Why not disagree with bonaire then, who made the original point? We're like a siren and doomed sailor, just really old, craggy ones.

I do agree that the league is the bigger prize, but the cup is not a bad second place. We have started the season solidly and a loss tomorrow wouldn't signal the end of our league campaign by a long shot. Whereas a loss the following week immediately takes one of the three trophies off the table.

I'm probably more optimistic than most about tomorrow. Leeds managed to give Wigan a game with loads of backs missing simply by defending well and running hard. We are a better team than Leeds. If our pack really takes the game to Wigan and if Connor shows up big I think we can get a result. I'm not confident by any means, but I think it will be a very competitive game. The beauty of a great defence is that it keeps you in the arm wrestle even if things aren't going your way. If we defend to form Wigan won't score many points, and then who knows?

Got a buzz already about this game, we are made of different stuff this year.

To be fair I've only just seen Bonaire's, so he can consider this as his disagreement response too

Me too, certainly going to be an interesting game and indication of where both teams are.

Very similar pts for with us having scored 91 and Wigan scoring 95 and both having an identical 42 pts against.

Roll on tomorrow night

Absolutely nothing between us on paper but just think our forwards will relish this challenge tomorrow and really stand up and take the game to them.

Agreed - Weve done the CC now and i wouldnt care if we didnt win it for another 50 years - Grand Final is the one now and it has to be done this year as lots of teams are in progress with coaches coming or going so not fully focused - this could be our chance and we have to try and take it. Next year SL could be completely different so who knows what will happen then

There's only really Warrington in that situation you mention. Cas are a decent side but I don't really consider them to be champion material regardless of their coaching situation. When I look around SL I reckon we are the third best team when we have our key players on the pitch. Behind Saints and Wigan. If we continue to improve then I'm confident that we can mix it with those two aswell, and on our day we can turn anyone over. So yes we absolutely should be targeting SL this year.

I do think it's a bit dramatic to say it has to be this year though. Hodgson has only just started and will want to build his own team and keep improving beyond this season. I wouldn't write off our chances this year because I reckon we are right in the mix, but I hope we will be right up there next year and the year after too. He is trying to lay the foundations for us to be a top side year in year out.

They are both pictured taking part in the captains run today. Griffin in particular looks to be heavily involved. If they have both been ruled out I wouldn't have expected them to be involved. Maybe they are giving them until the last minute to prove their fitness, but yeah, I expect them both to play.

Reynolds pretty much confirmed on Aussie radio that he'll play in the Cup next week. At a push could have played tonight.

Thats good news but expected.
wouldnt be surprised to see Manu Mau available also

No Jack Brown tonight bit of a surprise
Cam Scott on the bench again

All I can think is that Griffin is a doubt otherwise it doesn't make much sense especially with Wigan loading their bench with 4 'middles'.

It's going to take a massive effort from our pack to avoid getting overpowered.

Come on yu ullaaa

We are well covered at centre and anyone with a niggle should have been left out tonight.
Sneyd running on one leg and Griffin certainly not at his best against Wakefield with Swift doing most of his work out of backfield
Irrespective of what Brett Hodgson says both teams are targeting the C/C and this would have been a good game to give Vulcan a run.
Think this will be one game to mark down as a selection error

It really is given the way Wigan attack with their defence, they put so much energy into forcing errors when sides are in 'exit sets'. We have got to complete high and avoid the stupid offloads if we are getting pushed back which some of our players are prone to do.

In his interview with the Aussie radio station Reynolds was talking about how much video we have done on Hastings taking his game to another level in the last 10 mins of the 1st half and getting in behind the ruck so hope we can control that. Said it on another thread but its Wigans early kicking game is what is giving me the most cause for concern tonight.

The bench is my concern
Apart from Satae there is no threat

Very early days but a ominous already in terms of respective yardage.

What a tackle from Carlos!

I agree we are been dominated since the first whistle

FFS. That was awful

Oh Mahe

Did well to hold them out for 9 minutes. Can't gift Wigan that sort of possession.

Ffs Mahe