Got to worry if Anderson, Arundel, Johnstone, Lyne and Miller are all in the team as we can`t afford 5 poor tacklers in the side. From the pre season games Hall and Tansey deserve a place in the squad. Presume Gibson is injured. Anakin must play if we are to have any chance of a win.

Sounds like you are putting the powder in your gun at the ready?

I guess someone has read my post...It HAS now been changed to 6

I'd go with...

Ben Jones Bishop
Tom Johnstone
Jason Walton
Bill Tupou
Reece Lyne
Jacob Miller
Liam Finn
Nick Scruton
Michael Sio
Scott Anderson
Danny Kirmond
Anthony Tupou
Tinirau Arona

Subs.
Anthony England
Matty Ashurst
Stuart Howarth
Jonny Molloy

I think there will be 4 vying for the final 2 places in the match day squad.

Ashurst, Molloy, Annakin and Walton.
Possibly the first 2 to miss out for me

All a bit of fun I suppose, but I will trust selection to a professional, vastly experienced coach who has had the opportunity to see the players day in, day out since November.

I am worried about the defensive frailties of the backs but I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy the last few days of the off season and let's hope we have a squad that we can begin to be proud of this year.

WTID

I'd go with same but would start England and Ashurst with Aruna and Anderson on the bench.

Smith named the actual gameday 17 in the clubs press conference which is linked on the clubs twitter feed.

just listened to that - he does name the team!!

Yep BS has gone with..

Ben Jones Bishop
Tom Johnstone
Joe Arundel
Bill Tupou
Reece Lynne
Jacob Miller
Liam Finn
Nick Scruton
Stuart Howarth
Anthoney England
Danny Kirmond
Matty Ashurst
Tinirau Arona

Subs. Anthony Tupou, Jon Molloy (probably play prop interchange), Michael Sio, Scott Anderson

Come on Trin!

I'll tell thee what,I'm glad they don't play football on BV anymore,the Whinos pitch is bad and Wigans pitch is a disgrace.

Disgrace! Do you think it looks that good!!!

If that would of been our ground Hemings would have been all over it!

Have I missed something is Jason Walton in the 19 or not ?

Have I missed something is Jason Walton in the 19 or not ?

He's listed in the 19 man squad, but not the final 17 apparently.

We will ha to wait for Betts to spout on about it 'being full of potholes' which is something you don't get with a plastic pitch.

I like that BS has picked his best team rather than just pick new players.
Tupou will be great but Ashurst has looked good in preseason and deserves a starting spot.
Tupou will be quite an impact too.

Would have liked Walton to play but BS made the point that he is close.

Think Smith also has in his head who he wants to play vs Castleford, therefor certain players not being involved here to be fresh for that game. We have a big enough squad now where it is unlikely that we will see the same 17 every week, due to injuries and form and still have the players in their correct positions. He believes this will undk Widnes defence and I hope it does indeed.

Who are you thinking he is holding back? I'd only add Simon and Moore who are injured.

It worries me that our backs aside from the full back are the same as last season. We weren't good enough in the backs then and I suppose I worry it will be more of the same. Weird that Gibson is out and I thought Hall probably performed better than any of the other backs in pre-season. Maybe Brian sees him as a back up half rather than a centre but I thought he played well when he played as did Walton...

We need to trust BS although I was surprised that Arundel is ahead of Walton at centre.

Bill Tupou and Jason Walton are both big strong running centres and would have helped out with some go forward in heavy conditions against a big Widnes side.

Walton isn't big. I grant you he runs hard but on wet pitched likeit was at Fev he continually got knocked on his and ended up further back than where he started. I liked his bravey and on firmer pitches I see a place for him - tomorrow will be a day for trundlers and we have a few of those.

Walton had a good game against Fev and made yardage. He is 5ft 11 tall and 16 1/2 stone so is big/heavy for a centre and has been known to play second row in the past. I thought he'd be more of a 'trundler' in heavy conditions than Arundel...Ashley Gibson played against Fev and is one for the firmer pitches...

One of the modern games wrecking ball centres is Konrad Hurrell at 16st and 6.0 tall, very similar in size