Playing out of Position

[First Try Tickle]

For the past few years Farrell has been the best running second rower in the league, the way he links with Williams has led to so many tries. Then half way through last season, Greenwood turns up and Faz has to swap sides. Now his half is a very slow Tommy and everyone is on his back saying he had another poor game.

And its the same for Gildart. He has played left centre all his career, but because Sarge says he prefers left, then Gildart has to move. Yet again Gildart seems so much less effective on the right.

Last night everone was having a go at Williams for not passing, but he's lost his runner and now his centre is Sarginson instead. No wonder he keeps hold.

[josie andrews]

Well said

I’m sick of hearing fans calling Williams & saying he’s crap. We wouldn’t be very happy if he’d gone to Oz or even worse Wire!

I’d like to pinch your post please?

[DaveO]

For the past few years Farrell has been the best running second rower in the league, the way he links with Williams has led to so many tries. Then half way through last season, Greenwood turns up and Faz has to swap sides. Now his half is a very slow Tommy and everyone is on his back saying he had another poor game.

And its the same for Gildart. He has played left centre all his career, but because Sarge says he prefers left, then Gildart has to move. Yet again Gildart seems so much less effective on the right.

Last night everone was having a go at Williams for not passing, but he's lost his runner and now his centre is Sarginson instead. No wonder he keeps hold.

Welcome to the make do and mend Wigan team. Moving Gildart for a player of the average ability of Sarge is criminal. Playing Faz on the right is just being done out of necessity. When people said Greenwood was Bateman's replacement, now you know why he wasn't.

[fozzieskem]

It does seem an odd way to choose you transfer targets..go for player where he’s needed and excels,rather than the square peg,round hole approach Wigan favour.

I’m all for versatility of course but half through a season when injuries have hit not first game out the gate.

[old hooker]

Williams is crap and once again last night he created nothing, we scored 2 tries, one fro 5 yards out from aprop forward and the other from an interception.Playing out of position is nonsense, his only asset is a decent short kicking game and last night Lomax was by far the better of the two.If Oz want him then please come asap but he would do a Sarge and be on the first plane back.

[Barney841]

I wouldn’t have sarginson in the team. I’d have Zak at right centre, Gilly left and escare at FB

[Longstanding]

I think this will be tried "Barney841"

[moto748]

I don't. We bought ZH as a full-back, and things will have to change drastically for him to be played anywhere else.

[fozzieskem]

I don't. We bought ZH as a full-back, and things will have to change drastically for him to be played anywhere else.

Agreed why buy and Bentley then rally it?

ZH is best at fullback so why play him anywhere else unless absolutely last resort

[EagleEyePie]

Williams, Farrell, Gildart and Budgie/Marshall was probably the most devastating attacking combination when they played together. It surprises me that such an effective combination has been scrapped. Gildart in particular was very effective on the left because he had space to run into and opportunities to use his handling skills. Having him move to the right seemed to work at times at the end of last year when Manfredi was on his outside. Perhaps when Manfredi is back in the side he'll be a bit more involved but you've got to wonder whether we've weakened the left side significantly to slightly improve the right.

Ideally the signing of Greenwood would have given us a strong running forward on the right who could draw defenders and offload to create opportunities to make up for our lack of swift passing down that edge. Now we've got Faz on that side and while it's still early days I'm not sure how effective he's going to be.

Sarginson gets plenty of criticism but I don't think he's been too bad since returning to the side in the middle of last year. The problem is that he can play well and be dangerous with his footwork and running the ball, but there always seems to be something missing from the attacking side of his game at centre when compared to Gildart.

I'd quite like to see how the team goes with Gildart and Farrell back on the left with Hankinson and Greenwood on the right, but Hankinson has to earn his place (and with no reserves there's little opportunity for that) and Greenwood now seems to be our go-to-man on the left.