I was confident we'd sell out for Hull FC, Cas, Leeds and Wigan, but Hull KR was a bonus. We play them at Belle Vue again on a Saturday in September which should sell out again. And you look at the crowd Leigh brought last Friday night and our home league fixture against them looks a likely sell out too.


7 sell outs from 13 home games would be pretty good wouldn't it? Maybe that's part of the 5 year plan - up the capacity slightly for next year, then again for 2027 with the west terrace improvements. 

I would really like to see now the 17 is announced: 

Jowitt
Roarke
Scott
Pratt 
Johnstone
Walmsley
Lino
Mckmeeken
Hood
Uele
Nikotemo
Griffin
Pitts


Smith
Rodwell
Atoni
Cozza


A few things I?d like to see and factored into the above: 


Jowitt destroyed Cas in pre season and they struggled to handle him running lines out the edges from full back. In fact almost all points came from him which is why I?d have him back at fullback Thursday.


I would like to see some kicks to the edges when in opposition 10/20 and TJ and Roarke challenging the likes of Kershaw and Quaregare who aren?t the tallest or most arial threat type players. 


The edges for me look like an area we could really expose but the tactics need to be right for this one. 


Regardless of Salabio and Dezaria I think a few quick early carries behind the ruck to generate some ruck speed and put Cas on back foot before spreading the ball could really create some space and danger to expose.


That?s my personal thoughts and we have 4/5 of the original best spine in their best positions instead. 


Likelihood is Jowitt will be at 6 but even so whatever the team we should be thumping these at home. If we come away Thursday with no points then that wouldn?t be good enough.

And we need to share the kicking duties this week. Lino kicked every in field kick bar 1 vs Saints and he ended up belting most in air without much of a plan just going for height. On the flip side Wellsby and Whitby shared equal load and put us deep in corners. We must smarted up here and not solely rely on Lino to boot it high. 

Walmsley at 6, Trojan ???? 


I'd stick with Rourke at FB, Walmsley on the wing, Max at 6 and maybe Croft for Griffin ??

Aaron Moore reffing with Ben Thaler as video ref.

Buzzing for this now. It?s true, they can beat us if we don?t complete high and make as many sloppy/unlucky (depending on how to see it) individual errors as we have done the last few weeks. However, there is so much to exploit in their team. A three quarter line that is paper thin, two halves with no confidence, and a pack that?s full of penalties and mistakes. The props they?ve assembled in the last few weeks - Singleton, Salabio, Dezaria - are intense, aggressive, but so daft, and if we just play professional robot rugby in the middle third, we?ll kill them. I imagine they?ll line up: Hoy, Qareqare, Cini, Wood, Kershaw, Asi, Milnes, Lawler, Horne, Singleton, Simbiken, Mellor, Westerman. Rimbu, Dezaria, Salabio, Okora. Pretty much their starting 13. 


As for us, Max returning makes me feel so much more positive. I?d give Griffin another week off, purely because we have two better second rowers in front of him now. For me it?s Rourke, Johnstone, Pratt, Scott, Walmsley, Jowitt, Lino, McMeeken, Hood, Uele, Vagana, Nikotemo, Pitts. Smith, Rodwell, Atoni, Cozza.


Hall, Griffin, Croft, Faatili can feel unlucky to miss out, but that?s the great thing about our depth now. If anyone plays lazy on Thursday, they?re cut. Could do with another halfback, like! Then we really will be dangerous.

With injury doubts over Hoy, Cini, Westerman and Singleton, I'll be very surprised if they all make the starting 17...personally can't see Cini making it judging by the amount of bandaging holding his leg together on Saturday !!!