With June fast approaching, we are starting to look for the players, who will play in the Roses games and, that crazy mid season trip to Australia. I think the clues to the selections are in the coaches themselves. Brian Noble will pick every Bradford player he has available, while Ian Millward may try and protect his Saints players, probably going with youth. The other pointer maybe, as in last year's game, David Waite will pick the squads. I just hope we don't get another Dom Peters type selection.

Obviously, the sides will be exact opposites, Lancashire will be the ball handling classy team, Yorkshire will be a team of roly poly puddings, playing the power game. There is no doubt Lancashire can hold the bigger pack of Yorkshire, then the speedy classy backs will run riot. Let's look at what is available.

Yorkshire:
Its safe to say that Noble will pick Pryce, Peacock, Gilmour, Radford, McDermott and Fielden from Bradford. So that is a bonus already having three dead heads in Gilmour, Radford and McDermott. Centre is a problem because they have none! Take Keith Senior away you have nothing, and he's hardly the thinking mans centre! Hooker will be interesting too; they have none! I guess another dead head Matt Diskin will get that. Another problem is Loose Forward; they don't have any. I think we may see a dark horse here, maybe Ryan Hudson. Half back is interesting too; Only Danny Orr stands out to me, the rest is a perm of Sheridan, Cooke, Smith, Horne or Burrow. Burrow is the most talented but I doubt he will get a look in, instead going for Ryan 'the bottler' Sheridan.

This is the Team I think Yorkshire will go with: Cummins, Pryce, Gilmour, Senior, Hodgson, Orr, Sheridan, McDermott, Diskin, Fielden, Peacock, Radford, Hudson. The 5 Subs: Pratt, Hay, King, Cooke & Fleary. Only one way to play for these guys, right up the middle!

Lancashire:
Even without Long and Cunningham, we are spoilt for choice. Millward's problem will be who to leave out. Full back; Wellens or Radlinski, Three quarters; Gleeson, Stewart, Johnson, Connolly, Donlan or even McAvoy to name a few. Halves; Martyn, Briers, Sculthorpe, the Weeble Deacon, or even Bobbie Goulding. Loose forward; Sculthorpe, Sinfield or Pansy Farrell, Hooker; Newton, Alker or Higham. Pack from; McDermott, O'Connor, Joynt, Forshaw, Stankevitch, Jonkers, and some possible young guns, Mills, Bibey and Wild. The interesting thing to watch out for is Farrell, will he get picked? I think political pressure will get him in, which for me will spoil the chance of seeing Briers and Martyn combine, with Sculthorpe at loose forward.

The Team will probably look like this: Wellens, Radlinski, Gleeson, Connolly, Johnson, Sculthorpe, Martyn, McDermott, Newton, O'Connor, Joynt, Jonkers and Farrell. Subs of Briers, Sinfield, Stankevitch, Bibey and Mills.

And One More Thing
Congratulations to Wigan on blowing another big game, You have yet to beat a top 5 side in Super League this year. My prediction of a fourth place finish, may have to be changed to fifth place. The clock is ticking for Stuart Raper, the strain is starting to show, the hairline getting higher. The Hatchet is ready to fall!