Two big games coming up both against Leeds, firstly the league game on Friday at home where we need to pick up points to stay in touch with Wire at the top, then a cup game away to Leeds the week after which is must win for obvious reasons.

Trying to be positive maybe it was a good thing we got beat at Hull last week, hopefully reinvigorating us ready to perform well over the next few weeks.

Leeds are a strange one, can look bloody awful one week and then can pull a result out of the bag. They've definitely been our bogey team over the last two years, effectively ending our season. Quietly confident for Friday, less so the week after (always difficult to get a big win there).

Let's hope we can start to get some bodies back.

Hoping Hampshire will play on Friday. Take some pressure off Smith and get Shorrocks back in the forwards. I think Shorrocks at 6 has ran its course. Byrne needs to have a better start this week, I thought he was poor against Hull in the first half, his stats back that up. I've no doubt Leeds will show up this week, they always do against us. Its funny how fixtures work out, I can see us winning this week and losing the challenge cup game but fingers crossed we nail them both.

Byrne is a steady prop but at times I feel he needs a kick up the backside. He should be a steamroller but I can't remember seeing a front rower of his size stopped dead in his tracks as much as him.

Already nervous about the cup game. Leeds knocked us out the cup in 2020, and the playoffs in 2021 and 22.

When they are good they are good when they are terrible they are terrible.

I’d predict they’ll be terrible this week and good the week after.

Exactly how I feel.

Some pondering for Peet this fortnight, the temporay fix of Shorrocks at 6 served us well for a few games but unravelled v Hull.
The loss of 3 Snr props is limiting his choices, so Rocky must have some game time on Friday, I think, or play for the full 80 v Leeds reserves.

Wouldn’t surprise me if Field came into contention for this game.
To go into the CC game without some minutes post injury maybe a stretch too far even for Field.

Field is way off - looking at Magic weekend at the earliest. Cust might be a chance for the cup game.

I think until we get Ellis and Singleton back every game will be struggle.
Mago is effectively a passenger putting a lot of pressure on the remaining youthful props.Hampshire should be an improvement on Shorrocks but he will add very little to our kicking game.
Even playing a consistent inconsistent team like Leeds will be very difficult for us.
Will be interesting to see how we start the game this after our poor opening 20 minutes or so against Hull.

We are short at HB with Sezer out for a few weeks and Sinfield who had a decent game last week until he got a head injury and has failed the HIA.
On the other hand Sezer has been woeful most of the games he`s played and Austin like Leeds blows hot and cold.
I`m not confident for either of the games.

Looks like the club are putting on a bit of an effort for Friday. The reserves are playing at 17:30 and then Clint Boon is going a 50 min DJ set prior to KO too.

Getting Ellis back for the cup game would be very handy. Think he said 4 weeks after the wakefield game, so fingers crossed

"Liam Marshall was touch and go with a lower abdominal injury, he was playing through the pain in the run up to the international break and we thought the week off would do him good, but it was a tricky one.

“Cade (Cust) did a full session today, and got good feedback back from the physio. Kaide (Ellis) certainly won’t be this week or the next few weeks. We will end up with a few bodies back at the same time.”

Ryan Hampshire could also make his second debut with Peet saying: “Ryan is certainly in the mix and we will see how he goes.”

Thanks for the quotes.

It would be hard to drop Thornley after his performance but will be glad to have Marshall back.

I’m no Cust fan but would be a boost to have him back as opposed to Shorrocks (who can help us out in the forwards).

Isa and Cust in the squad. I’d certainly be looking to get a game in to Cust, if we then want him to play next week in a cup game. I’d probably look at pushing Smithies up to prop for this one and use Shorrocks at 13 to start (with a possible move to 6 if Cust needs a breather late on).

I’d go-

French
Miski King Wardle Marshall
Cust Smith
Smithies Powell Havard
Isa Farrell Shorrocks

Subs
Mago Byrne KPP O’Neill

You'd hope either Cust or Hampshire will start at 6, fair play to Shorrocks for putting his hand up but our points for have just dried up, really need a half back at half back

Peet will have to decide which of Cust and Hampshire is most ready for the cup game next week so maybe they will both get some game time. Its an important 2 points but the absolute be all and end all. The bench still a big issue with Mago essentially a passenger at the moment - I think we can add him to the list of poor front row recruits Radlinski and co.

Reserves play at Robin park at 17:30 before the game.

Hampshire should get 80 minutes under his belt in that game.

In terms of making ground and cutting out his errors, he’s doing better IMO but defensively he’s an accident waiting to happen. His lack of intent and willingness to bend his back is so so poor. Satae walked about 20-25 metres last week with Mago pawing at him.

KPP was worse, completely gave up and fell off him. Amazed he will be in the NRL next year.

The thing is, he’ll switch on and commit fully to it and go ok IMO, because to me this move has been on his mind for ages and he’ll know he’ll need to be at his best. It’s frustrating watching him for us this season. One week it looks the penny has dropped and he’s putting himself about, but then the following week, he’s back to pawing at people in defence and shirking the tough carries in attack. You look at him from Wire away, to last week at Hull and it’s chalk and cheese. That can only be an attitude thing.

There's glimpses of something there but like you say, not nearly enough consistency. Would love to be wrong and he makes something out of it but seen nothing to suggest he will magically change his attitude in a tougher playing environment.

Could this be our last game at the DW?

Ever?

For a good while perhaps. I've not looked at our fixtures, but we're away after this for two weeks right?

Are we confident Latics will be around in 4 weeks or so time?