Can we start talking about this game now, rather than a Twitter spat and Latics?

Watching the first couple of games back, they are much faster and a lot less stoppages. Hopefully our superior fitness levels and smaller pack will benefit a lot from the rule changes (excl. Clubb).

How do we expect to line up, something like this?

French
Marshall
Bibby (is Gildart fit?)
Hardaker
Manfredi
Hastings
Leuluai
Byrne
Powell
Clubb
Isa
Farrell
O'Loughlin

Burgess
Bullock
Havard/Harry Smith
Smithies

Really need to keep on top of our discipline around the ruck with this set restart rule coming in. We can give away cheap penalties at the best of times but a couple set restarts could easily cost us games.

I would rather have Hankinson than Bibby, he’s a better defender and his goal kicking is the best at the club. Can’t see him playing and swapping kickers probably does no favours to Hardaker.
I wouldn’t have Clubb in the side either, with the game being played at a quicker pace either his fitness is going to be exposed or the other forwards are going to struggle picking up his slack.

Only injury news I’ve heard is Liam Marshall saying we have 3 players out in an interview. I noticed Gildart and Jake Shorrocks throwing a ball around whilst the team was doing contact work, so guess two are those guys.

As for the team, I think we saw how quick the games were on Sunday and they look unforgiving on big men in the middle. I would’ve been concerned by George Burgess anyway given his start and him having 5 months off and that’s only heightened now. I’m not sure we’ll carry both him and Bullock in the 17 but I’m certain it would be Bullock who’d miss out going off previous selections. I’d find a place for both but there’s no way they can be on the field at the same time.

French
Manfredi Hardaker Hankinson Marshall
Hastings Leuluai
Bullock Powell Partington
Isa Farrell Lockers

Subs
G Burgess, Havard, Smithies, Smith.

I think it’s likely we’ll see Clubb and Byrne in for Bullock and Havard though.

100% This, the usual suspects could kill us with this new rule.
On the plus side if French, Marshall and Manfredi stick their noses into dummy half and run we could pick up loads of penalties.

Forgot about Partington! Is he not still banned?

Yes, still got two games left I think.

Totally forgot about Partington. It’s Clubb (don’t fall over in shock) and Gildart who are injured. Lam just confirmed it in his press conference.

Looks like the props will be Byrne, Havard, Bullock and Burgess then with only Mitch Clark potentially forcing one out.

What about Benny Flower.

I think he will play

Suspended

Is wakey still seen as a gimme, 2 easy points ?

Seeing as we never win at your place, who has said that?

I genuinely think it's open as who wins but it will be a good few points difference to the winner due to re sets of six who ever gives them
Away too easily ?
That fact of re sets is the new momentum game changer ! Compounded by the will to play at speed in th a t momentum !

Certainly, watching the NRL, once a team gets on a roll, the momentum can be hard to get back.

I Think the team will be

French
Marshall
Bibby
ZAK
Manfredi
Hastings
Tommy
Bullock
Powell
Burgess
Faz
Isa
Lockers

Byrne
Havard
Smithies
Smith

Reserves
Burgess
Hankinson
Clarke
Greenwood

Thought we had another Salford on our hands there but glad we got the 2pts.

Disappointed with the amount of penalties we gave away. Will have to rewatch but think Isa was a culprit a few times. Didn't help we had to change the halves and then French going off, who no doubt would've been involved in all key plays in training. Havard really good again.

Disciple again let us down, 16 point lead and nearly through it away like the Solford.

Isa did get penalised a couple of times but there were other guilty as well, French moved to the wing for most of the game with Zak at full back and Manfredi at centre!

Second half some poor defense at times and a lack of composure invited pressure and some bad reads in defense on the left hand side allowed Wakey to score twice, a lot closer than it should have been.

Lets not gloss over the fact that 2nd half we where sh*te and got lucky that, the bibby try was given as it never was a try

Our discipline is horrendous. We gave a penalty away in possession yet again and lost a try on the back of it. David Fafita did what David Fafita does against us and acts like a footballer constantly claiming foul play and both us and Thaler fell for it. I love Smithies but he really needs to get his head back in to just running hard and tackling hard and leave the running niggly battles to one side.

On the plus side Hardaker was excellent, I thought Bibby had his best game in a Wigan shirt and Liam Byrne and Havard carried that group of props. I again paid close attention o George Burgess and it’s like watching a junior out his depth. His first job to work on is getting back in the defensive line. It’s Tautai esq watching him struggle and him being third man in and then not getting back in the line left Isa totally isolated for the Wood try (still a very poor effort though). I thought Byrne was absolutely massive for us. He’s growing in confidence and physically and bit by bit he’s making a spot in the 17 his own.

Errrors and penalties were shocking, luckily Wakefield made plenty too.

George Burgess - marquee player was hidden on the bench then did about 20 mins and was okay.

Jackson Hasting - marquee player goes missing when the going gets tough, his second half today was nearly as bad as his second half against Salford.

Need our “big names” to step up imo

George Burgess one of our biggest mistakes for years absolutely waste of cap space

Few thoughts, firstly lowest quality game of the restart so far.

Both teams making some bad errors and poor decisions.

The main concern for me was out attack which was very flat. At time’s our strike runners were ahead of the ball carrier who was looking to find them.

Thought Zak had a great game but I’d still rather he play centre with French at 1 as teams can really go at French in the line on the wing.

Manfreddi worked hard but for me the centre position isn’t for him.

Was impressed with Clarke when he came on, looked like he wanted to make an impact and did. Burgess didn’t really put his hand up and that is a worry.

End of sets was poor, won’t have helped losing TL but Smith or Hastings needed to be more dominant.

I thought Powell was great, huge in D at critical times, I would still like to see Amir Bourouh on the bench. The new system cries out for an explosive 9 and that isn’t Powell.

Positives again were the youngsters and the 2 points.

Harvard in particular I thought was great.

Tactics....not sure they worked today.

Back to the drawing board Mr Lam.

I guess a win is a win, but plenty to work on.

Isa - absolutely terrible defence for the 1st Wakey try and then conceded the pen + an extra 10 in the build up for their 2nd. Also offered nothing in attack again. Imagine if Greenwood would have performed like that.

Marshall - same story as always i.e lively in attack, but a liability with his inability to trust his inside man in defence. Two really soft tries that a more complete winger would have kept out.

Last play options weren't the best with kicks going to the man instead of hitting the floor.

Thought Havard, Byrne and Zak had great games tho.

I thought Hastings at Salford was because of his love affair with them? (Not directed soley at you, btw. Plenty said it on here after we lost and criticised him for it)

Our pack quite simply isn't good enough and sides will always get a spell in the game when they dominate. At that point Hastings or any other half will look poor.

Clark and Burgess offered next to frig all off the bench when they should be coming on and looking to dominate.