I can't believe we'd get a centre like him and put him in the second row when our pack has been doing so well.

The edge defense has been much stronger since Kirmo came back and Tanginoa is ripping it up on the other side. We will make good yards with Atkins on that left side.

Just looking back at the side we put out for that 2nd defeat down at London.

1. Hampshire
2. Jones-Bishop
3. Lyne
4. Sau
5. Caton-Brown
6. Reynolds
7. Miller
8. Fifita
9. Randell
10. Hirst
11. Batchelor
12. Horo
13. Crowther
Subs
14. Kirmond
15. Kopczak
16. King
17. Wood

We've lost Sau, Caton Brown, Reynolds, Fifita, Hirst and Horo. I would say with the exception of a fully fit Fifita we have a much stronger team now available.

Been inpressed by the pack in last 3 games think the London pack was on top when we have played them .Think we could get on top of them if pack play with same determination

You could guarantee Ward will target us here. Its something they have done all season to all sides with a small FB. Unfortunately it seems like Chester is in love with Escare currently so he will definitely play at FB so we need to look at being smart enough to protect him from Walker.

I dont get the doom mongering though. Yes if we lose we could go down but we wont. Anyone who watched London and Hull Kr on friday must realise how bad both those teams are. Yeah, there was tonnes of effort and commitment but both sides were awful. Hull Kr stopped playing when they got infront and if it wasnt for Londons fast start they would have lost. London literally created 1 chance in the last 60 minutes against the second worst team in the competition. We just need to grind out or sets, complete high, build some pressure and not panic everytime we get near there line and we will be far too strong for them.

No doubt Arundel will get dropped regardless of how well he played on Friday. If your looking for a theory to why we are in this mess then this is it.

I think we’ll win on Friday and it will be by a similar margin to the last Huddersfield game at home and Hull KR away. And the fail safe is Salford will beat Hull KR. This though shouldn’t mask what has been an awful period and in no way all should the last 5 months be swept under the carpet and it be purely put down to injuries. Changes will need to be made in the iff season.

It is a fact though that injuries have played a huge part in the horrible run we went on.

With a fully fit squad we won 6 out of our first 10 so a 60% win rate...

We’ve then won 4 of our next 18 at a 22% win rate..

Is there an argument to say if we had kept a reasonably healthy squad we could have at least maintained a 50-60% ratio which would have had us in and around the play offs...

I think in this day and age if you take 5 or 6 of any teams best players out, especially for long periods of the season it’s going to be tough...

Who would argue that Johnstone, Tupou, Ashurst, Fifita and Arona are probably five of our top 7 or 8 players and they’ve missed large chunks...how do you replace that quality on our budget?

it would be better for us if London beat us but we stay up due to one or both the others losing - that way we wont be favs for drop next season,but I think our luck may of run out this year!

I hope Escare is in the starting line up. I wouldn't class it as love just fond affection.

I agree on form he should play. Not sure hes any better than Rocky though.
I just hope we give him some protection as hes not the safest under the high ball as it is and hes going to get peppered by abdul.

Can’t see us having THREE players in the Dream Team this year.

Remember when we gave Wigan fans, or any other club for the matter, ridicule when they suffered injuries and used it as an excuse. Why are we so special.

I think Escare offers a bit more than Hampshire going forward but, even considering Hampshire's recent drop in enthusiasm, it's close and we need them both out there.

Apart from Jowitt I doubt any of our backs can be classed as safe under the high ball.

Escare is a stronger runner and more robust in defence than Hampshire although he has come up with a few errors and high balls are a bit of a worry.

Bit of a worry - has to be understatement of year - him and Hampshire were pretty frightening during last couple games - Hampshire’s generally decent under high ball but got caught out when escare didn’t come for what should have been his ball. Abdul will definitely target that side repeatedly if we go with sane combination , personally would revert rocky to full back or scrum half and put kershaw or Atkins on that wing . Perhaps have escare on bench especially seen as we only used 3 subs against Wigan

Don't think we're special but I'm sure I read that the squad between them had had 18 operations this year - that's not a few minor injuries and is clearly going to take a massive toll on a team like ours.

Agree, give our 'catching' defender protection and we could do something that we don't seem to do, but other teams do to us ie put pressure on the kicker

The only time that I can recall any side getting ridicule for "injuries", is when we thrashed a depleted Wigan side and then Wane suggested something about a "mystery virus" in the camp and suggested that we "book our coaches to London".

That deserved some ridicule.

For Trinity this time we've had big numbers injured and key personnel.
Every side needs some luck in this respect and especially those with smaller squads

Hampshire has been targeted for this too recently.

Exactly. It's been the most extraordinary run of long term injuries for us, combined with injuries to key players at other clubs in key games that could have done us a favour and st Helens gifting London 4 points. To rub it in, it certainly possible Salford may do the same on Sunday. The season has been quite extraordinary in its appalling luck for us.... surely we are due some....
It is absolutely scandalously unfair that this last round of matches are not played at the same time

I wouldn't play Atkins - seems like a big risk in such a crunch game; he's obviously a big fit lad, and a model pro, but he's been out for so long, he is bound to be rusty - and given that his passes to his winger generally coincide with a full lunar eclipse at the best of times, we can't expect him to be putting anyone away.

At this stage though, I've no energy for team selection - just going to turn up with the lad and resign myself to the dire situation we find ourselves in - and hope we can scrape through.

I feel the same.
It's feeling like a very long week already.

I just want to get to Friday. Turn up. Get a win with a lead early on to steady nerves. And get out of town feeling like we dodged a spraw of bullets

Aye, by Brough near the opposition line.

One game Thurs and all the rest are on Friday, no advantages

I concur re the full back will get targeted by Abdul
I’d go with rocky at fb, he’s being good under the bomb

Then Atkins in the centre and Kershaw on the wing
Kershaw hasn’t lets us down once and if anything has really excelled this year when he’s had a chance to play

Escare has being really good in attack so perhaps use him as the second hooker but yes certainly get him on the bench

I think one of our own made problems this season has been changing players around (I don't mean due to injuries) so why swap Escare or Hampshire? Why drop Arundel to play Atkins etc. Unfortunately its one of CC's traits. Change as little as poss if all fit for one last big effort which (I really hope) the players have in them.