is now more or less back to full strength for the play off's.

With all the injuries and more than normal suspensions, he should be applauded for his contribution during the season, especially when he has been playing with a medical condition and also like Lam, together with their families, not be subjected to abuse (some foul mouth) and death threats which they have had to put up with over recent weeks.
'
Our game has always been renowned as being a family game and it should not have this kind of nastiness aimed at any Coach or Player, irrespective of any personal opinion of them.

Those responsible for this disgraceful behaviour should be ashamed to call themselves a Wigan Supporter.

I applaud him for his efforts as a Wigan player over the years but I can't applaud him for his contribution this season because he has made zero contribution.

As for the other stuff you say.I haven't got a clue what you are on about..not seen any of that anywhere.

Hardaker
Bibby
Isa
Gildart
Marshall
Hastings
Smith
Singleton
Powell
Partington
Farrell
Bateman
Smithies

Byrne
Havard
KPP
Shorrocks

99% sure that will be the 17. Had to check our squad list to see if I'd missed anyone as its so bereft of genuine quality. Im sure we'll have a dig - the teams attitude has always been good and they're defending well. But no way is this a title winning side and it would be a further damning indictment on the competition if we made the final.

I’d be surprised if it wasn’t that as well. We’re going to need to be better than Friday. I missed the game due to a prior engagement but I’ve watched it back now and whilst it was another great defensive effort, I thought Catalans were way off and the amount of handling errors we came up with was pretty staggering. The unforced nature of many were a real worry. They were decent passes being dropped. We need to concentrate and find some confidence with the ball, even if it’s just to limit the amount of defending we’ll need to do.

Leeds +4 with the bookies is good value.



Olędzki and Tetevano back for them their pack could get wel on top.

Nailed on bar midweek issues, big worry is can we get off our line if Leeds bring a good kicking game, looking on their board they're expecting all their big lads back, recent history shows we just haven't got the grunt up front to do that

Make the errors of Friday and it’ll be 80 minutes of hanging on. We’ve got to complete high to give us a fair chance. We’ve gone past the point of hoping the attack clicks in to gear, so it’ll be a grind but turn over that amount of ball again and we’ll be treading water. If we do it though I think we stand a good chance. Our kicking game was so much better on Friday, with a nice variety to it, so that needs to continue.

Death threats? I know Lam was subject to some online abuse but was it really death threats? A genuine question by the way.

Completely agree with your post. Irrespective of opinion on a player - it’s well documented mine on Clubb - they should not be subject to any abuse. I may question a players ability but I’ll never stoop to the levels that you reference some have. It’s appalling, disgusting and you’re quite right those engaged in it should be ashamed to call themselves Wigan supporters. In fact I’ll go one step further and just be ashamed of themselves as a human.

It was death threats from non Wigan fans about the Savelio stuff according to the other forum. It’s still wrong but more understandable than some unstable Wigan fan doing it. We all know Clubb should’ve been replaced when his contract was up last time but the club remained loyal to him, probably because he seems a really popular guy. He’s struggled through these past couple of years and people (including me) have given him stick. I’ll remember the guy for the good times because there have been plenty over his Wigan career. The same post on the other forum said he’s going to continue living in Wigan as him and his family love it up here.

You may not have seen it, but it has been happening to Clubb and also Lam.

Amazing how some never see or hear anything which makes you wonder if they only ever look at this website, even live around the Wigan area or even attend live games where you get to known things which have not been in the media.