Bowen
Gelling
Goulding
Sarginson
Burgess
Green
Smith
Taylor
McIlorum
Clubb
Bateman
Farrell
O'Loughlin

Williams
Dudson
Hughes
Crosby

Think our bench will be the killer, we're too weak there. couple too many injuries + in form Leeds = long night for us

Leeds 19:

1. Hardaker
2. Jones-Bishop
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. McGuire
8. Leuluai
10. Peacock
12. Ablett
13. Sinfield
14. Ward
15. Delaney
16. Bailey
17. Kirke
18. Clarkson
19. Achurch
20. Briscoe
21. Sutcliffe
23. Singleton

With both Burrow & Aiton injured it's difficult to tell who'll be playing where but I'd guess at:
1. Hardaker/Jones-Bishop
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. Sutcliffe/Hardaker
7. McGuire
8. Leuluai
9. Sinfield
10. Peacock
11. Achurch
12. Ablett
13. Delaney

14. Ward/Sutcliffe
15. Singleton
16. Bailey
17. Kirke

In my opinion Jack Hughes just isn't good enough. He comes up with far too many errors.

I'm surprised Manfredi isn't included tbh, it would have been a good test for him.

Looking at that squad I'd go-

Bowen
Sarginson Goulding Gelling Burgess
Green Smith
Taylor McIlorum Crosby
Farrell Bateman Lockers

Subs
Clubb James Hughes Williams


Dudson and Powell to miss out.

I reckon/hope they are deliberately trying to give Gelling a run of games at centre to decide whether to keep him or not. He did alright v Bradford IMO with two would-be tries chalked off for forward passes. Against Hunslet he was fairly quiet as the ball didn't come to him in space. He did win the collision and almost shake off his defender a couple of times but on the other hand he knocked on once in his own half. So all in all I think he's done alright but he'll need to do something special soonish if he wants to keep the LC spot ahead of Sarginson when Charnley returns to the wing

As Leeds fan looking at that back-line you would hope for some success from a Moon/Hall partnership up against Gelling and Burgess, and Watkins/Briscoe up against Sarginson and Goulding.

That pack doesnt look as intimidating as usual, Farrell and Bateman are good young back rowers, but not the established names which would strike fear in to you, similarly for Taylor and Crosby, though i do think Taylor has had a great start to the year.

Its a big strong bench but not one that would terrify you with impact, but it will add to the way Wigans forwards grind it out and there isnt a drop in physicality.

If Leeds can match Wigan, or even win the battle up front i think the outside backs will be too good to keep out and Leeds defence this year has been brilliant and Very difficult to score against

On the other hand thats a big strong pack capable of getting on top of teams, Leeds missing Burrow and Aiton might make it more difficult to get quick distribution from the ruck to pull players in and get that space out wide and a good kicking game from Green and Smith would probably put Wigan in poll position in that case.

Whoever is played at left centre, think they're in for a torrid time.

I think that's a reasonably fair assessment, the one advantage Wigan do have over Leeds on Friday is we are at least coming in to it with our first choice spine.

We need our forwards to step up in the middle, Taylor and Clubb will punch holes in the defence all day long but the likes of James, Crosby and Dudson need to ensure they play at the same intensity with Flower and Pettybourne missing. Farrell and Bateman have been outstanding so far this year, and will need to make sure they help out Goulding and Sarginson/Gelling against your centres.

If we can match you upfront and keep it tight in the opening 20 or so then we definitely have a shot. Goalkicking isn't as much of a worry as it maybe would have been a month ago if it ends up close, Smith has upped his success rate recently.

One of these days Wigan might actually get praise from pundits and opposition fans alike for what we've done as a club since 2010 instead of swooning over Leeds, Saints & Wire. Despite being the current holders of both major competition trophies Leeds are apparently the best team in the competition, Yet that best team couldn't beat Saints yet Wigan outclassed out skilled and outplayed that same Saints side whilst finishing the game with only 14 of the 17 we started the game with two of which were forwards. Still there's nothing all that impressive about that, So far this season we have faced Saints & Wire from the very good sides and on both occasions Wigan were far superior yet didn't receive such high praise from a former Wigan coach as Leeds have. Every man and his dog can see that Wigan are a big game side the games I just referenced and then those 4 finals we've been in since 2010 and haven't lost in against Saints, Leeds, Wire & Hull. Though of course being double winners pales in comparison to Leeds beating Saints in the Challenge Cup or Saints beating Leeds at Langtree park in the last minutes. Perhaps Wigan are just there to make up the numbers.

Thats a very interesting stage of victimhood.

It's nothing to do with victimhood - that would involve going onto another club's fansite to express these views - it is a reflection of the gap between reality and perception. The reality is that since 2010, built on our all conquering junior teams, we have performed in big games more than any other club. And yet there is still hardly a big game that we play where the general RL consensus is that we are not under dogs. We even had Saints fans suggesting their team was "clearly superior" to ours on here before Good Friday. None since then, oddly enough.
We are a very good team, with a slightly more recent track record than Leeds in winning the games that matter. Our forward are very good and our backs are very good.
It may be Leeds' opinion that our back row of Farrell, Bateman and Lockers is less impressive than one comprising, say, Delaney, Achurch and Ablett, but I simply can't see it myself. Taylor is as good as any prop in the competition, and McIllorum dominates his opposite number in these sorts of game time and time again. In the backs, the only change from last year (where we both won 2 games) is Briscoe for BJB, a marginal improvement, but hardly earth shattering.
I think the default position for most rational observers should be that a Wigan side with its spine fully fit will be very hard to beat indeed in a big game.
We can travel in confidence.

No the victimhood would be seeing people saying Wigan weren’t capable of winning a big game, when nobody has said that was the case.
The Victimhood would be the complaint that people see Bateman, O’loughlin, and Farrell as inferior to Ablett, Achurch and Delany despite nobody at all making that assertion
The victimhood would be arbitrarily picking 2010 to start your comparison because it favours Wigan, a year later, or a year earlier and the comparison changes.
The victimhood would be being so insecure about your club that you not only couldn’t admit that team or squad was better (even though again, no one has made this assertion) but also taking insult at saying one part of that team was superior to their counterparts.

I wasn't taking offence, or bothered in the slighest. I was trying to make sense of your "victimhood" comment. You may be thin skinned, but you need not concern yourself that others are so afflicted.
My points about our excellent back row were in response to comments about our pack, and should be read in the broader context of the paragraph of which they form part.
I chose 2010 for the obvious reason that that was when our current structure/team took shape.
You lost me about "insecurity", so I cannot really address that point, save that
the day a long standing Wigan fan needs to feel insecure about anything is, I suspect, some way off. Dismissively arrogant from time to time might be a more effective jibe. Feel free to try that one.

Made me chuckle...

Do we really need praise from pundits? They talk out their backside most of the time anyway.

Opposition fans are quite often bitter as well and theres plenty Wigan fans who are bitter towards other teams.

I think between us fellow fans we can judge how well we have played and if we are happy. Surely as current double winners we don't need anybody else to tell us how good we are?

heard Lockers may be a doubt?

Anyone heard anything?

I've heard he's out

I was told this morning that he's out.

Fair post in all (except you have our 3/4 line backwards).

McIlorum is captain.

I suppose you are still not impressed by Leeds after their win last night?

they was good but still think come the end of the season we will win when it matters. Be interesting a Magic weekend neutral ground and we can see how influential O'loughlin is.

Seriously...?

You've won a few titles and CC's in that time and you're kicking off because you don't think wigan are getting enough praise? Who gives a sh*t as long as you're winning trophies?

Don't worry, I'm sure the commentary team will have plenty of praise for wigan around october time.

In every game the SKY people only summerise about the winners.
It was obvious from early on that we were going to struggle and were unlikely to win. So the praise on Leeds was overwhelming, especially that all seven of the SKY commentary team were banging on about it.
Leeds were the better team, they deserved their win and their fans have every right to feel pleased after last night.
Any level headed fan from either club knows full well we are only 10+ games into the League and Cup season. There is a very long way to go yet but one thing is certain Leeds and Wigan will be around come the season's end games.