If he picks the tem on form this is how it should look but ive no doubt he will pick experience:

1.Sam Tomkins
2.Charnley
3.Goulding
4.Thornley
5.Richards
6.Green
7.Smith
8.Crosby
9.Micky
10.Mossop
11.Hansen
12.Tuson
13.Lockers

Subs:
Logan
Taylor
Burke
Hampshire

Ive probably raised a few eyebrows with that team but realistically Farrell looks burnt out of late and needs a rest and tuson has been playing well and looks fresh, cant see how we can leave hampshire off the bench. Why no Dudson or Flower - Because they cost us the game agaisnt Saints. Dudson needs to curb his temper, maybe being a bit harsh on Benny he had a nightmare against stains but he is still a bit rusty from injury.

Gelling has to be in there. Didn't have the best game on Monday but he deserves his place.
I'd start with Taylor, because he was outstanding on Monday, with Flower and Dudson on the bench. Go full strength, this is a semi final.

I think you're being a bit harsh. Flower made a couple of errors and so did Gelling.

Gelling made more metres than any other Wigan player, from the centre position, and has been playing well up until Monday. Thornley was poor for his last few games.

I agree about Dudson, he needs to calm down,

I'd play Thornley over Gelling if he's fit. Gelling a still very raw and Monday really showed how far he needs to improve to hold a centre spot. Thornley for me offers more in attack and take out the odd defensive lapse and I've been quite happy with him. As a side issue, is Hughes injured or just out of favour?

Players under threat for me-

Gelling- I like him but he's too up and down and Monday wasn't great. We know he can make metres but errors in big games will kill us.

Green- His forms been way off since he came back. I'd still play him but we need more from him or else Hampshire may take his spot.

Dudson- Too many penalties and runs the ball in at half pace not using his size. He wouldn't be in my first choice 17.

I'd go-

Tomkins
Charnley
Goulding
Thornley
Richards
Green
Smith
Mossop
McIlorum
Crosby
Hansen
Farrell
Lockers

Subs
Flower
Taylor
Tuson
Hampshire


It is nice to have some options.

If he picks on form then i see no reason for Gelling to be dropped. Yes, he didnt have his best game on Monday but none of the team did

If he picks on form then Smith and Farrel should be no where near that team.

You know I quite like Gelling but I do think Thornley has been treated a touch harshly (I think he needed a rest but my comments are more about Wanes perception of Thornley).

Up until end of May one massive positive for me was that there had hardly been any talk of Carmonts loss this season.
A couple of games later and a dip in Thornley's performances (hardly a massive dip for me?) and Gelling comes in.
I have been encouraged by Gellings performances (You know my thoughts on kick return plays etc.) but still believe that Thornley is the better long term bet for this position (I also see Gelling better right side than left if im honest but Goulding seems to have that nailed down).

I agree that Farell does look a touch fatigued but nowhere near as much as Burke who has looked like a "plodder" last 2/3 games.
Flower was poor on Monday but for me his problems were more to do with basic errors than any lack of effort etc. so for me he would be in along with Taylor who I thought changed the game in our favour when he came on Monday by straightening up our go forward.

So for me :-

1.Sam Tomkins
2.Charnley
3.Goulding
4.Thornley
5.Richards
6.Green
7.Smith
8.Flower
9.Micky
10.Mossop
11.Hansen
12.Farell
13.Lockers

Subs:
Logan
Taylor
Crosby
Tuson/Dudson

Tomkins
Charnley
Goulding
Gelling
Richards
Green
Powell
Taylor
Micky Mac
Mossop
Hansen
Tuson
Lockers

Flower
Dudson
Hampshire
Hughes

Anyone suggesting Farrell should be 'dropped' due to poor performance have lost the plot.

He needs a couple of the weeks rest after the semi final as he looks fatigued. But I'd love to know how many times he took the ball up against Saints along with his tackle count. He's almost working too hard as it's negating his attacking threat.

In terms of props, I'd go with Mossop and Crosby starting with Taylor and Lauaki off the bench. Gelling should continue, I think if we stick with him he could prove himself to be a big threat at centre IF he can cut out the brain explosions.

I see where you're coming from but I'd definitely want 2 props on the bench, that's just a given in RL these days. I can't even think of the odd exception like Fielden, Peacock or Farrell a decade ago who would do 80 minutes at prop.

Well as Wigan have no proper centres any 2 out of the 3 will have to do, but I bet I know who Waney will pick!

I'd go:

FB 1 Sam
RW 2 Charnley
RC 3 Goulding
LC 22 Gelling
LW 5 Richards
SO 6 Green
SH 7 Smith
P 26 Crosby
H 9 McIlorum
P 10 Mossop
SR 11 Hansen
SR 12 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 15 Flower
S 16 Tuson
S 19 Taylor
S 32 Hampshire

Gelling had a bad day at the office, but he did enough before that to convince me he deserves the spot ahead of Thornley, he makes a lot of metres every game and his footwork really seems to cause the defence trouble. I did consider benching Farrell, but I'd prefer us to start with him and Hansen as the two strongest defenders, the last thing we want to do is buoy them by letting them score early doors. Later in the game we can bring on Tuson who will hopefully bring some impact leading to points.

Hampshire to come on at stand off, Green to take a breather for 20 and perhaps McIlorum to do the same later in the game with Green coming back on to partner Hampshire in the halves with Smith moving to hooker. As already mentioned, Green is on thin ice, if he carries on with ordinary form and Hampshire has a couple more big games, I can see him losing his starting spot before the final.

Ben Flower was on fire before his injury, no way I'd drop him after one dodgy game, especially as it was in a position he hasn't played for quite a while.

Tomkins
Charnley Goulding Thornley Richards
Green Smith
Flower McM Mossop
Hansen Farrell
Lockers
--------------------------
Hampshire Taylor Crosby Tuson

Hampshire to be tried in the halves once we command a good lead, lets see what he can do hopefully adding a bit of pace, spark to midfield.
Green/Smith to spell with McM at 9

I think Gelling should keep his centre spot if fit, I’ve heard he’s to have a scan on his foot or ankle? I think Dudson should stay, with Lockers and Hansen back to have a calming word in his impetuous ear. Hampshire showed good composure on Monday, so should have a spot on the bench and used as a rest change if things go as well as we hope and expect. Where’s Lauaki? I keep hearing he’s back this week, then it’s next week, we could do with as many fit props as we can get on board for the last few months.

I [ithink[/i he's fit but just not getting selected. Maybe they'll throw him in next week after the cup semi is out of the way

I would discount Monday entirely. Wane was in the ultimate no win situation there. 3 fewer days' preparation for the biggest game in his career so far against opponents with nothing to lose made that the ultimate poisoned chalice. If the results were won Monday, lose Saturday he'd almost certainly be looking for another job, and he knows it. He has been handed as easy a route to Wembley as he could have ever wished for, and knows IL demands he gets there. Saints had 2 weeks to prepare for their own Wembley. If anything, I thought the players out performed my expectations, coming back so well from 12 0 down, when they could have packed it in (perhaps because players less than certain to feature prominently on Saturday like Hampshire, Taylor and Logan stepped up).
If you were Mossop, about to leave these shores for goodness knows how long, the prospect of playing at Wembley again must have played on his mind. Bilko talks about the side having mental problems, but if ever a drop off in concentration was predictable it was on Monday.
So, as to the team which I would pick, from what we are told is a full squad, the test I would adopt to any position with alternative players is - which one has shown himself to be sounder/more reliable under pressure.
6 of the 7 backs pick themselves. Green may have been below par, but he is far lower risk than the alternatives.
Of the centres, while Gelling on his day is better, and Thornley can go missing in defence, my choice would be Thornley, as I think he is less likely to do something insane.
Of the props, Crosby, Taylor and Mossop would get my vote. Dudson and Lauaki have both cost us tight games with their indiscipline, so would be out. Which leaves Flower, who can make school boy errors but is generally sound.
Faz, H and Lockers have done more than enough to deserve to play, though like others I would rest Faz for a couple of weeks afterwards.
Which leaves the extra bench forward, a role for which the ever reliable Tuson is perfectly suited, and the interchange 9/back. I would go with Powell. He may never be able to attack like Hampshire, and Logan would be low risk, but he covers a number of positions with aplomb.
I suspect Wane will go with Gelling, Dudson and Hampshire, but he would be wrong.

S Tomkins,
Charnley, Goulding, Thornley, Richards.
Green, Smith.
Flower, McIlorum, Mossop,
Hansen, Farrell,
O'Loughlin.
Bench - Crosby, Taylor, Tuson, Hampshire.

I do think Green will play a whole lot better with Lockers back. Green has played with four different 13s since his return from injury. No wonder he's looked lost at times.
Flower, Mossop, Crosby and Taylor will overpower the Broncos front row and it is harsh on Dudson he's not in.
Hampshire surely can't be left out as backs cover as he can go 1,6&7. If MicMac is spelled Smith to 9 and Rocky to half back as v Bradford.

how do you drop hampshire after monday,sam on the bench.

Started off so well.

Sam at 1, Hampshire in the Halves, Smith in the stands.

Is it any wonder Faz looks tired, think he has played more game time than any other forward for Wigan this year. When all the other forwards where struggling for fitness he was playing big minutes week after week. Time for a rest??

First of all dont get me wrong I think farell has performed very well this year, in fact I thought in the the 3/4 games since Greens been back there's been glimpses of the Farell pre June.

I would pick him this week, rest him maybe next against HKR?

Faz has to play.

I don't put his form or anyone's down to burnout either. Wane has managed their workload pretty well this year.

I think people losing form is down to our annual slump that now seems to come towards the back end of every season. We lost momentum after last years exiles game and have done it again this year.

The question is can we turn it around this time?

I agree! It's madness! Farrell made 114 metres against Saints, one of only three players to make over 100m (Gelling and Taylor the others) and made 30 tackles.

He's not at the same level as he was earlier in the season when Blake Green was at his best but he's still playing better than most back row forwards in Super League and more importantly he's making a big contribution to the team. We have no player to bring in who will make up for what Farrell brings.