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Aboveusonlypie wrote:

I disagree. McGilvarry and Hall will play all games barring injury. They are not generally injury prone, so it's a fair bet they will play all 5/6 games easily. As for centre Ratchford and Bateman provide cover. Ratchford is probably a better centre than Shenton in any case, and Bateman lets no-one down (ever). It's only a 24 man squad and we will playing against some very physical teams so we need plenty of cover in the pack.

you cant be serious??

Tomkins nor Lomax deserve to go but as many on here i am glad that Sam isnt going so he can get a pre season in him. We are struggling for the FB position in the absence of Hardaker. What a divvy. How Eden cant get a call up is an outrage. I know he has had it pretty easily to be harsh in just having to finish off the Cas moves but he has done it with roaring success and scored a pon full of tries. I understand why Hall and McGilvarry have been picked. Size and strength but not to have Eden in there as at least cover is pretty scandalous. As someone has mentioned even Tom Davies would have been worth taking. His power, strength and aggression at bringing the ball out would have been an asset in case of any injuries. Got a funny feeling this decision is going to bite Bennett on the aris. How can he not think there is a chance of his wingers getting injured against the tough tackling tanks they will be coming up against.

Is the squad final? Could he ask players to be available in case of emergency (difficult to see senior players agreeing to this). If not the 2 wingers with no obvious fill ins is indeed baffling.

Pieman wrote:

you cant be serious??

Yes, centre is probably his best position, though he is an excellent full back and half back. I really rate Ratchford, I wish we had him.

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

Yes, centre is probably his best position, though he is an excellent full back and half back. I really rate Ratchford, I wish we had him.

It might be his best position but isn't anywhere near as good as shenton

I think Shenton is unlucky to miss out, but Ratchford will be in the squad as a full-back who can provide emergency cover at centre.

Pieman wrote:

It might be his best position but isn't anywhere near as good as shenton

Shenton has done well at Cas but failed at a bigger club when he wasn't able to produce his best form. He is like a lot of the Cas players I'm afraid, not someone I would want to trust on the big occasion. On the other hand it was Ratchford's injury that helped turn the 2013 GF our way. A player with more natural talent than most, and certainly better than Shenton.

If Wigan get rid of Gelling who would you prefer? Shenton or Ratchford?

Lomax is one of the RFL's ambassadors, so he was always going. I've no problem with Tomkins not going if Hardaker was in the squad, but it seems strange to leave him out now. Bateman and Williams were pretty lucky to get the call-up tbf. Their form fell off a cliff at the end of the season. Seems like Bennett just stuck with the players he knows rather than those he doesn't.

Madderzahatter wrote:

Lomax is one of the RFL's ambassadors, so he was always going. I've no problem with Tomkins not going if Hardaker was in the squad, but it seems strange to leave him out now. Bateman and Williams were pretty lucky to get the call-up tbf. Their form fell off a cliff at the end of the season. Seems like Bennett just stuck with the players he knows rather than those he doesn't.

Agree with you about Sam and George but that's harsh on Bateman. He came back from a long injury spell but seemed to be back to his best by the end, in fact at Wakey, he was really the only player who emerged with any credit at all.