Matt Orford will miss Friday's Challenge Cup round five tie against Leigh Centurions with a shoulder injury.

The Aussie half back suffered the problem during last week's 19-0 defeat against Crusaders and will not recover in time.

He has been replaced in the 19-man squad for the game by former Wakefield half back Cain Southernwood, who turned 18 this week.

Otherwise, the squad remains unchanged from last week, which means Michael Platt has recovered from the heel injury he suffered in the warm-up at Murrayfield.

Bulls' 19-man squad: Jason Crookes, Stuart Reardon, Rikki Sheriffe, Craig Kopczak, Andy Lynch, Nick Scruton, Steve Menzies, Brett Kearney, Wayne Godwin, Heath L’Estrange, Dave Halley, Chris Nero, James Donaldson, Paul Sykes, Glenn Hall, Michael Platt, Michael Worrincy, Elliott Whitehead, Cain Southernwood.

Kearney
Halley
Nero
Platt (if fully fit)
Sheriffe
Sykes
Southernwood
Lynch (if fully fit)
Godwin
Scruton
Whitehead
Worrincy
Menzies

L’Estrange
Kopczak
Hall
Donaldson

Reardon/Crookes to take places of Platt/Lynch respectivley

That'll do us fine!!

Cant wait for Friday now, first time in a long time that the towns been buzzing about a Leigh match!! Hopefully a good day and night out and looking forward to a bit of banter with the home fans, see you on Friday!!! (we'll be the ones making all the noise)

1. Reardon
2. Halley
3. Nero
4. Platt
5. Sheriffe
6. Sykes
7. Kearney
8. Scrutton
9. Godwin
10.Hall
11.Whitehead
12.Donaldson
13.Menzies

14.Southernwood
15.Worrincy
16.L'estrange
17 Kopczac

Give the captain a rest

1. Reardon
2. Halley
3. Nero
4. Platt
5. Sheriffe
6. Southernwood
7. Kearney
8. Scruton
9. L'estrange
10.Hall
11.Whitehead
12.Donaldson
13.Menzies

14.Lynch
15.Worrincy
16.Godwin
17 Kopczak


Is probably strongest lineup we can put out from that squad. Think kearney should move back into halves to support southernwood. bit nervous about thought of a rookie half alongside sykes who hardly covered himself in glory last week. Also theres a concern about throwing a player in for a debut in a high pressure knockout game and knock to his confidence which could ensue if it goes wrong, bearing in mind southernwood's only being training with us for a month or so and is in a key position.
If theres any fitness doubts over reardon or platt then sykes to take their place.
Don't think we can afford to risk resting lynchy, especially with langley still out, but I'd start him from bench with intention of keeping his gametime to an absolute minimum.

Southernwood replacing Orford in the squad doesn't necessarily mean he'll play.

good point. we could go with sykes and kearney in halves and reardon and halley covering the wing and FB one way or the other. Southernwood could only be included in squad in case reardon or platt isnt 100% and pulls out.

Fancy leigh for this one.

Leythers here we come !!! 8 coaches with the Barmy Army on should make it a great night

I would expect Southernwood to be 18th man for this tbh.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Platt back in for Crookes, Kearney to scrum half, and Reardon either to fullback or Reardon to wing and Halley to fullback. Otherwise unchanged.

(Not what I'd pick, just what I expect from that squad)

You should worry about your own team...tough one for you boys the way you've been playing!

Based on what? Serious question.

There is a huge gulf between SL and the championship. Our current form is WDWWWWL, 1 loss in the last 7 isn't shabby at all.

I'm not sure how we will line up on friday.

Reardon/Halley
Sheriffe
Sykes/Platt
Nero/Crookes
Halley/Crookes
Kearney/Sykes/Southernwood
Kearney/Southernwood
Scruton
Godwin
Kopzcak/Lynch
Whitehead
Nero/Donaldson/Worrincy
Menzies/Donaldson

L'Estrange
Kopzcak/Lynch
Worrincy/Donaldson
Hall


Delete as applicable

, there are a fair few combinations that could be used and i'm sure Macca will choose which he feels is strongest or will work best at this moment in time.

2 points and a better points difference we will have you by the end of the month

Would expect so...will be thoroughly embarrassing for you if you have not.

By the time we've thrashed you on the 23rd we'll be six points clear of you

What better opportunity to have southernwood on the bench and give him a limited run out if and when its felt appropriate.
Look forward to seeing the lad, he certainly comes with with a great rep in his age group.

tell that to cas!

Cas are struggling out of the play-offs and have had a fair few injuries.

I'm not going to be drawn in to making any stupid statements though, I am well aware that if we don't turn up Leigh do have enough about them to get the result.

Knockout rugby though, anything can happen.


I quite fancy Blackpool to go through as it happens

well not for me I just go to the games and cheer em on! But I'm sure the lads are awear it's now or never if we are gonna finish 4th or above.

There's an enormous gap - especially as our 4 'dual contract' players will not be playing. (Millward reckons they have a better chance of playing at Wembley with Warrington/Saints!

)

Talking of current form, our last 12 (Albeit in the Championship) are WDWWWWWWWWWW.

Here's looking forward to a good game - if we get within 20 of you, I'll consider we've done well.

Orford not playing for us makes it a closer game than it would have been. Not saying we're a one man team, but you've only gotta look at the Dewsbury game for proof of how important he is. First half we scored 38 points. Orford went off at half time. Second half we scored 12. Having been to that game, I can comfortably say Orford's removal from the match did have something to do with that.

We should still be winning it comfortably, but I think if any of the ties have a hope of an upset, I'd say this has got to be the one. Leigh obviously one of the top 2 teams in the Co-Op league, Bradford prone to the odd shocking display and missing their star player.

I for one don't think it's gonna be anything like a walkover, but I'll be gutted if we don't win it by at least 20. As realistically, we SHOULD.

I suppose, from our viewpoint, our best performances have definitely been against the better teams - we have been average against the lower sides. Robbie also has turned it on against the better teams. (in our league)

Well, if it was me, I'd give young Southernwood a start. High pressure game? Is it buggery! It's a low key home bye against lower league opposition and that is no disrespect, just fact. Indeed, the reason there is some risk of us actually getting beat is precisely because it is hard for a SL team to get up and motivated playing in a CC tie against such a side in front of 5000 speccies and near silence.

You tend to save them for straight after games.