No shuffling about. Keep Sam at fullback. He is on form and is world-class in that position. 29 tries in how many appearances now? He was man of the match in the demolition of Leeds last year at Headingly and did not play in the play offs. Had he played in that game I think we would have beaten them. Matty Smith to return with Sam Powell. Leeds play like they did against Saints and it will be a cricket score. I expect them to bounce back though. Either way, I think we will beat them comfortably. Not that it matters.

Of course it matters. Maybe not as much as it should do but it matters!

Sean Wane says today in an interview on the Wigan site that he will give Smith until Friday before making a decision on him for the Leeds game.
He confirms that Williams is in France and if Smith does not make it he will then make his mind up on either Sam or Lockers for standoff.
He also says that Goulding is still doubtfull for the match.

Lockers, please no!

If goulding doesnt play then well already be with hughes in the centres, so i dont know who we can move to have pat at fullback and sam at standoff. Unless we have someone like tuson in the centres in attack then filling in the middle in defense. Requires alot of movement but i think its preferable to having oloughlin in the halves personally.

Sod that, I'd rather have Williams at 6 than Tuson at 3

As already stated, Williams is in France and is not in Wanes plans for the Leeds game.

which makes unfortunately grim reading.

Which makes me believe Smith and Goulding will play.
Smith and Powell the halves, Goulding, of not, Hughes at 3.

Lockers had a nightmare at 6 against HKR in the cup and got moved back in to the pack after about 20 minutes worth of getting caught in possession. He's a world class 13, one of the best, but he's gone past filling in at 6 now IMO.

If Smith isn't fit then we have 2 options for me and both will involve another youngster getting a debut. Option A is move Sam to 6 and Richards to 1 with Manfredi or Burgess coming in on the wing. Option B is to just bring Ryan Hampshire in at 6 for a debut keeping Tomkins at FB.

FWIW I'm pretty sure Smith will be ok.

Manfredi on the Wing. Richards at Full Back. Tomkins in the halves.

The problem with half of option A is that Burgess is also in France along with Williams. The problem with option B is that Ryan Hampshire is also in France along with Williams and Burgess. We could also have drafted in Lewis Tierney but, as you might have guessed, he's also in France with Williams, Burgess and Hampshire.

Manfredi is an option but I don't recall seeing his name in the under 19's team for a good few weeks now so it's possible that he might be injured.

Ha ha...very good points! Why didn't that crop up in my mind.

Why do we have to be so good at producing young players



Possibly Manfredi then or if not we best send an SOS over to France.

If Richards (or Charnley for that matter) move to FB so Sam can go in the halves then I'd be pretty sure it would be Hughes to centre and Thornley to wing rather than bringing in a untested youngster for a debut against Leeds at Magic.

But goulding may not play necessitating hughes playing on the right centre.

That would be the obvious move but it all depends on Goulding. According to Wane he's out.

I'm sure Smith can make it anyway.

Ah apologies, presumed that Goulding was back for Sunday.

Williams did nothing wrong last week, and Lockers is never a half back, so unless Smith is back, IMO it would be madness to make these makeshift changes to the team. Swop position for position, and let the team play as a team.

Smith is definately playing.