Just realised that I forgot Cooper in my reckoning and that helps mitgate the loss of Dupree to some extent. Given his experience and assuming he's fit enough Coops should be on the bench (if Havard starts) with Leeming. That then leaves two from Byrne, Hill, Mago and Walters. As much as I rate Nsem...

I'm hopeful that Eckersley will do a good job but Dupree is a big loss. He made such a difference to us last year. Our pack is stronger overall this season but Byrne has been unreliable and has underperformed when he's played and Mago has started to slip back into his old form recently. One of these...

Well done to the coach. He realised he'd made a mistake and he's tried to sort it out. I think he was just so disappointed when he realised what a problem the ban will create that he (for once) lost his cool. If I was Burgess I'd be delighted with the fact that Matty was so upset by the loss of Keig...

Did O.K. today and looks a promising young player. Is he now the best option to replace Keighran next week? He's the only 'spare' centre that we have but he's very inexperienced and doesn't he usually play on the other side to Keighran (I realise he had to today)? Isa may have been an emergency opti...

Sorry about that, I'd missed the fact that Faz and Thompson were missing. Pleased they're both getting a week off. Perhaps Miski is carrying a knock. Matty has the chance to make a couple more changes if he's decided to. This first game is a strange one, obviously I'd love to win it but I really jus...

The 21 man list doesn't tell us anything new. Our full strength 17 are included but it all depends on how many of those last four on the list will be playing. From what I know about the wire squad they've done the same so we just can't tell at this point.

It's a really interesting one this. We don't know if wire will rest a load of players (in which case we could too) but I suspect they won't. If we play a weakened team and they don't, how important is for the final that we win this Saturday ? If wire play a weakened team and we don't, any suspension...

From various comments by Matty Peet, I think that Jai has to manage ongoing hamstring problems. He has to take it easy in training in order to avoid injury and last the season. Hopefully we'll see him at full pace when it really matters e.g. Challenge Cup final and important games at the end of the ...

Clearly a young player in a hurry. The fact that he looked like a player that would go to the NRL at the first opportunity is the one saving grace from losing him so early. We just have to make certain that he doesn't win anything with wire before he leaves.

I see that Harvie Wilson has signed for Salford. Hill is clearly are best young prop but I don't know much about Wilson. What's the general feeling, is he a big loss or is Makin the better prospect?