https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/07/ ... le-header/ No Ratchford, anyone got any info on Taylor Kerr ?

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/07/ ... le-header/ No Ratchford, anyone got any info on Taylor Kerr ?

Usually plays at loose forward. I've seen him play 2 or 3 times and he's always stood out as a class act to me, in fact he's probably the player outside of Farrimond that I've seen and thought 'he'll make it'. He's a great size for a loose forward (but needs to fill out) and looks to have good footwork and a really good pair of hands. I feel like I have seen him named at hooker once or twice but may have dreamt that bit but just as a player, I think he's got every chance.

With him not being an out and out hooker then I reckon we'll have some combination of Hampshire/Farrell at 9

My money is on Hampshire at 9

Matautia not playing is a leg up for us. Always causes us problems saints still can do us damage but I’m just tipping our forwards marching them up the middle

Over on RedVee they're saying Dodd has been dropped (he's in the 21 though) and their young halfback Robertson has got the nod, either at halfback or fullback with Welsby moving up, gutted about that because Dodd and Lomax have offered nothing for us to worry about.
Still reckon Saints best chance is to pull us into an arm wrestle like on GF, hopefully we'll ping the ball about an awful lot more than we did that day.

Saints appealing Mbye's suspension again today!

Keighran and Hampshire will surely interchange at 9 looking at the squad with Eckersley playing centre. Keighran has got experience playing hooker before although limited.

I think of him as a backrow but catching up and watching Reserves v Salford about 6/7 weeks ago he replaced Purtil at hooker and played OK there and has looked pretty comfortable at dummy half in other games. Bit of a surprise though, not just as hooker but we have more experienced back rows for cover if that is what is needed? Very good prospect and looks to be a leader type.

And they have failed again. This is an embarrassment.

Getting nervous now, Saints look like they've finally rolled the dice regards their halves and we all know they can defend.
Starting the game like we did against HKR in the semi would be nice

Starting the game how we played Hull KR in the playoff semi would be even better.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this kid Robertson goes, I have a feeling he could have a big game. I watched him in the England academy game last week and he looks a real talent. He kept the young Warrington full back on the bench (Taylor-Wray), who himself is a cracking player.

As much as I don't wish too much good fortune on Saints and Wire, we as a country need some fresh blood coming through and these lads look like they've got plenty of ability.

Rumour has it there could be a high profile absentee for Wigan tomorrow. Huge blow if true.

Heard the same. Could be 0-0



[del[/del

Haha a low scoring game wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest now. Both sides with new and/or disjointed 1,6,7,9 combinations.

If French is out, that's 1, 6 & 9 all out of us. That's also well above what Saints have missing. Well I say missing, but Dodd has been dropped so it can't really count.

The disciplinary have really screwed us over this week.

Not sure how you work that out that it’s “well above” what we have missing.

Saints have 9 missing (that doesn’t include Dodd). Wigan 6.

Both missing big important players. It’s certainly evened it up a bit.

Because it's not about the quantity of players missing - it's the positions.

If it was reversed I'd be much happier with us missing Thompson, Harvard, Marshall and Ellis and be facing a Saints side without Welsby, Lomax and Clarke.

You’ve got spine players missing, we’ve got big elements of our pack and our best winger.

Difficult to compare and to be honest, do we need to?

I think it’s fair to say both sides are weakened and neither can really use absentees as an excuse.

Personally I am not bothered there are far bigger fishes to fry. It is better that we have all our players onboard when it comes to the crunch, it is not worth risking further injury.

Let's not go down the road of 'but we have more players missing than you' we were on the bare bones for about 3 seasons on the trot and just got on with it even when we got some tonkings along the way. I think we are the only club that doesn't use it as an excuse. That's the Saints way. They are only the best when everyone else is weakened.

4 titles on the spin purely because others weren’t full strength haha. Bitter much?

Hopefully French is just a short term thing. The game obviously matters, a Derby always does but the longer term is far more important and in the grand scheme of things the result tonight won't play too much of a part in the rest of the season. In a strange way, I'm looking forward to seeing how the whole side copes without Field/French and if they can raise their games collectively to try and cover things as best as we can. I hazard a guess that we'll do a far better job than we managed during the Adrian Lam days.

Dont think he is "bitter much" what with Wigan having all the trophies in the cabinet,I am sure he is happy at the min.