I would leave it as it was last week with Gelling in the centre, you have to remember that Goulding and Smith (who plays right side) will have to contend with a fired up Hock who will be out to prove something.



Wigan may need a big player like Gelling to try and counter the Hock threat.

Something like that for me too. I cant say I rate Gelling defensively in the centre and thought he was poor at times against Leeds, leading to him being taken off after his bad miss on Moon for the last Leeds try. Still too many brainfarts too such as his stupid offload 2 yards from his own line that was very lucky not to have ended up as a Leeds try.

Noone apart from pettyborne was expected back this week, at least 4 played with injuries at the weekend so im surprised there arnt more out

Hampshire

Manfredi Gelling Sarge Burgess

Powell Smith

Taylor McM Dudson

Hughes Burke

Crosby

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

Pettybourne (he will be back) Sutton/James Goulding Williams

LSoW may have a good selection there and appears to know something.

Manfredi and Gelling for the right side sounds good to counter the threat from Salford's left side attack which has some big men including Gaz Hock!

Waney selecting five props five props sounds about right too so they won't get dominated again.

That team has pace and lots of it all across the park, something Salford are lacking bar one or two players.

I'd prefer Sargy at FB with Ryan off the bench but that would be provided Gouldinmg was 100% fit and starting. Daz was bench last week and maybe this week too.

Imjust don't see what Goulding can offer us off the bench. If he comes on we would be disrupting our 3/4 line, and he isn't big enough to play in the pack. I'd rather have an extra forward or a pivot on the bench, and start all 3 of Gelling, Goulding and Sarginson.

having the extra forward on the bench works well especially if Bateman, Hughes or even Gelling are already on the field in the 2nd row as any of them can drop into the 3/4's to cover in case of injury........a back on the bench is a luxury we could probably do without

In all honesty for me Daz is there as an experienced body and not much else, I personally feel Sarge and Gelling were both good enough to keep their spots. I think with those two we now have real strike and pace in our backline, all they're lacking is experience, so why not give it to them.



Daz has suffered without Sam making room and breaks for both him and Josh, he's not looked half as good this season.

I thought Gelling's defense in the Leeds game was admirable (particularly the tackle on Sinfield near our line in which the ball was dislodged) but as the game went on he did seem to tire a bit, culminating in his not-fantastic effort on Moon for his try. I don't blame him for this, he's a big lad and IMO Leeds seemed to target his side so he's bound to get a bit knackered. If Hughes is in the squad, I personally wouldn't waste a bench spot on a specialist centre in Goulding; instead I'd give Gelling a ten min spell when he seems to be flagging a bit, let Hughes have a little run around out wide, then reintroduce him when he's had his breather.



Also, I'd prefer to see Hampshire at stand-off with Dan at full back. I see Powell as a scrum-half, Williams as a future hooker/scrum-half, and Hampshire as an out and out stand-off. I'm a bit worried playing him at full-back too often could harm his development as a half and be a waste of his unique talent (also Sarginson wasn't half bad back at full-back against Hull either!)

I really think this will be hard for us tonight to back up after Saturday's performance. Mentally it will be very tough for the players to get up for this one. I think it will be close but can see Salford nicking it.

I think our lads should be up for this after beating Leeds.

As for Salford, their players probably got a good ear bashing from Koukash after yet another loss.

Apart from the ex Wiganers the rest, I don't think, will be up to much!

they was certainly tired the first 20 minutes looked like we was running in a swamp some times. Good solid Win and it won't take much to turn that Salford side around.