Wigan Warriors' predicted Challenge Cup Final line-up after double suspension blow

It has now been confirmed that both Adam Keighran and Tyler Dupree will miss the Challenge Cup Final, with Wigan Warriors losing two mainstays of their team on their trip to Wembley. Both players were handed suspensions by the Match Review Panel, and the Warriors have decided against appealing the charges.

It leaves Matt Peet with some decisions to make ahead of the clash against Warrington Wolves. Keighran has been an ever-present since his move to the club in the off-season, while Dupree has only missed one match this season. As a result, there are some important decisions to make.

At centre, Wigan aren't blessed with an array of options. Willie Isa has been used in the role at times during his time at the club but he is currently a long-term injury absentee. As a result, there does appear to be only one obvious candidate.

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That is Zach Eckersley, the young centre who is being tipped for big things in the future. The 20-year-old has made three appearances this season, playing at centre in a scoring outing against London Broncos. He has only made four senior appearances for the Warriors during the early stages of his career but has caught the eye in the Championship, playing for London, Widnes Vikings and Barrow Raiders last year.

It will be a huge occasion for the youngster, clearly the biggest game of his career so far, but it also provides an excellent opportunity for a talent expected to have a very good career.

While options at centre might be limited, they certainly aren't for Wigan at prop as they look to identify a replacement for Dupree. Peet, as a general rule, runs with three forwards on his bench to work alongside his starting forwards. Even without Dupree, he still has a selection headache.

It appears that there are essentially three places up for grabs. There has been some general continuity in Wigan's line-ups this year; Luke Thompson, Brad O'Neill, Liam Farrell, Junior Nsemba and Kaide Ellis appear certain to start, with Kruise Leeming and Paddy Mago mainstays off the bench and shoe-ins to play at Wembley.

That leaves three spots, one for a starting prop, and two on the bench, and that's where things begin to get trickier. It appears that there are five players chasing three spots.

The starting berth looks most likely to be given to Liam Byrne. The Ireland international has been in and out of the team this year due to suspensions, but Peet has started him in the last six games he's been available for, having been rested against London in round four. There's no reason to think that will change now.

That leaves two bench spots for four players: Ethan Havard, Mike Cooper, Sam Walters and Harvie Hill. Of the four, Havard has been the one playing regularly since his return from a hamstring injury picked up in the Grand Final. He has made six consecutive appearances since his return to action, which seems to put him in a strong position to be in the seventeen on Saturday.

For the other three players, their game time has been smaller. Cooper started in the World Club Challenge win, which shouldn't be ignored, but he has made just three appearances since. He suffered a knee injury in that game, and while he did make a return to action, he was then not selected for three games before returning against Salford.

Walters has missed the majority of the season with a broken collarbone. He returned in the semi-final victory, and, while he got suspended in that game, he started in the back-row against Warrington as he looked to stake a claim this weekend.

As for Hill, he was given the nod to play off the bench in the Challenge Cup Final and has made ten appearances so far this season, showing he is very much in Peet's plans for now, never mind the future.

There is a case, backed up with evidence, to suggest all three could viably play. Cooper was trusted to start in the World Club Challenge; Walters provides some flexibility off the bench and Hill has been a regular throughout the season. It's a selection headache, that's for sure. But given Walters was trusted with a place on the bench in the Challenge Cup semi-final, at Hill's expense, it appears he is the favourite to be given the role.

Potential Wigan Warriors team : Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Zach Eckersley, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson, Brad O'Neill, Liam Byrne, Liam Farrell, Junior Nsemba, Kaide Ellis. Subs: Kruise Leeming, Patrick Mago, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters.