In the city?! In the competition you mean.

Forget Wigan's back 3 that has Tomkins and Richards.

Not forgetting Goulding, who scored more than there back 3 put together last year also.

Good point, well made. He's no Colbon, though.

Who is? Some bloke called Offiah came close.

No he never

does anyone know how horne and radders are doing training wise and the chances of playing next week

I'd go with that assuming we are not including Tansey.

I think without Tansey the 17 picks itself assuming Horne and Radders are not fit, it's just who plays where. I can see Manu playing in the centres, looks to have picked up a bit of pace and he will have more space with the ball to play his normal game. Think Fitz will be loose man and Reece will end up being an unused sub.

were not

Whiting
Sharp
Manu
Yeaman
Briscoe
Turner
Long
O'Meley
Houghton
Lauaki
Tickle
Fitzgibbon
Westerman

Washbrook
Moa
Dowes
Lyne

I think Agar will go with Lauaki in the front row and Manu at centre, plenty of rotation in the forward positions too.

swap westy for fitz and id rather have someone like cunningham on the bench then lynne as cunno can play in both the backs and forwards

Why not?

A fit R Horne creates a dilemma here: presumably Turner to centre and Manu to the bench with Lyne missing out.

If Agar does decide to play Horney i think he will be on the bench.

Pretty certain after todays article that Lauaki will play prop. I'd go for:
1. Whiting
2. Sharp
3. Briscoe
4. Yeaman
5. Lyne
6. Turner
7. Long
8. Dowes
9. Washy
10. O'Meley
11. Tickle
12. Fitz
13. Westerman

14. Manu
15. Houghton
16. Lauaki
17. Moa

Agar wont do that though.

I went with Lyne, so that he could come on in the backs with Manu moving into the forwards at some point (with Briscoe moving to centre). I don't know too much about Cunningham, could be a possibility though.

Because he will never wear black and white again

Mine would be
1 Whiting
2 Sharp
3 Manu
4 Yeaman
5 Briscoe
6 Turner
7 Long
8 O'Meley
9 Houghton
10 Dowes
11 Westerman
12 Tickle
13 Fitzgibbon
Subs
14 Washbrook
15 Lauaki
16 Moa
17 Horne

Think Fitz and Westerman will share loose forward when we are attacking. Keep Manu in the centre for now and if we get injuries in the 2nd Row we have Lauaki to fill in if needed otherwise he will be at prop.

I'm fishing for FACTs...

I'd think the last thing we'd want to do is play Manu centre if we can help it. I may have thought it was a decent idea previously but i really dont think it is now. We have other options that i'd use before doing that.

Pretty sure that is how we will line up on Sunday too.

we look strong going into the first game, thats for sure!!
power off the bench and fit halves will decide this years season for us , if we have it we will do ok, if not due to injuries then we will struggle

agreed, our halfback weakness' is a real worry for the forthcoming season...and if god forbid anything happens to fitz and or o'meley for a sustained period of time then i can see us in jon wells prediction place of 10th....

Your not wrong , lets hope we can have better luck this term in the halfs with much less injuries !!
However when we look at the cover we are actually much better off because we have a number of senior players and juniors this time around who can all do a job in that area namely, Long, Horne, Turner, Westerman and others so not as dire as it may seem.
fingers crossed

As someones already said i wouldnt be surprised if this was the line up and id be quite happy with that...if Hornes fit turner to centre manu bench.