A bit premature but looking forward to it

French
Miski
King
Wardle
Marshall
Hampshire (assuming he comes through unscathed this weekend)
Smith
Byrne
Powell
Havard
Farrell
Smithies
Shorrocks

O'Neil
Mago
Hill
Pearce-Paul

Hull are a big physical side so I think MP will start with Shorrocks at 6 and Hampshire off the bench.

Agree - think it would be a risk playing Hampshire after only one reserves game given the seriousness of his injury. Better to give him one or two lesser games (maybe even a short loan stint somewhere?). He can hardly be anywhere near match fit, be surprised if he even makes the bench. more likely Thornley on the bench I suspect.

Both Rocky and Iain are good to go. They are desperate for a first team gig but you are correct Hampshire will be underdone after one reserve game. I am expecting him to be a clever signing. I spoke to him at the Wakefield game and his whole demeanour has changed from when he was at Wigan previously (mind you show me a young person who doesn’t change when they get older), he is Wigan through and through.

Tony Smith has said Hull plan to throw Trueman in without him playing a warm up game. Be interesting to see how Hampshire goes tomorrow.

Who knows - maybe Cade Cust will be in contention. Peet said at least 6 weeks which would technically be around the Hull game but I guess it depends on how his neck responds to the rest

Reserve game on Wigan TV at noon.

Excited to watch Hampshire, Thornley, Hill, Nsemba, Forber, Douglas and Eckersley.

Coaches will know if when Hampshire will be ready for the first team.

When Cust/Hampshire are back, I wouldn’t be suprised to see Smithies play prop and Shorrocks play 13, given we’ve got a few props out.

Wakey have named a pretty strong side this afternoon (for reserve grade), so it should be a decent test for the younger lads and a good run out for Hampshire/Thornley.

If Hampshire comes though ok, there is that opportunity to involve him at Hull. Shorrocks has done unbelievably well filling in but we do need more threat from there with the ball and as we’re losing forwards now, I agree with the above that the option to get Shorrocks in at loose forward and Smithies in at prop could be a good one. I doubt Hampshire would get the start but you could use him from the bench. If Cust was fit then maybe we could use that option from the start.

Hampshire played an hour in the reserves and looked pretty good. One try, a couple of other try assists and looked comfortable. Nsemba and Thornley ate up the yards at times. Eckersley looks a great athlete and Kieran Tyrer showed some nice touches.

Decent comeback from Hampshire today. Played 60 minute. Scored a simple try and had 3 line break assists.

Think the 60 minutes was always the plan coming back from the injury rather than saving him for Thursday.

Thornley looked very sharp and ready to come back into the first team when needed.

Eckersley, Nsemba and Hill are built like experienced superleague players rather than young kids.

Hull are no longer a big physical side and thats part of the problem this season
We are currently playing with three of the smallest and lightweight forwards in S/L with Fash,Cator and Lane

Squad news https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/05/ ... hull-fc-4/

Squad news https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/05/ ... hull-fc-4/

Could be a banana skin this one. Hull squad looking pretty injury free, we had 6/7 involved in the England game plus so notable outs.

Good start needed.

Surprised to see Hampshire straight into the squad. Wonder if he’ll play or is he just making up the numbers.

It does feel like it could be a tough one. It never seems an easy fixture for us this, bar the odd isolated one here and there. It may be too early for Hampshire but id be tempted to throw him on the bench and we could then switch things up during the game and get Shorrocks in the forwards.

I’d go-

French
Miski King Wardle Marshall
Shorrocks Smith
Byrne Powell Havard
KPP Farrell Smithies

Subs
Mago Hill Hampshire O’Neill

To be fair they are missing Hoy, Vulikijapani, Shaul and Severs. Not sure where Savelio is.

Surely Hoy is the only one that would get in the 17.

I'd still back us to get a marginal win - Havard/Byrne/Smithies will have to do a lot of the legwork which they're very capable of. Hill and Mago will have to be used sparingly due to a lack of experience/lack of fitness respectively.

French
Miski King Wardle Marshall
Hampshire Smith
Byrne Powell Havard
KPP Farrell Smithies

Subs
Mago Hill Shorrocks O’Neill
After 30 minutes throw Shorrocks to 13 and move Smithies to prop.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ian Thornley given a run in place of Wardle after that heavy knock he took playing for England.

He was dropped for performance related reasons then apparently injured his hand, hasn't been seen since. Looking increasingly likely he isn't someone TS rates so will be out the door.
As MadDogg said only really Hoy from the injury list who is a guaranteed starter although I'd have Vulikijapani in when fit.
Its Truemans first game back from ACL so not expecting the world from him.

Someone said he would be out on loan to Wakey. I’ve got to say he looked sharpe in the reserves fixture against wakey

Has Trueman played in the reserves?

That was the plan last weekend but Huddersfield decided to call off the game at the last minute with no explanation.

They have a first team squad of about 68 players, so they couldn’t be low on numbers.

This is one of the reasons why top level RL is considered a joke at times

Wigan scholarship game called off last week too as opposition couldnt field a side

IMO, academy and reserves should be mandatory for all top level clubs, and they treat them with the respect that they deserve, not keep cancelling them because they cant be d. Its one of my gripes at the minute. How can we as a game produce youngsters who are ready to step up to 1st team, when there isnt a pathway for them because some clubs cant be d about it

Absolutely agree with this, the reserve and academy competitions need to be a priority for super league teams, you could get players coming in to match day 17s without playing any game for weeks due to no reserve games, which will drive players away from RL if they're playing maybe one a month while not in the 1st team. I actually really enjoy watching reserve games more than the first team a lot of the time (being a Hull fan I'm sure you can understand why).

I agree with a lot of people on here and feel this is a game we could lose. Those 3 games in a row against Leigh, Saints and Warrington were so intense and we have started to lose a few through suspension and injury. We looked flat against Wakey and had a lot go again for England, just hope the Wakey game was the poor performance and we can kick on again and put a stamp on first place.