Game 1 (Wigan Home)

I'd go with

Gaz O'Brien
Carney
Sau
Evalds
Johnson
Lui
Dobbo
Koppy
Wood
Mossop
Griffin
Lannon
Flash

Brining
Tasi
Adam Walne
Krasniqi

I'd be surprised if Evalds isn't in the centres and Johnson on the wing, Evalds just has that knack of being in the right place at the right time. I'd make sure Carney and Evalds are on one side and Sa'u Johnson the other as then you have pace, brawn and an eye for the line on both flanks rather than Wigan running all they've got at Johnson and Evalds on one side.

I'd also doubt both Kopczak & Mossop will start, more Kopczak and Griffin to be replaced by Mossop and Tasi with Krasniqi used as bench cover for the front and back row.

Griffin has apparently been training in the backrow for the past week so i guess that answers the question there. Welham gets the go ahead of Johnson for me.

Griffin is definitely in the second row
A little (big) bird tells me there may be a surprise return from injury

No shame in the result today. First half we were poor and conceded 26 points as a result. Second half was much better... We gave them a game and could have pushed them closer.

To put it in perspective, we played one of SL's better teams and gave them a bit of a fright, something to build on.

Based on this performance I feel fairly confident about our prospects this season.

I thought with all the Watson spin in the world the first half was a disgrace, a couple of injuries didn't help but it looked for all the world like we had reinvented our rabbit in the headlight impression.

I do worry that we looked devoid of real attacking ideas, for the last time I wish someone at the club would realise the little drop off inside just doesn't work (and hasn't for any number of seasons). Dobson looks like he wants it but Lui looks like he wants either a decent Doctor to sort him out (no pace, no step and no acceleration) or a transfer. Carney looks more and more like he will be the focal point for our attack.

Carney (Justin) has to be used with more finesse than just a big legged bettering ram, giving him the first hit up is fine but every man jack of the Wigan team knew it was coming and lined him up like a duck shoot. Johnson & Evalds on the same side was always going to be a weakness (I suggested as much midweek) so why not mix it up I don't know.

Second half I can't work out if we turned up and played or Wigan took their foot of the pedal, to nil them is commendable but we shouldn't have been playing catch up to the degree we were.

Think in Brinning we have found a real gem, scored his try well and didn't look out of place, by mid season he will be one of the first on the sheet and be being appreciated by other clubs as a lower leagues buy they have all missed out on. Can't see Wood getting near the 17 when Tomkins mysterious (the deafening silence re injuries from the club is still maddening) ailment is fixed.

When you add in BMM and the others returning from injury it shows what strength we have in depth within the forwards, still do think backs wise we are light, why MCB left rather than Johnson I can't fathom.

Couple of displays of bottling it from the ref, looked like a shocking tackle on Junior (on report = sh!tting yourself from a ref) and when our player was tackled without the ball with the line wide open to not even rebuke the Wigan player was gutless, but hey ho SSDD.

The good news is though I have beers in the fridge and my pizza has just been delivered.

Bon apple tit everyone.