Lindsay defends Wigan players
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Your support makes all the difference.The Wigan chairman, Maurice Lindsay, has hit back at suggestions that his team were not fit enough during their opening Super League defeat to Bradford. Lindsay, the man who brokered the game's deal with Sky television, has criticised the commentary team's comments during last Friday's match.
"We accept that our performance was not what we are capable of, but to say the side is unfit shows a clear lack of understanding," he said. Lindsay also denied that there had been any "crisis meetings" at Wigan this week and underlined his confidence in the club's coach, Stuart Raper.
Leeds have Adrian Vowles back for their last trip to one of their least favourite grounds tonight. The Rhinos have experienced little success over the years at The Boulevard, the stadium that Hull are to leave at the end of this season.
Both half-backs, Ben Walker and Ryan Sheridan, face late fitness tests, with Ewan Dowes and Danny McGuire added to the squad. Hull have doubts over Steve Prescott and one of their four former Leeds players, Graham Mackay.
Leeds are to take drastic action to improve the condition of their Headingley pitch – once regarded as the best in the game, but now a much-criticised morass of mud and sand.
The club denies that the extra wear and tear of playing rugby union matches there has had any effect, believing that car parking on the pitch during cricket games is a likelier cause. Remedial work will mean scrapping Headingley's under-soil heating after almost 40 years.
Salford will have their hooker, Malcolm Alker, back after completing a suspension left over from last season for tonight's match at St Helens, but the Reds' coach, Steve McCormack, has a series of injury doubts over other players.
Sonny Nickle completes his nine-match ban tonight, but could be out for another month after aggravating the knee on which he had surgery during the winter. Peter Shiels is expected to return and Paul Newlove will play part of the game after his long lay-off with a snapped Achilles tendon.
Widnes have denied acting against the national interest by refusing to bring their fixture against Bradford forward to 3 July. Bradford have suggested the date in order to allow their Test players to fly to Australia two days later, but Widnes say that they will be at an unfair disadvantage with two days less to prepare for the match.
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