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southportcdm wrote:It looks like Sam T will start at 1 but play at halfback for at least some of the game (he's included Morgan but not Jake Shorrocks)which is promising.

I agree it looks like that, though I do hope he actually goes with Escare to start and Tomkins in halves. Powell or Tommy on the bench gives us adequate ability to change it if wanted, yet it's still not as much of a hit to the bench in the event that things don't need changing up, as undersized hookers tackling in the middle will want breaks anyway ideally.

southportcdm wrote:I must admit though if any of the players are doubtful for the Hull game I wouldn't take them to Aus. The Hull and Warrington games are the important ones not the South Sydney game. If they're not fit to play Hull surely they'd be better avoiding all the travel to increase the chance of them playing at Warrington. Some of the 'fringe players' may benefit more from a trip to Aus for a friendly. The friendly should be used to try things/rest any injured players it's not a win at all costs match.

I agree with your sentiments on the friendly situation. The only caveats I would add is that we probably had to book the trip a little in advance so if a player is in question but not ruled out for Hull then you need to make that call earlier than later I suppose on how likely they are to play, and the earlier you make the call, you'll be doing it with poorer quality information. Plus, for Bateman and O'Loughlin, they've had no warm up action, so a spell - but not full game - v Souths if they are then fit isn't necessarily the worst thing.

Not fit for the Salford game then they should play no part in the aus folly, they will of course and in due course the injuries hit I wonder what the excuse will be?

Broader issue of course is that yet again the season starts and injuries are there before a ball is kicked in anger.

By the same token I can't imagine Souths will put out a full strength side either.

If players aren't fit for Friday, then so be it.
So, we start the season 4 first teamers down...
My money is that we will be playing Wire missing 8 first teamers, as "bad luck" comes back to haunt. Wane gone by Easter gives us long enough to salvage the season and get a medical team who can keep players fit.

Fawdoffshed wrote:Players should be fit for the beginning of a new campaign, surely. Wool and smokescreens.

Manfredi was injured last year and it's a bad one. Lockers and Bateman were injured playing for England, Burgess injured v Leigh. How could they be ready?
Should Josh Hodgson, Manu Vatuvei, Danny Addy etc etc be ready? Or is it just another anti Wigan moan?
FWIW If any of the players aren't going to be fit to play v Hull then I wouldn't take them to Aus but try to have them ready for the Wire game.
However I'm sure Mark Bitcon and the rest of his support staff have a far better idea of injury recovery than I have.

No straw damn us wrote:
Manfredi was injured last year and it's a bad one. Lockers and Bateman were injured playing for England, Burgess injured v Leigh. How could they be ready?
Should Josh Hodgson, Manu Vatuvei, Danny Addy etc etc be ready? Or is it just another anti Wigan moan?
FWIW If any of the players aren't going to be fit to play v Hull then I wouldn't take them to Aus but try to have them ready for the Wire game.
However I'm sure Mark Bitcon and the rest of his support staff have a far better idea of injury recovery than I have.

I wasn’t having a moan, I was wondering how the players who are fit & not been chosen for the Oz trip are feeling as they are only taking a limited number of players & they have been left out.

I suspect the first half of the season will be the same

josie andrews wrote:

No straw damn us wrote:
Manfredi was injured last year and it's a bad one. Lockers and Bateman were injured playing for England, Burgess injured v Leigh. How could they be ready?
Should Josh Hodgson, Manu Vatuvei, Danny Addy etc etc be ready? Or is it just another anti Wigan moan?
FWIW If any of the players aren't going to be fit to play v Hull then I wouldn't take them to Aus but try to have them ready for the Wire game.
However I'm sure Mark Bitcon and the rest of his support staff have a far better idea of injury recovery than I have.

I wasn’t having a moan, I was wondering how the players who are fit & not been chosen for the Oz trip are feeling as they are only taking a limited number of players & they have been left out.

25 players and I would take Lockers and Budgie on one leg and Bateman with one hand any day of the week.

Didn't SOL get the 'slight calf injury' in the World Cup semi-final which is about 8 weeks ago. This is a recurring injury for Lockers over last 18 months and, though always described as 'slight', always seems to take 8 -10 weeks to recover. We'll have to assume that treatment/training regimes are doing everything possible to minimise likelihood of several more recurrences during season. Joe's had a few instances of downtime too since his return which is a concern. Here we go, here we go ....?