In Weegram's case it is nothing short of a miracle that he is able to play again just six weeks after breaking his arm and collarbone, as well as badly damaging his ribs, in the early stages of the opener against Driffield. You can see why he was a successful boxer.
It's also good to see Carlo back in action. He's had work and the small matter of a wedding to stop him training [not his best subject, anyway] and comes in as front row cover with all of the club's front rows badly needed with three games against Horden. The Stags are away and Ams at home. There are also reports that Chummer is threatening to return so things are looking up.
The main change in the pack is the return of Carl Miller who has taken three days holiday from working away to join Chocky in the second row. Against a big Horden pack he has got the nod ahead of Phil Henderson who had a fine game in the loose against Rochdale last week. Phil joins Danny and Carlo on the bench.
In the backs Phil Wallis starts at full back in place of Martin Todd who has work commitments. Wallis is looking the part this season and together with his mate Paul Moss we have two kickers who are both accurate and long.
Tim Sawyer underwent major reconstruction on his dislocated knee on Monday and it looks like he will miss the whole of the season. But he is now out of hospital and will be at the game no doubt giving Mess Carr, Cullinane and Norris every encouragement. Young Nogger is now destined for a long run in the first team and came through a didficult game at Rochdale with a lot of credit.
Chris Lambert's family chose a strange time to go on holiday but Panda is a more than able deputy and looked strong last week, while Gavin Painter is having a remarkable start to senior rugby scoring delightful tries in every game so far. He is now third leading try scorer in N2E and who is to bet against him keeping it up?
Horden have injury worries of their own with 6ft 7in talisman Michael Thubron missing from the second row after injuring himslef in the much-discussed victory over Rovers last week. Veteran Steve Black comes in in his place, and we well remember him destroying the Stags line-out in the Pyman Cup final last year. The game definitely turned in our favour when Steve went off.
Former West centre David Grand is also missing.
On paper it looks like a game of contrasting styles. Horden's pack destroyed Rovers in the opening quarter last week and they are likely to continue to play to their strengths. We will be looking to continue where we left off at Rochdale where, even without Tim Sawyer, we took the game to the home side and, if not quite running them ragged, certainly kept them on the backfoot all afternoon.
The Referee will be Mr Huw Jenkins from the North Middlands Society.
WestPhil Wallis, Gavin Painter, Greg Edwards, Peter Hodgson, Andrew Hare, Paul Moss, Davy Tighe [capt],Anth Carr, Brett Cullinane, Jon Norris, Carl Miller, Andrew Davies, Dan Boatman, Aaron Myers, Jon Boatman. Reps: Phil Henderson, Carl Robinson, Danny Weegram
Horden: Hartley, Purvis, White, McCourt, Cox, Turner, Watson, Thompson, McDowell, Thirkell, S Black, Paul, Greenlaw, Temple, Gilmour. Reps: James, Pink, Vosper.