Correct. He also took a bad head injury too. The lad is clearly getting fatigued - he missed five tackles last week. A weeks rest, freshen up, let the head injury heal and he's fit & firing for Leeds. We have a big squad - why not use it?

Fantastic news that Brett Finch is back. I'm not sure what to expect of him yet. Very excited to see him make his debut though. Roberts on the bench will be cover and should everyone stay fit I think we'll see Roberts move to 1, Sam to 6 with Finch at 7 and Tommy move to hooker to spell McIlorum.

We'll have to use the squad as the season goes on and rotate it a little if we're to keep everyone fresh and happy. The pack especially is log jammed with talent and to keep them all fresh seems to make perfect sense.

Im sure Faz will be back after a weeks rest.

Love that with all our players out we can still afford to rest a player like Faz against Warrington

If Gleeson was in the side you wouldn't even remember we had any injuries the cover is so good.

You feel more than comfortable with Tuson, Charnley and Prescott in the side at the moment even if they are replacing Tomkins, Richards and Fielden.

Marsh however still sticks out like a sore thumb in that side to me.

And so we should be if hes needing it.

Its only game 6 we should not be risking anyone with injury or fatigue.

Since when have Wigan declared a team on the Tuesday when the Match is on the Friday.
Is the team shown the official one or just guesswork?.

I'm a bit uneasy that the team appears on here ever week this early, every week.
Cliff got pelters for this previously and he posted MUCH later in the week!

I'm a bit uncomfortable with this, myself.

If this is indeed the team for Friday, I'm not sure Michael Maguire would be happy that someone was leaking it online before it's been officially announced.

Tiny tim got the team wrong last week and i think he will have it wrong again this week.

Lockers will start at 6 finch will start on the bench

He wasn't too far off though.

The only thing he got wrong was that he said Marsh and Charnley would be swapped round and he seemed to know well in advance of confirmation that Mellor would be coming back and playing from the bench if Finch didn't quite make it.

We'll see if he's right this week.

I knew Wednesday he'd got it wrong if that's any consolation?

Who's to say that MM is using Tiny Tim to put false team info into the public domain?

Maybe tinytim1920 is simply good at guessing?



I was planning on asking him for the winning Lotto numbers for this weekend

I was just thinking this but didn't want to be the one to point it out. I'd play:

FB 1 Sam
RW 19 Roberts
RC 2 Goulding
LC 4 Carmont
LW 25 Charnley
SO 17 Finch
SH 7 Leuluai
P 14 Prescott
H 9 McIllorum
P 10 Coley
SR 22 Farrell
SR 16 Hoffman
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 11 Hansen
S 15 Lima
S 21 Mossop
S 23 Tuson

I used to put the team up the day before the game or even on the day of the game even then it was subject to change but got I quite a lot of critiscism for doing it . Tiny Tim has been doing the same (not that i think there is too much harm in it) but yet no one seemed to mention it.

I now keep team news etc to myself as was requested but as an aside I have heard Faz has got a slight injury

Tomkins in for Roberts and Roberts on the bench for Mellor are the only changes. Finch won't play.

There seems to be a lot of conflicting ''I know the team stories'' this week.

I've noticed a few people saying that Roberts is on the bench in case Finch can't play 80 mins, or to spell McIllorum - basically that Roberts will move to 1, Sam will move to 6 and possibly Leuluai to 9. I don't think that is the reason Roberts is on the bench at all.

I've noticed that a few teams have started having a back on the bench now, after a couple of seasons of seemingly everyone going with 4 forwards. It seems sensible, as injuries can occur to any position. But probably more significantly, we have never needed a back on the bench when Joel was playing, as he could move into the centres if an injury occurred in the backs, and the others could reshuffle around him. Now he's out, we don't have the flexibility of a 'utility' player anymore, who can play in both the backs and the forwards, and can play 80 mins.

That means we need a back on the bench. If Tiny Tim's team is correct, I wouldn't be surprised if Roberts is an unused sub, as Mellor was last week. That is, unless we get an injury.

Plus, we don't need to spell McIllorum. He's an 80 minute player just as much as Leuluai is.

Personally, I wouldn't mind Roberts coming in for Goulding, as I think Amos offers us a little more as an attacking threat from deep.

I think it's fair enough to rest Faz - he didn't have that good a game by his own very high standards, and I think Tuson was more effective. Madge has always played players on form, and it would be unfair to "rest" Tuson instead of Faz, I think.

i doubt thats the team.

wait for the official annoucnement from the club

faz is quite clearly miles the better player between the 2. the difference on friday against huddersfield imo is that the bang farrell took early doors must have effected him. Maybe alittle concusion or something because he just didnt seem the same player after it but in his defence he still made 41 tackles and played most of the game! if he is fit to go this week then he should deffinately in the 17. There is no need to rest young lads and especially one of whom who imo is one of the best for our most important game of the season so far.

This is a fans forum. It is littered with gossip "Richards is going to Sale" "Gleeson to Salford".

Therefore gossiping about the team you think will be selected should be ok, no matter who your sources are!

P.S I can't wait for Friday if that is the team!

Appologies to Tiny Tim, spot on mate, keep it coming

Apology accepted. Just to clarify, Faz did have a slight injury but wouldnt have been playing anyway