INOUT

They say that’s when they realised we needed a big pack but left it 6 years to start building it?

Not claiming to be a defensive expert but for me Smith is at fault for the first one. He makes a poor read and shoots at the line at the dummy runner (who Clubb would have had anyway). Agree on the second one he needs to do better, as does Smith. For both of them you need to look at how Cas got the good field position in the first place though.

Clubb was busy on Friday. 12 tackles and 5 carries. Should be good enough for him to start Thursday

Which beggars the question how bad must Bullock and Clark be on the training pitch if Lam thinks Clubb is the better option.

No SBW Thursday

Hanky for 13

Give your head a wobble.

I do think bibby will sit out Thursday and Hankinson will play though.

I also expect George Burgess to play.

When is Flower expected back?

I think Havard may also sit out Thursday as he gave away 2 penalties that were both kicked

If GB plays on Friday we will have to call him Lazarus

If I was Lam I’d pick something like

French
Manfredi (if fit) Hardaker Hankinson Marshall
Hastings Smith
Bullock Powell Flower
Farrell Greenwood
O’Loughlin

Bryne Partington Smithies Clark

We all know Tommy and Isa will play however and bullock probably won’t play, the only change you’ll probably see is Smith for Powell

When selecting after a defeat coaches usually drop the youngest and most inexperienced player.
So I fully expect Lam to drop Smith with Powell returning to 9 and Leuluai back at 7.

As for the forwards, Flower will be in if fit, Clubb an absolute cert for selection, doubtful if Bullock, Clark or Greenwood get in.

Wholesale changes will be an admittance of a wrong selection at Cas and most coaches don't go down that road. Smkith will be Lam's scapegoat for the Cas defeat if coaching habits are anything to go by.

If our first choice 6 7 and 9 are available they should play. Smith did ok, but not enough to warrant taking over just yet.

Lam needs to see that our issue is our go forward and fix it whichever way he can otherwise it will be a long season. I do expect us to turn it on when the weather drys up though.

You cannot play behind a beaten pack. If our scapegoat is going to be Smith you have to ask the question, how bad are we to rely on the tackling of the junior member of the team? With Tommy and Powell playing we are really playing with a couple of extra forwards and fewer backs and that just covers the cracks. I would hate to see the promise of Smith destroyed in the same way that happened to Brown, being the scapegoat for an underperforming team, only to come back to bite our backsides.

Give our halves Bullock, Flower, G Burgess, Clark and one of the young props to play on the back of and they’ll be fine.

Give them Clubb and 3 juniors and they’ll struggle.

It’s that simple for me.

Be interesting to see how the full backs cope if the weather doesn’t improve.

You would think that Toronto will test French under the high ball.

When you consider most of the predicted teams pre season had Burgess and Flower starting with Bullock and Clark off the bench, it's crazy how the team has actually turned out. Two of them not fit, the other two the coach wont pick.

At least Lam has hinted Bullock will play on Thursday. Flower has another back injury, Burgess likely wont play.

Thankfully Shorrocks is out. Hope Powell is back.

And me.

The report in Wigan Today hints at only Bullock will make the squad (Flower and Burgess still injured).

If it turns out to be so is this some sort of record record that a new signing (as in Clark) can't make the team in front of junior players three weeks into a new season? Greenwood's experience and size would also be welcome.

If these players are genuinely not competing for places you have to ask why. If fully fit they should be walking into the side on merit and the junior players waiting for an opportunity to get in. Not the other way around.

Squad is out and the only change is Powell for Bourouh. For me Clubb, Havard, Smith and Partington to miss out;

1 Zak
2 Marshall
3 Bibby
4 Hank
5 J Burgess
6 French
7 Hastings
8 Bullock
9 Tommy
10 Byrne
11 Greenwood
12 Faz
13 Smithies

14 Clarke
15 Isa
16 Lockers
17 Bourouh

We all know full well that Bullock, Clarke, Bourouh and Greenwood will miss out though.

French won’t be moving from fullback anytime soon

I'd personally drop Partington for Bullock - he's far too limited in what he brings to the team. The odd big hit just doesn't cut it.

The only other change to consider would be Clark for Clubb but I'm not sure that would make a big difference either way.

I understand Havard getting game time - I think he could go from strength to strength very quickly.

Having watched back the extended highlights against Cas I’d also keep Havard in and drop Partington for Clark and bullock for Clubb, Havard made 98 metres from 12 carries and 25 tackles which is very good for someone so young and inexperienced. Unfortunately I’ve seen enough from Partington to know he’s never gonna be a Wigan standard prop, he’d be better on the edges but Lam won’t try that

FB 6 French
RW 2 Marshall
RC 23 Bibby
LC 1 Hardaker
LW 5 J.Burgess
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 19 Bullock
H 32 Borough
P 20 Byrne
SR 16 Smithies
SR 12 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 15 Greenwood
S 17 Partington
S 28 Smith
S 30 Havard

Smith's defence worried me a bit (5 missed tackles, at fault for one try and partly at fault for the other), so I'd rather not give him the full 80 if we can help it, especially given the conditions which don't really lend themselves to flashy halfback play. Give me the guy who will hand it to the forwards in attack and hit like a hammer in defence for this one.

Clubb is just like the young lads now only less fit. He's given us some great moments in his career but I think he's done now. Havard did miles more than him against Cas.

Isa wound me up giving away two penalties in possession attacking their line! Give Greenwood the opportunity, we know how good he can be on his day.

Looks like Partington got through a hell of a lot of work in defence (not surprising when we kept giving them extra sets and Clubb only did one spell). I'd let that excuse his average offering in attack to be honest.

I’m stumped how Clubb can be fit this week after only doing one spell against Cas. To complete one spell of twenty minutes means he was either injured or they think he’s only capable of one spell (or both) and both of those should result in him losing his spot this week. If Lam thinks he’s only worthy or capable of one spell then it’s a joke of a situation and it’s hurting the team.

A very good point. Losing a bench spot and an interchange for the sake of 5 carries and 10 or so tackles is no good for anyone and salary wise we could probably find someone to do that for half the cost.

I used to be a big Tony Clubb fan, but the more you sit back and analyse his peformances you wonder how he is at a club striving for success as a first choice

He was warming up and stretching with 20 minutes to go, so would presume he wasn’t injured? Maybe Lam has realised?

Thursdays team selection will be interesting. For me if he trusted Smith last week then he has to stick with him this week. Clark, Greenwood, Bullock all have to play this week in my opinion.