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.

Who could be playing their last game for Trin on Friday?
Who is playing for next season and who will be putting themselves in the shop window??

Well two players who will be playing for London on friday will be playing for us next season!

If we get relegated(perish the thought) I doubt they will be with us

Answer to the question who could be playing their last game for the Trin on Friday, if we get relegated the 17 players picked for the game plus several other players who are either not picked or are on the injured list. And regarding the 2 London players on show, again if we are relegated they will not be moving to the Trin, which show the importance of this game.

I explained in the post but to double confirm re why I’d go with Hampshire at fb,
I think Ryan is very good under the bomb
I think Morgan while being a great attacking threat looks shaky at best taking kicks
I think London will go with a really basic game plan and target Morgan so I deduce it would be better not to have him at FB

Atkins
We couldn’t as for a more experienced centre and we need some one to cover bill
Arundle hasn’t really played so he’s not being dropped

I’m tipping that they have signed dual contracts

Apart from Tanginoa I fail to see this. It's done okay but thought Warrington first half rolled us down the middle with ease. Also, something I thought was interesting was the difference in the coaches' thoughts after the game on Friday, see below:

Warrington coach Steve Price:

"It was a fantastic first half. Everything we set out to do pre-game we did and we could have been further ahead. The second half they were ready to be choked but we took the foot off a little bit.

"The most pleasing thing was the win which is all that counted. We got a lot of belief and confidence after the Challenge Cup win but it was all about getting back to winning ways in Super League.

"We played some really good attacking football especially in that first 40 minutes and we created a lot of ruck speed.

"The boys are all in really good spirits at the moment and we came out of the game with no injuries which is the main thing."

Wakefield coach Chris Chester:

"We always knew we needed to win one more game and we now need another big performance. We can't afford to worry about other teams, I've got to make sure we prepare well and make sure we get the result.

"We spoke in the dressing room that we need one last big effort and if we get the game won we will all breathe a lot easier. It's another big week and I'll try and keep the pressure off the boys but I know the players will be giving their all.

"We gave ourselves too much to do in the second half although we were a little bit unlucky to be going in 16-0 down at half-time. We were pretty good defensively but just had some individual misses which cost us.

"But there was bags of effort and we were the better side in the second half and showed some grit, determination and courage to get ourselves back in the game. We had all the momentum in the second half and we were fantastic and there was very little between the two teams. We were unlucky not to get the result."

Is Atkins fully fit and match fit, I dont think so and therefore is seems a bit of a risk to play him.
Escare over Hampshire is a real tricky one.

For me, Hampshire may be slightly better under the bomb but, in all other aspects, Escare seems a better option.
The 2 players seem pretty similar to me but, Escare is just a bit more physical.

Whether Hampshire should be in the halves is a different question but, I really dont see Brough or Miller getting dropped for this one, unless there is an injury problem.

I think we should run every set, especially early on at Abdul and hopefully he will then be too knackered to cause too many problems when they have ball in hand and then we have to deal with Dixons pace and Walkers ability to take an attacking kick.

Battye has been excellent against us too.

No they didn’t roll us down the middle, which I thought was down to good head on collision, Hill was put down with ease in every collision, ok we could have handled the off loads better but 2 tries down the edges that I’m sure they know should have been easily stopped were the difference, regarding taking their foot off the gas is a saying all coaches use to defend their back to the wall performance, that’s why they took the drop goal , Wakefield could and should have come away with something.

I personally don’t see the game being won or lost with Abdul bombs...we need to play at a high tempo from the start...show London no respect...we need to run hard, win the collisions and get on the front foot and give the backs quick ball...if we do this we will win in the fashion we did against Hull KR and Huddersfield IMO.

We also need to be patient if things aren’t happening straight away...we don’t need to score every set...we have it in our locker to grind teams down and have the ability to turn the screw and score 2 or 3 quick tries in no time...

What we don’t want is the game played at a snails pace, with short tens...let’s put the referee and London under pressure from the start...

I know it might not be popular with some but I’d play Atkins on the wing instead of Hampshire...he could be invaluable in those early tackles bringing the ball out and his height could be a real asset in attack for kicks to the corner...that’s nothing against Hampshire who I like a lot..just feel he’s wasted on the wing...maybe be a better option from the bench depending on who is fit?

I completely disagree. The games London have won this year off the back of abduls kicking game. They score a higher percentage of tries off kicks than anyone else. If we shut Abdul down and look after our catchers in a smart way we blunt their biggest attacking threat.

I agree with you.and if escare is going to play its important we clise abdul down

What sort of crowd numbers are we anticipating?