I don't think Riddell is an impace hooker. I think he is best from the start, controlling the ruck and getting our forwards on the front foot for McIlorum to hopefully carry on

As for Lockers and Joel I just think that Lockers is more suited to 2nd row and Joel is better at loose

I would go with

Pat Richards
Amos Roberts
George Carmont
Karl Pryce
Sean Ainscough

Sam Tomkins
Tim Smith

Stuart Fielden
Thomas Leuluai
Paul Prescott

Harrison Hansen
Sean O'loughlin

Joel Tomkins

Bench

Mark Riddell
Lee Mossop
Feka Paleaasina
Eamon O'carroll

would give Smith a run out at S.H. would leave Coley out and give Prescott a run out also leave Hock out as i think he is still carrying the knock he got to his hip and could do with him fully fit for Hudderfield move Lockers to S.R. and Joel to L.F.

swap pryce for bailey, the reson being i dont think he is that good defensivly that he can stop talou, other than that its a good team, i agree on smith being in at 7 i dont think tommy will be to ed off at cumin on as a sub, salford will tire quickly i think

I wouldn't be surprised to see O'Carroll getting a well deserved rest this week and Prescott getting a game.

I would not play Tim Smith. Is his defense going to get any better just because we have moved him to scrum half? No he will still be a liability.

Should we bring back Tim Smith we will have had Smith/Leuluai , O'loughlin/Leuluai , Tomkins/Leuluai, Tomkins/Smith so far this season as our halfback combinations after only six games. How can we form a successful halfback combination when we keep changing it every other week?

I think we need consistency in that department and allow Leuluai and Tomkins to understand each other to gain a bit of cohesion in attack. Notice the 2 most successful teams have not changed their halfback combinations for a number of years - McGuire/Burrow & Pryce/Long. We should be looking to do the same.

Unless Tomkins or Leuluai are injured I don't see a reason to bring back Tim Smith.

so if we dont give him game time (by the way reserves is a lil too easy for him seeing as he made a mockery out of leeds the other night) play him in the first team and keep him covered you gotta give him another chance

I think Michael McIlorum is more than capable of doing the things you have mentioned above. I don't think either Michael McIlorum or Mark Riddell are "impact hookers". I think only James Roby can offer that.

I just noticed that last season when we started Michael McIlorum for something like 7 weeks and we played a lot better as a team and won I think 6 out of those 7 games. I was just trying to get a bit of impact off the bench as I think Riddell out of the two could have the most impact.

I would be still be happy if we started with Riddell and kept McIlorum on the bench.



I agree but either Nobby doesn't seem to think so or Lockers & Joel feel better suited to their current places in the side.

Pat Richards
Amos Roberts
Phil Bailey
George Carmont
Shaun Ainscough


Sam Tomkins
Thomas Leuluai

Stuart Fielden
Mark Riddell
Paul Prescott
Joel Tomkins
Gareth Hock
Sean O'Loughlin


Iafeta Paleaasenia
Mike McIllorum
Andy Coley
Harrison Hansen

18th man: Karl Pryce

we need to keep a settled squad to allow the lads to find some rhythm with each other, the only change I would make is letting eamon have a rest, the lad has took so much work over the last month and has definately been our best player so far.

I was tempted to put Pryce in and drop bailey but we missed Phil against Cas, he is a leader and it is evident to see he is one of them players who will give his all, I think Karl will be waiting until we get an injury to be honest.

Why do we have to give him another chance? Has he earnt it?

I posted a while back that after 7 months out of the game he needs time to recapture his tackling technique because his current technique is awful. He also looked unfit as well to play the full 80 minutes. He kept telling Roberts to come inside and allow Smith to get a breather on the wing.

Unless this has changed he should not be playing.

Good call.

Agree to disagree on the hooker situation?



I think the fact both Joel and Sean have gone well at the start of this season is why they are in there current positions

I think the back row is the last of our worries at the moment though

Fair enough

Same team for me, cant agree about O'Carroll though, the lads just not big enough, I thought we had brought the mascot on when they packed down, he was dwarfed by the rest of the forwards, full of enthusiasm but that can only take you so far, we need another prop.

Richards
Pryce Bailey Carmont Ainscough
Tomkins Tommy
Fielden Riddell O Carroll
Hock Lockers
Tomkins
---------------
Prescott, Micky, Feka, Hansen

OR

Richards
Roberts Bailey Carmont Ainscough
Tomkins Tommy
Fielden Riddell O Carroll
Hock Lockers
Tomkins
------------------
Micky Feka Pryce Hansen

Salford to win by 10!

it dosent matter who plays its a salford win by 18

I'd keep most of squad together and agree with Rouges to give O'C a rest and Prescott to come in.
Bailey at 3, Pryce off the bench so when a 2nd row is interchanged Bailey to the pack and Pryce to 3.
Richards, Roberts, Bailey, Carmont, Ainscough, S Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, J Tomkins, Hock, O'Loughlin. Feka, Prescott, McIlorum & Pryce.
Wigan 38 Salford 16.

1.Richards
2.Roberts
3.Pryce
4.Carmont
5.Ainscough
6.Tomkins
7.TL
8.Fielden
9.Riddell
10.Prescott
11.Hansen
12.Locky
13.Tomkins

14.Coley
15.Hock
16.Feka
17.McIllorum

1.Richards
2.Roberts
3.Pryce
4.Carmont
5.Ainscough
6.Tomkins
7.TL
8.Fielden
9.Riddell
10.Prescott
11.Mossop
12.Locky
13.Tomkins

14.Coley
15.Hock
16.Feka
17.McIllorum

1.Richards
2.Roberts
3.Phelps
4.Carmont
5.Ainscough
6.Tomkins
7.TL
8.Fielden
9.Riddell
10.Prescott
11.Hansen
12.Locky
13.Tomkins

14.Coley
15.Hock
16.Feka
17.McIllorum

Richards
Roberts
Bailey
Carmont
Ainscough
S Tomkins
Tommy
Fielden
Riddell
Feka
J Tomkins
Hock
O'Loughlin

O'Carrol/Prescott
Coley
McIlorum
Hansen

Is he ready to return then?

It'll be a bugger if we lose to Salford won't it ?

I honestly cannot see it happening, we would have to put in a performance like we did against Wakefield to lose this one and i very much hope we do not see a performance like that ever again.

Stick with almost the same team as last week for mine, except swap O'Carroll and Prescott around and start with Feka, Fielden on the bench.

Salford can't be taken likely, you know what we're like. If it seems straightforward to win then Wigan will try their hardest to make it difficult for themselves! Pessimistic I know, but just going off recent history!