Adrian Lam names the Wigan Warriors squad to face Leigh this Sunday.
Umyla Hanley and Brad O’Neill replace Liam Marshall and Ethan Havard in the 21.
Wigan Warriors v Leigh Centurions, Sun 1st Aug, DW Stadium, 3pm K.O.
Adrian Lam has named the Wigan Warriors squad to face Leigh Centurions this Sunday in Round 17 of the Betfred Super League.
The two will meet for the third time in 2021, with the Warriors having won the first two bouts. Unlike the previous two fixtures, this encounter will take place at the DW Stadium.

Wigan will be looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s defeat at Warrington, while Leigh will still be in search of their first win of the campaign.

Team news
John Bateman is again included in the squad despite missing out due to his ankle injury before the Warrington game on Wednesday.

Brad O’Neill and Umyla Hanley return to the squad, replacing Liam Marshall (failed HIA) and Ethan Havard (hip injury).

Injury news
Forward Morgan Smithies remains sidelined with an ankle injury.

Zak Hardaker is unavailable due to a neck injury.

Winger Dom Manfredi continues to recover from a knee injury.

Jai Field remains side-lined with a torn hamstring injury sustained during Round 1 against Leigh Centurions.

Bevan French too continues recovery from a hamstring injury, expected to keep the full back out for the remainder of the 2021 season.

Squad v Leigh Centurions

4. Oliver Gildart
7. Tommy Leuluai
8. Brad Singleton
9. Sam Powell
10. Joe Bullock
11. Willie Isa
12. Liam Farrell
13. John Bateman
14. Oliver Partington
17. Tony Clubb
19. Liam Byrne
20. Harry Smith
22. Jake Bibby
23. Mitch Clark
25. Joe Shorrocks
27. Kai Pearce-Paul
28. Sam Halsall
30. Umyla Hanley
31. Jackson Hastings
33. Amir Bourouh
34. Brad O’Neill

I will start with the same old line of-what we pick and what Lam will pick won’t be the same. Hastings will probably still be fullback, Leuluai will start, Powell will be run in to the ground for 75 minutes, Clubb will start and so on (and I’m not disagreeing with all those personally) but just for laughs I’d go-

Hanley
Bibby Isa Gildart Halsall
Leuluai Hastings
Singleton Bourouh Bullock
Pearce-Paul Farrell Bateman

Partington
Clark
Byrne
Powell

I’d freshen it up a little with the games coming thick and fast and Leigh coming in rested. Harry Smith needs some games to recharge the batteries. I’d give Powell a break and let him come from the bench. If Bullock and Clark don’t play this game, they may as well send them on holiday! It’s a short turnaround, Havard is out and Clubb looked shattered after 15 minutes on Wednesday.

Imagine dropping Havard and not Clubb.

Oh …

Hastings
Hanley
Gildart
Isa
Bibby
Smith
Tommy
Clubb (15mins, 3mtrs, 2 drives and done)
Powell
Singo
Faz
KPP
Bateman

Bourouh (who will sit on the bench for 70mins)
Clarke (might do a 20min cameo
Partington
Byrne

It’s not what I’d have but it’s defo what will be the team.

Havard has a hip injury

I'd have Smith instead of Leuluai and O'Neil instead of Powell, apart from that, same as yours

Our 19 man squad has been named.....be very afraid !



2. Matty Russell
3. Iain Thornley
4. Junior Sa’u
7. Joe Mellor
9. Liam Hood
10. Mark Ioane
11. Ben Hellewell
12. Jordan Thompson
14. Matty Wildie
15. Alex Gerrard
17. Jamie Ellis
18. Matty Gee
19. Nathan Mason
20. Adam Sidlow
22. Craig Mullen
24. Keanan Brand
25. Brendan Elliot
33. Rob Butler (on loan from Warrington)
34. Jack Ashworth (on loan from Huddersfield)

Is Ben Flower on strike?

The rumour is he won’t play SL (even though he has played for us this season - I think once) as he signed a Champ contract

Still having to pay him apparently

We may as well play Powell at 13 if he is there to tackle and shift the the ball sideways. Get the young lads in at hooker.

Powell needs a rest, he looked exhausted when he left the field on Wednesday.
Play both O'Neil and Bourough at Leigh.

Now that Clubb is retiring at the end of the season, it looks like Powell is already being set up to be the new target of abuse.

IMO last season was Powell's best for us, he found a running game and could change things up when necessary, this season, maybe due to injury, who knows, he's completely abandoned that part of his game, we can see it, the opposition can see it and plan their defence accordingly, it's killing us attack wise.

Important to realise this is our 7th game in 32 days whereas Leigh haven’t played for weeks! Could be a tough day atvthe office but I’d still expect a win.

I’d go with Hanley at FB, Halsall on the wing, Hastings back to the halves and give Smith a rest.

Now that Clubb is retiring at the end of the season it looks like posters that critique Powell will be the target of your bellendness

I think it's been proven that having a long time between games isn't any good as you lose match fitness as you could see in our game on Wednesday against Warrington,a half decent attacking team would have won the game by half time

Hastings still at FB, Hanley on wing, Clubb out, Bateman on bench

Fantastic performance, long overdue!!

Take that, only downside will be Singleton sat down for a week or two by the disciplinary

Yup very silly of him the only smart play Leigh came up with all afternoon.

Happy with the win

I think I started every sentence at the game with “I know it’s Leigh but….” and added something positive on the end.

In a dominant team Harry Smith looked a million dollars and he needed that. His goal kicking was excellent and whilst I felt he lost confidence before he took the goal kicking this season, I don’t think it hurt his confidence today when he nailed that early one from the touch line. Him and Hastings were outstanding.

We really need to look at that decision to release Bourouh again. He might not be a world beater but he might be and for me, we’ve just not had enough of a look at him yet. He’s something different for us and I’d hate to see him go elsewhere and kick on.

As for the others, the whole back line were very good and there’s going to be an embarrassment of riches in the back row when everyone is fit. Guys like KPP and Shorrocks are going to make it so tough for Lam to pick who misses out. I’d say at the minute Morgan Smithies would do well to get back in. This really is the time where Lam needs to be ruthless with his selections and to drive competition. Him keep falling back in to picking Clubb to start, Powell to do 80 minutes and Tommy in the halves won’t push us on. He needs to make sure that people know of they play well they’ll get a place and if they don’t, they won’t, regardless of who they are.

Having seen the video of the brawl, Ollie Partington threw more punches than Ashworth & Singleton combined, and will get the longest ban,

I think we looked better without Leuluai. Just hope this injury isnt how he ‘bows out’ and retires

In fairness to Partington he was sticking up for Singleton who was being held whilst Rob Buttler punched him from behind 2 or 3 times. I wondered why the Wigan players seemed to be seething with Buttler. That was absolutely cowardly from him and I’d say he comes out of it all in the poorest light. Singleton, Ashworth and Partington can at least take their bans with their heads up.

Great to see a bit of biff, even if it was a one off.

Listen to the crowd come alive. Sky are showing highlights of it too. You can't tell me people don't want to see biff in the game.

I'm sure the g!mps at the judiciary will be rubbing their hands together tho. More money in the coffers for their Xmas slush fund and they can appease those middle class mums in London who don't approve of this kinda stuff.