SEVEN of Leigh's big guns will be out of the firing line when NFP stugglers Gateshead Thunder come to Hilton Park for the first time on Sunday.

Coach Paul Terzis - already without Alan Hadcroft (shoulder), Tim Street (thumb) and Andy Fairclough (ankle) - has decided to rest Simon Baldwin, Paul Anderson, John Duffy and Andy Leathem.

But he's still confident that his team will have too much firepower for a Thunder side still looking for it's first win of the season.

"We've got some big games coming up at Doncaster and Keighley, so I've got one eye on them," admits Terzis. "It also gives one or two other players to push for a permanent role in the side."

Winger Hadcroft is Leigh's latest long-term casualty. He dislocated his shoulder in the first minute against Batley last Sunday and faces up to six weeks on the sidelines. But both Street and Fairclough will be back within the next fortnight.

Sunday's team is: Turley; Jones, Johnson, Bretherton, Watts; Svabic, Purtill; Gass, Roden, Bradbury, Kendrick, Bristow, Swann. Subs: Whittle, Hamilton, Morley, Ingram.