I reckon Flash could match the tackle rate if he was given the minutes. Ant Walker certainly has.

Flash has more skills than perhaps we give him credit for, but for me, those abilities are not as important as being able to someone real hard. Back rows need to be hard and I feel that is an area Wilkin lacks.

I think that's a big call, as has been said in the clough argument, being able to do high workload in short spells is one thing, over long periods is a whole other story. Ant walker but is no where near ready to be a consistent challenge to either Wilkin or flanaghan, not to say he won't be though in the future



I like flash, and he will no doubt get plenty of game time, but Wilkin has gone from one of the most over rated a few years ago to one of the most underrated. He's a jack of all skills type of player, but his constant and tireless effort sets him apart, which is why I would always pick him before flash. That said, I wish he'd accept inevitability and follow in sinfields example and make the move to 6!



Lomax

Makinson Jones Turner Swift

Wilkin Walsh

Amor Roby Laffranchi

Flanaghan Manu

LMS



Hohaia Soliola Masoe Walmsley



Would be more than great if/when wheeler gets injured!

Lomax

Makinson

Turner

Jones

Swift

Wheeler

Walsh

Laffranchi

Roby

Amor

Wilkin

Manu

LMS



Masoe

Walmsley

Soliola

Hohaia/Flanagan

I don't understand anyone picking Soliola on the bench. He's our best back rower by a mile and in our top 3 players. He HAS to start and play 80 minutes every game otherwise the intensity isn't there from the start.



I'd personally go with:



Lomax

Makinson

Turner

Percival

Swift

Wheeler

Walsh

Amor

Roby

LMS

Soliola

Manu

Wilkin



Bench:

Jones

Masoe

Walmsley

Beaumont / Flanagan



No Laffranchi, Wellens or Hohaia in the 17 until injuries hit.



We obviously have a problem at 6 and Percival is a risk defensively but worth an early shot.

What's wrong with Clough? IMO he's one of the most underrated players in Superleague. In many ways he reminds me of Harrison Hansen in that he a fantastic workhorse of a forward, makes his tackles, makes his metres and never let's anyone down. O.K he may not look spectacular, but you need players like that in every team, someone who does the hard graft week in week out.

Brown's hardly given him the time of day since he's been here. Massive mistake IMO as he does all the things you've mentioned and does them just as well against the big teams as the small. He'll never command a massive salary and will be over the moon to play for his hometown club all his career.

Thought hard about this comment:



Is it because Flash chose to leave Wigan???? or did Wilkin support (secretly) The Pies as a youngster, as do 99% of the UK, excluding Scotland of course

Lomax

Makinson Jones Percy Turner (yes as a winger)

Wheeler Walsh

LaFrank Roby Walms

Manu Flash

LMS

----------------------------------

Wilkin Mossy Sol Amor



Reasonings...



Basing the structure on what South Sydney do, for the first 20 hit the opposition hard going forward with 3 props dominating. after 20-25 take off a prop, and move Wilkin to loose, then you have more options playing Wilkin as a ball playing Loose who can link up with the halves offering another aspect to your attack.



Thought about adding more size and power to your backline with Jones as a centre and Turner on the wing, then you have a nice mix of pace and power across the backline.



Just a thought!

I would be interested to see turner on the wing actually.

If we had two good centres he'd make a good winger but when we are weak in the centre and at stand off we would be completely mad playing him wing.

Wheeler as a 6, Jones and Percy in the centres.