We made it!

Squad looks good, I think we’ll go

Field
Miski
Keighran
Wardle
Marshall
French
Smith
Byrne
O’Neill
Thompson
Isa
Farrell
Ellis

Dupree
Mago
Leeming
Cooper

Missing out Hampshire, Forber, Hill and Eckersley

Hill could be in for Cooper aswell as Ecklereley for Miski depending on how their injuries are.

Can’t wait.

I'd go with the same team.

Hill would be unlucky to miss out but, getting minutes in Cooper is essential for the WCC.

Also can't wait. We're notoriously slow starters and I'm hoping the lads don't have too much of an eye on next week.

Exciting couple of weeks coming up.

Same for me but I would start Coops instead of Thompson

16 positions pick themselves and then it’s just Hill or Cooper for the last spot as discussed. I do wonder if Hill may play given he didn’t turn out in the reserves (and he has been very good in the friendlies).

On a separate note it’s been confirmed Sam Eseh is out for 12 weeks with a hamstring injury. Our props getting these 3 month plus hamstring issues is becoming a concern (it’s a good job we have so many).

They pretty much do, if it was me I would be fielding the team that will face the Panthers to get some decent game time in their legs.

I would put Cooper in for Hill though based on experience, I have not seen any of the pre season games so can't comment on the merits of Cooper or Hill in the warm up games, I just think we need experienced heads to face the Panthers

If they feel Cooper is ready for a game of that intensity then that’ll do for me. As you say, whatever they want to do next week, they need to do this week and then the whole 17 are ready for what will be needed.

Peet has confirmed Cooper will play off the bench. Good looking 17.

Who's going to provide 2nd row cover.

Faz can do 80 and Isa could probably do the same but not ideal.

I'm sure they'll be working with one of the front rowers as a back up plan. As discussed in another thread, Dupree may be the best fit. In fact the more I think about it the more I think he could be very dangerous in that position - albeit with time we don't have.

Back rowers shouldn't need a spell. 99% can do 80 mins week in week out

It would probably need an Oldham fan to confirm but I feel like he played some second row for them during his time. I’m with you, I think he could be very handy in the second row, especially with him now looking trimmer than last year. Hopefully it doesn’t come down to it but I’m pretty confident he’d go pretty well there.

Cooper and Miski are both good to go.

I'm convinced they'll have done a bit of training with him in the position - I don't see a clear alternative. We have to have something up our sleeve as its unlikely that Faz and Isa will play 80 minutes for the next 10-12 weeks. No such worries yet with the front row - even with the Havard and Eseh injuries we still have 7 front rowers (8 if you include Makin).

Presumably O'Neill will sometimes play in the second row when Leeming is on?

Peet now saying early to mid March for Nsemba.

Good news on that one, especially as it sounds like Walters needed the op in the end.

These VAR pauses in play are so irritating.

Small pitch, long grass, wet, Luke Thompson to miss the WCC now he’s failed his HIA. Not a good night so far.

Its starting to become farcical I'm afraid. The constant threat of HIAs and disciplinary action is ruining the spectacle. Harry Smith will no doubt be banned as well as Thompson being ruled out.

The Watts one was a red under the old rules no matter how much Lingard and McGuire eff an jeff about it. Zero attempt to make a tackle and led with the shoulder (or close to) direct to the head. The weather is a real leveller.

The slow play the balls, the risk of head injuries and the MRP coming after players is going to make things difficult. The Smith tackle he has mitigation with Farrell touching the player but league games shouldn’t count towards discipline in the WCC anyway, it would give Penrith an unfair advantage.

Watts does that all the time. Probably just about a red. I thought Keighran got hit with one as well when he dropped the ball.

Mago yet again changed the game when he came on.

I loathe what’s happened to our game over the last 5 years.

That’s never a red for me that.

Whilst i agree with the Watts decision and would have also understood if Smith went too i really think this season could be the last as a RL supporter. I just can't see myself enjoying it next season. I will see how it goes but i can see myself switching off after a few games and never switching back on. Rugby League just wont be rugby league without controversy and bad tackles. We can thank the thug Bobby Goulding and his mates for that one.

Nah don't see owt wrong with it the Smith tackle however was straight red he won't be playing for a while, shame with WCC round the corner still you have to overcome adversity.