Well at least Ryan Hampshire is out of the squad - hopefully never to be seen or heard from again as a Wigan player.

Agree with you there and the grind suited us on Good Friday and is a style of play that we are happy to play. Salford have the blueprint against us and also HKR this season in going wide early against our compressed defence.

Add Matautia to the list too who hasn't made the 21 man squad

Genuinely can't see us winning this one with who we have missing which is why I stand by that this is a free hit and hopefully a decent performance with more winnable games to come.

Irrespective of who's available, Wigan will have to find some energy and intensity from somewhere if they want to win the game. At the moment it feels like St Helens are the likelier of the two sides to have more of that off the back of two wins and playing one less game over the last fortnight.

Give over. You've comfortably got the best squad in the league, something which Wigan fans love telling everyone

If you can't beat us missing (and yes I am repeating myself) our 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 13 then you aren't as good as you think you are

Oh Hurrell is 23 but has started when fit so there's another.

You know both teams are going through a rough patch when either side is arguing that the other is in a better position to win the Derby

This happens a lot in sport - people draw on the views of the most bullish and outspoken fans and use it to reflect the views of the whole fanbase. I'm not sure you know how good I think Wigan are - I actually think they look very fatigued and vulnerable at the moment but there is still time for that to turn around ahead of the playoffs. Both teams will have patched up 'spines' so it will ultimately come down to who has the most energy in the forward pack.

I think that's the team - with maybe Bryne in place of one of the props. i think Mago will possibly take on 13 role from the bench allowing ellis a breather and to return at prop.

It will be interesting to see how Farrimond performs without being in the shadow of Smith.

Its hard to predict the detail of the team, I'm wondering if we go for a fast start, quick PTB with Forber probing off the back of that and swinging the ball wide early?

It’s the quality of the players missing not the quantity which is what the thick saints fans forget

As the bookies have us down as slight favourites maybe we are not as good as we think we are.
If we can't beat you with all your many many players missing then we definitely are not as good as we think we are.
If saints win this could go down in history as the greatest win with all the other greatest wins by St Helens.

Swinging the ball wide early through 2 inexperienced halves?

Aint going to happen

Best squad maybe but its a bit imbalanced in certain areas.

Both teams have critical players missing so this is going to be decided in 3 areas in my opinion:

Forwards battle
Freshness
Team strategy and tactics

I fear for us for bullets 2 and 3 based on recent weeks.

Top of the table Academy clash tonight, Wigan v Saints at Wigan RUFC. Kick off 7pm.

Is the pitch at Robin Park not viable after the concerts still? It's a nice evening, if they had marketed it, opened the club shop, put the Kingfisher and 1872 bars on there could have been a decent attendance with revenue going back into the club.

Live on Wigan tv tonight
Kick off 7 p.m.

It will. I hope they give him the keys and let him control things because we’ve not see enough of him in terms of responsibility when it’s come to his first team games.

I think Farrimond will have a better idea of controlling the game than Keiron,wont do any harm to let the youngster take control.
So looking forward to see how he and Eckersley/Forber get on.

We rarely do it with 2 experienced halves, heres hoping

Thanks for that. I will watch the first half before I turn out.

Game now NOT being streamed live. Wigan have said they can't get sufficient signal strength from the location at Wigan R.U. Say they will upload it ASAP.

Why don’t they look into these things before the event? It is amateurish!

Not sure how many times Keighran has played HB but Leeming has played their a few times I think for Leeds and Huddersfield

Translation : we don’t want to broadcast our academy getting absolutely mullered by saints academy second team whilst being at home

It’s Wigan, not the top of snowdonia lmao of course there’s signal strength lol

Keighran played a lot of half for Catalan last year I think.