New thread for the season opener, what are your thoughts for the game, score predictions, crowd predictions, how many times before then will Ruddy Duck come up with something negative, team selection etc.

1 - French
2 - Marshall
3 - Bibby
4 - Hardaker
5 - Burgess (Until Manfredi gets more game time)
6 - Leuluai
7 - Hastings
8 - Burgess
9 - Powell
10 - Flower
11 - Farrell
12 - Isa
13 - O’Loughlin

14 - Smithies
15 - Clarke
16 - Bullock
17 - Kilner

My predicted team (below) is slightly different than the one I would go for.

French
Marshall
Hardaker
Bibby
Burgess
Leuluai
Hastings
Burgess
Powell
Clubb (sigh)
Farrell
Isa
O'Loughlin

Flower
Smithies
Partington
Bullock

Crowd: 13k

1. French
2. Marshall
3. Hardaker
4. Bibby
5. Burgess (Manfredi should be playing)
6. Hastings
7. Leuluai
8. Clubb ( shouldn’t be playing)
9. Powell
10. Burgess
11. Isa
12. Farrell
13. O’Loughlin

Flower
Bullock
Partington (should be Bryne)
Smithies

Crowd (12.750)
Score (16-10 Wigan)

Can't wait for this - will be great to have the RL back and looks like Wigan might be catching Wire at a good time from an injuries point of view.

Intrigued to see how George Burgess goes in SL

First real game of the season, Wire bringing a good team across with around 4k supporters.

We 'should' have 15k+ on for this. Let's hope for a bit more banter between the two clubs on social media going into next week, get the juices flowing.

The team we’ll see won’t be the one I’d pick but pretty sure the 17 will be made up of-

French
Marshall Hardaker Bibby Burgess
Leuluai Hastings
Clubb Powell Flower
Isa Farrell Lockers

Subs
G Burgess Partington Byrne Smithies

Bullock should be in for me but I can’t see it. The make up of the starting pack and bench us the only thing I can see being different (same players but maybe a different run on team).

Crowd-13,400

Score-Wigan 22 Wire 8

I think we’ll get the win in a scrappy game. Wire are as under cooked as us and I expect t home advantage and the better luck we seek to have had with injuries should see us home.

Happy with that team. I'd go with that.

FB 6 French
RW 2 Marshall
RC 1 Hardaker
LC 23 Bibby
LW 21 Manfredi
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 14 Flower
H 9 Powell
P 10 G.Burgess
SR 16 Smithies
SR 12 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 8 Clubb
S 11 Isa
S 15 Greenwood
S 19 Bullock

Close eyes on Clubb and Greenwood. I've got them in there because I know what they are capable of, but if they're average in this one then they're out and Clark/Partington get a shot.

Gells has stoked the fire by saying that Wigan did indeed try to sign him.

Team wise....

French
Marshall
Zak
Bibby (had that left edge link with Hastings and will be the one most likely to drop out when Gilly is fit)
Manfredi
Hastings
Leuluai
Burgess
Powell
Flower
Isa
Faz
Lockers

Smithies
Partington
Bullock
Byrne/Clark

Not too concerned about results at this stage as last year showed.
Crowd lower than it would be on a Friday by 2 or 3k

If you are going to have Marshall and Manfredi on the wings, surely Marshall on the left and Manfredi on the right? Marshall is only on the right to accommodate Burgess?

I think when it comes to the facts of the matter i believe Mr Lenagan before the clown that is gelling as our centre options are far stronger than wires especially when Gildart comes back i cant wait to see French at fullback as i think it will take us back to the attacking style of Sam Tomkins pre injuries

Probably yes

Why? Leneghan has lied to the fans before. John Bateman agreeing to come back as a marquee players is one example.
Back on topic though, I really think we will turn Wire over, there is no player at Warrington that either excites me or frightens me to death.
Wigan by 16

Just seen the Gelling interview where he says there were some initial talks but not an actual offer. I’d say both parties can make a case for saying the other is telling porkies but the Fitzpatrick line about ‘rejection’ seems far fetched. In typical Gelling fashion he said every club in super league wanted him, so I’d take it all with a pinch of salt.

Probably sums it all up. Initially I was gutted when Gelling left but in a strange way I was happy that we didn’t re sign him when he announced his plans that he was returning to SL.
His off the cuff stuff was great at times but when he had a bad game it was very bad. Good luck to him at Warrington though, I hope he does well as he is a likeable person on/off the pitch.

Pretty certain this will be the team

French
Marshall
Hardaker
Bibby
Burgess
Hastings
Leaulai
Burgess
Powell
Clubb
Isa
Farrell
SOL

Bryne
Smithies
Flower (bullock is not fit)
Partington

. Not sure which 2 props will start, important to get it right against Hill and Cooper

How about the hooker clarke

He’s probably their biggest threat to be fair, but again he doesn’t terrify me. You watch he will have an absolute blinder now

How did he lie about Bateman? If Canberra or any NRL team don’t sign or extend his contract he will be a Wigan player on marquee money, that’s what I was led to believe

Bateman has said thats not true

Is George Burgess going to be fit for Thursday?

He will be fine by all accounts with his absence from the Leeds game being precautionary. That’s what Lam has said anyway, so fingers crossed.

I actually think we'll struggle in this one- too many new players, some of them in key positions and not enough game time in the build up.

We'll come good and be a force in the competition with time but I dont think it'll happen right from the start.

French
Marshall
Hardaker
Bibby
J Burgess - Give Manfredi a bit longer
Hastings
Tommy
G Burgess
Powell
Flower
Greenwood
Farrell
O'Loughlin

Clubb
Isa
Bullock/Clarke/Byrne/Smithies or Partington for the last 2 spots.

I see nothing other than a comfortable Warrington win unfortunately.

I think this season will be similar to the last, maybe a slight improvement.

What? 3?