Bateman?

Thanks Hatty, I stand corrected.

I can only see a Wigan win on Saturday we have hit a bit of a blip and although the effort is there we have lost the last two games with disappointing performances.

We're up against it in the backs. Tomkins, Manfredi, Gildart and now Leuluai all missing. It'll be interesting who we use in the halves. Shorrocks is the natural replacement for Leuluai but he's out for the season too! Maybe Powell to 7 now that we have McIllorum back but we'd then need cover at 9 because MM is nowhere near ready to do a full 80. I shudder to think what we'll do the week after against Salford when O'Loughlin and Williams are in Oz!

Maybe a chance for Josh Ganson for the Salford game?

He's been playing superbly for the Academy, but I suspect Gregson might get the call up, he did a pretty good job last times he was in there.

Says on the BBC web site that Tommy as broken is jaw and still has the plates in from the first break bad news that.

Honestly no,i know about his family etc but i still see him having a go down under,nothing but a gut feeling of course

Can see Ganson playing against Salford, no idea what we're going to do this week though.



Something like



Escare

Davies

Gelling

Burgess

Marshall

Williams

Powell

Flower

McIlorum

FPN

Joel

Farrell

O'Loughlin



Isa/Naverette

Sutton

Tautai

Gregson (to play 9 or 6).



Didn't want to drop Bruce but need strong play in the centres.



Thank god; Davies, Marshall, Forsyth has been so good coming into the first team or else we'd be in big big trouble with these injuries.

I think it'll have to be something like that, MM isn't fit enough to play the full 80 yet, so Powell back to hooker when MM goes off, with Gregson into the halves. Other option would be to use Lockers at 7 again, with Powell or MM on the bench.

It's a shame Sam isn't fit. It would have been a good opportunity to see how he goes in the halves. Powell is peobably the best shout for #7 with Gregson or Garson spelling at #9

Yeah it could've been Tomkins opportunity to nail that spot. It sounds like him and Leuluai will be back around the same time. It's a sad way to think but I'm sure there will be other injuries before then which will open up spots for them.



As for Saturday I'd go Lockers at six with Isa at loose forward to help save McIlorum doing too many minutes. He'll need to do more the following week without doubt so they can't afford to over work him. I think the games a little too big and the atmosphere a bit too hostile to throw Ganson in (his time will surely come next week though).