24 Aug: Coral Challenge Cup Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves KO 3pm (BBC)

[ELBOWSEYE]

 

I anticipate that Austin will play. We've been here before with Radlinski in 2002! But, if Austin plays he clearly won't be fit. Price may think it's a risk worth taking.

If Austin misses out it's certainly a big blow. It's harder to win a big game without your best player, as we found out when Barba didn't play in last year's play off semi final.

Austin was at a family members house this afternoon and stated he won't play.

[Mr Frisky]

 

Austin was at a family members house this afternoon and stated he won't play.

But that was Colin Austin who works in Starbucks- yep he wont be playing.

Blake Austin the RL player will make the bench.

[Essai Machine]

Wire's best chance - Mamo FB , Ratchford and Patton 6/7 .

Not sure about these Saints returnees , rushed back too soon for sentimental reasons ?

Not the walkover it may seem ...

[ELBOWSEYE]

 

But that was Colin Austin who works in Starbucks- yep he wont be playing.

Blake Austin the RL player will make the bench.

Just quoting what he said and he was out around Warrington all day including the evening. 

[THE RED ROOSTER]

No Blake Austin is huge considering the organising role he plays for Warrington.

It was tough for Warrington with him, in the side  it would be a monumental, but not impossible, task without him.

Looking forward to this game.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Interestingly, there are still plenty of bookmakers offering odds on Blake Austin being Lance Todd Trophy Winner tomorrow. Either they don’t keep up with news and are lazy and hope people will just blindly back him without any knowledge or they’re as suspicious as many of us are about his “unavailability”. 

 

[bobbruce]

 

Interestingly, there are still plenty of bookmakers offering odds on Blake Austin being Lance Todd Trophy Winner tomorrow. Either they don’t keep up with news and are lazy and hope people will just blindly back him without any knowledge or they’re as suspicious as many of us are about his “unavailability”. 

 

You’d get your money back if he didn’t play. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

 

You’d get your money back if he didn’t play. 

Usually bookmakers don’t release MOTM odds till a 19 is named and they don’t include players who aren’t in the 19, whereas they’ve left Austin on the list of potential winners. 

[GeordieSaint]

 

Wire's best chance - Mamo FB , Ratchford and Patton 6/7 .

Not sure about these Saints returnees , rushed back too soon for sentimental reasons ?

Not the walkover it may seem ...

It won't be a walkover; it'll be a really tough game not matter who is not playing on either side. Saints' won't be underestimating anyone despite the comments from Warrington themselves and RL fans in general. 2002 springs to mind...

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Warrington have banned the media from their final training session. I wonder why? 

See you tomorrow Blake. 

[Dave T]

 

Warrington have banned the media from their final training session. I wonder why? 

See you tomorrow Blake. 

Or they don't want their replacement combinations leaking. 

Either way I'm not a fan of our approach to squads.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

 

Or they don't want their replacement combinations leaking. 

Either way I'm not a fan of our approach to squads.

Given it’s a traditional thing, I think if that’s the actual reasoning, it’s daft. 

It’s within the laws, so it’s fine but I do think there needs to be some changes to it. 

[Saint Toppy]

 

It’s what happened for the Semi-Final, so I would expect similar for the final, especially to a player like Austin. 

Raises some questions about why teams bother naming a nineteen man squad but if it’s not against the rules that are in place, we can’t argue too much. 

To replace a player in the 19 Wire have to provide the RFL with a signed medical certificate that proves one of their original 19 is unfit to play. The RFL then have to grant them permission to replace that player.  

[Bring back the Boyd]

 

To replace a player in the 19 Wire have to provide the RFL with a signed medical certificate that proves one of their original 19 is unfit to play. The RFL then have to grant them permission to replace that player.  

Hughes or Charnley perhaps?

[Oxford]

I do love this article by Matt Newsum on the Beeb website

 

Five reasons to watch on Saturday

The best two in the league

Brave and tough athletes

Metre-eaters' & a 'Transformer robot

Spectacular try-scorers

Worldwide appeal

Apart from missing how skillful our athletes are that just about summed it up and makes a nice change from so much negativity.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/49422202

[Dave T]

 

To replace a player in the 19 Wire have to provide the RFL with a signed medical certificate that proves one of their original 19 is unfit to play. The RFL then have to grant them permission to replace that player.  

We did it a few weeks back and then Charnley was ruled out and replaced, but it emerged he had had an op earlier that week, so I don't think he was ever going to play.

TBH, I have little interest in the squad announcements. I find them a bit boring tbh. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Squad announcements should be final, IMO.

[Cheshire Setter]

4 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Squad announcements should be final, IMO.

It is final.   So no big drama, people are creating a storm in a teacup about something which isn’t happening.

Austin will 100% NOT play, and will watch from the stands.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

13 minutes ago, Cheshire Setter said:

It is final.   So no big drama, people are creating a storm in a teacup about something which isn’t happening.

Austin will 100% NOT play, and will watch from the stands.

We shall see. This wouldn’t be the first time it has happened. 

[Rupert Prince]

5 hours ago, Dave T said:

Or they don't want their replacement combinations leaking. 

Either way I'm not a fan of our approach to squads.

This replacement combination will  be the key to Wire having a chance to win. That plus their pack having a stormer. Their defeat against Wigan is an indication to them that their pack will gave to raise their game.

So who will play 6 and 7?

[Cheshire Setter]

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

We shall see. This wouldn’t be the first time it has happened. 

I can quite confidently state that it won’t and I’d be the first to apologise if I was wrong.  

However it’s highly likely there’ll be a bit of a ‘shock’ selection at half-back tomorrow, which this the only advantage we’ll have - unpredictability.

[Chamey]

You can tell that this game is happening tomorrow. Clueless northerners all over the tube. 

[ELBOWSEYE]

2 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

This replacement combination will  be the key to Wire having a chance to win. That plus their pack having a stormer. Their defeat against Wigan is an indication to them that their pack will gave to raise their game.

So who will play 6 and 7?

Kevin Brown?

[Manx RL]

23 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

Kevin Brown?

He’s a talent if he can play at both 6 and 7 in the game.

[Manx RL]

1 hour ago, Cheshire Setter said:

I can quite confidently state that it won’t and I’d be the first to apologise if I was wrong.  

However it’s highly likely there’ll be a bit of a ‘shock’ selection at half-back tomorrow, which this the only advantage we’ll have - unpredictability.