Only 4th favourites for the GF now.

No pressure on us. Lets enjoy the next few weeks.

I'd give A.Powell a crack this week (as they are doing from the looks of it) and see how he and Dudson get on, one of them to make the team along with Mossop, Crosby and Taylor. I agree though we need to chance our arm a little bit with selections to put ourselves back into the running. Guys like Gelling, Hampshire and A.Powell are all risks but they could all cause a big impact if it comes off, rather than steady but often average players like Thornley, Green and Dudson. Flower at loose could prove a masterstroke in giving the bit of extra size we've often lacked against Wire, Leeds and Hudds while still having the ball handling skills to take pressure off the halfbacks, neither of which are as good as Brough, Sinfield or Briers.

Prob cos we all complain about lack of announcements. So they gave us 2.

Here's hoping for a third that tells us he'll be back for the semi final.

BBC are reporting he may have an outside chance of making the final if we get there so you never know.

could mickey mac be an option at 13?

has the passing ability and can whack people in defence.

I think the only problem with that is who plays 9 alongside Logan. Perhaps rotating MM from 9 to 13 is an option with Logan replacing Tuson, but I much prefer position for position swaps if possible.

so do i but he gives us both.

Green did play in the back row at cronulla as well i think????

It's certainly a good option

I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Green playing 13. The type of setup that Wane has, 13 is essentially a key pivot. He simply needs a ball playing 13.

Play Tuson at 13.

This is my preferred option also.

It would leave us very lightweight in the back three of the pack though.

That's more like it. It's all a ruse you see, we'll have Warrington away in the semis and he won't be named in the 19 man squad, then the day before Hughes, Lauaki and Burke will all pull up with mystery injuries and Lockers will be drafted in, first tackle first minute he smashes Briers who leaves never to return, we go on to the beat them, Huddersfield pull off a shock against Leeds and we turn them over in the final

Having thought about this for a bit if Lockers is out we need to play a different game then when he is in the side.

Trying to get someone to be a clone of Lockers would be a mistake. There is no one in the team who IMO can be as defensively effective as he is yet at the same time be the link between the half backs and the rest of the backs when we deploy our usual game plan.

Green would be a liability in defence at 13. He isn't very good defensively at 6 never mind 13.

If we do play a different game which I reckon we did v Hull at the DW we need the players to do that.

So what I would be tempted to do would be to pick a very solid defensive player at 13, give up on the idea of the 13 as a key pivot and hand the role of controlling the attack to the half backs.

That could even mean dropping Green for Hampshire as the latter showed more ideas about attacking play in one game than Green has since he returned from injury though to be fair that might be down to the game plan but whatever, that game plan is no longer viable without Lockers IMO.

We need Tomkins to find his top form and for the senior players to stand up and show some leadership in the absence of Lockers.

I'm not feeling optimistic.

Bit of a sickener this news. Both Wigan & England need a fully fit SO'L in the line up.

Hope it's an injury that can be cleared up once & for all.

Silver lining in that the loose forward spot being vacant means Sinfield surely can't get picked in the halves!!

He's played 6 all season, why (if picked) would he be moved to 13 now?

I doubt it. If O'Loughlin isn't fit then Sam Burgess will start at 13 and rightly so IMO (If Lockers is injured)

He'd be at 13 so Sinfield could be 6!!

SB will be prop or 2nd row I reckon. Sinfield at 13.

Hopefully he'll be prop or loose forward, where he has played all year. Sinfield will probably play in the halves, where he's played most of the last 3 years.

That will be a disaster for England. Superb kicking game, but Sinfield doesn't have the footwork, acceleration or ball skills needed at international level for a 6. Rotate at 9 or 13, but keep him out of the halves.

Need to Win 2 games after today, then we're in the final. Lockers comes back for the final, wins Harry Sunderland trophy. Wigan do the Double. Good year all round.