3 return for cas

[stevo38]

Constant Powell criticism but not from me. He plays for Wigan, this manager & our previous manager believe he is good enough so I will support him 100%. I just hope he doesn’t read this forum.

They pick him as he works hard and is a decent tackler.

As for attacking play then even Wane couldn't make his mind up. He played him at 7 all last season then swapped him with Tommy when it mattered towards the end of the season.

If he was off contract at the end of the season, do you think any club would come in for him.

there isnt a super league club that would come in for him thats for sure .to be fair his first few games in the first team he seemed to show some spark but he has gone really down hill i think his attitude is im in the first team now thats it unfortunatley hes shown there is no further improvement in him and needs to get on the exit bus with a few others

[Shaun Wane Legend]

I believed in Shaun Wane & he was good enough for him so yes I think he is good enough. We aren’t exactly brimming with outstanding players at the moment because they go to the NRL. If you’re playing for Wigan and you’re giving 100% then regardless of your talent I’m going to support you.

[DaveO]

I believed in Shaun Wane & he was good enough for him so yes I think he is good enough. We aren’t exactly brimming with outstanding players at the moment because they go to the NRL. If you’re playing for Wigan and you’re giving 100% then regardless of your talent I’m going to support you.

Powell was one of Wane’s favourite players. I can only assume this was down to the fact he coached him as a junior, liked his work ethic and his commitment.

What it can’t have been for is his skill as a player. Most people on here were shocked when he was given the 7 shirt and didn’t think he was up to it and so it proved. All those armchair coaches were proved right and Wane moved him out of the 7 slot and now he’s back at 9.

It baffles me that people who aren’t blind so can see how poor he is simply wont believe their own eyes and keep thinking there must be something they are missing after several seasons of the same standard of play.

All that said I don’t think is one fan on here that doesn’t rate him that is willing him to fail and aren’t hoping he’s suddenly going to start looking the part and playing as you’d expect a Wigan no 9 to play.

[Gerrumonside]

Granted he’s no Roby but then how long has it been that we’ve had a number 9 as such? Powell is more like our version of Hull’s Houghton and does a lot of hard work that goes unnoticed...

[fozzieskem]

I believed in Shaun Wane & he was good enough for him so yes I think he is good enough. We aren’t exactly brimming with outstanding players at the moment because they go to the NRL. If you’re playing for Wigan and you’re giving 100% then regardless of your talent I’m going to support you.

Powell was one of Wane’s favourite players. I can only assume this was down to the fact he coached him as a junior, liked his work ethic and his commitment.

What it can’t have been for is his skill as a player. Most people on here were shocked when he was given the 7 shirt and didn’t think he was up to it and so it proved. All those armchair coaches were proved right and Wane moved him out of the 7 slot and now he’s back at 9.

It baffles me that people who aren’t blind so can see how poor he is simply wont believe their own eyes and keep thinking there must be something they are missing after several seasons of the same standard of play.

All that said I don’t think is one fan on here that doesn’t rate him that is willing him to fail and aren’t hoping he’s suddenly going to start looking the part and playing as you’d expect a Wigan no 9 to play.

You type though as if agreeing with you on here will change anything,Lam is the coach and Powell seems to be high up on the "to play" list so it can't be a wane thing..its clear he offers something to the current coach and at present thats all he has to do.

[Gerrumonside]

To be fair it’s also out of necessity with injuries etc - Leuluai was out on his feet in the latter stages of the saints match, put a right shift in but we are shot in the halves...

[nathan_rugby]

To the poster who stated Sam was coached by Wane as a junior and that is why he was favoured. I am not sure that’s entirely true. Sam only joined Wigan as an 18 year old, as a 7, at a time in which I’d imagine Wane was assistant to McGuire given he’s only 26/27.

His defence at 9 cannot he questioned however his attack really is below standard. He really doesn’t offer anything other than picking up the ball and passing, albeit very slow and inaccurate at times.

It would be a dream to have a hooker who can offer some creativity.
- Scoots to gain yards
- Scoots to catch opponent offside
- Using a forward as an optional runner and hitting another player behind him
- little step outs from hooker hitting forwards at pace
- encouraging forwards to hit the ball at an angle between A defender and behind markers
- Grubbers close to the line
- Faceballs (ball goes in front of one player and reaches the other. Keeps defence waiting as unsure who is getting it) near to the opponents try line.

Sadly all of the above he doesn’t do. I think given our injuries he should start to sure up the defence but then switch Tommy to 9 when Sammut is back or if we believe it’s better to have Shorrocks at 7, Tommy at 9 ?

[Wigan_forever1985]

Granted he’s no Roby but then how long has it been that we’ve had a number 9 as such? Powell is more like our version of Hull’s Houghton and does a lot of hard work that goes unnoticed...

Sorry but Powell is not in the same class as houghton at all houghton has been a top hooker for Hull he can beat a man from the ruck too something Powell can’t do

The defence of Powell seems to be routed in “well the coaches see something” which is almost an admission by the fans who support him that he’s crap because if someone slagged gildart off people who think he’s special will give the reasons they think so not simply “well the coach picks him” I mean if that is your biggest argument for a players worth then it’s telling in itself

How many times has he won man of the match? How many times has he carried the team through a game? How many times have you left the game think wow powell dominated that game? - and it’s no good using the “we can’t have a top player in every position” lark 9 is a pivot! He is part of the spine - he should be influencing matches like roby does - like mcshane does - like Clarke does - like Dwyer does. Even if you accept he’s not in that category watch wakey and look how Kyle wood is always causing mayhem- leeming for hudds is better

Powell was a victim of being decent cover - he had that season when mickey was out when he stepped in and did a job and rightly so he received a lot of praise. Only somewhere in the history books it got written he was a great hooker that year - the praise again was nothing to do with him excelling but rather doing a great job considering it wasn’t his job but the key thing is here that it was focused on he made things not as bad as we thought they would be rather than better or the same

We got rid of l.Tomkins because he wasnt turning into the 9 we needed yet somehow Powell now is and I can’t see what he offers that Tomkins didn’t

[morley pie eater]

In every successful team there are leaders, thinkers, playmakers, try scorers, and grafters. A coach needs to balance these, along with other attributes like encourager or moaner/trouble maker (remember Gary Stephens?), sets example in training etc.

As fans we judge largely by what we see on the pitch. The statement "I don't know what the coach sees in Powell" tells you more about the person saying it and little about the coach or player.

How often did Ian Potter win Man of the Match?

The salary cap imposes further limits: "Sam is no James Roby", "We need an Inga or Carmont instead of Sarge." Is that a cappuccino I can smell?

Sam Powell has won GF and WCC medals as part of a *team*. That doesn't make him lucky, it makes him good though not a star imo. Good as part of a balanced team with others to do the clever stuff while he plays steady away and does the essential graft.

Our current problem is that changes, age, injuries have left an unbalanced team. Too many young forwards coming in at once. Lost an organising full back. Relying on brains and leadership from players who are old and injury-prone. A new coach trying to change our style of play.

Then again, you could just blame a lot of it on your favourite whipping boy if it makes you happy.

[Wigan_forever1985]

No one is blaming everything on Powell he is one of a raft of issues the club have

I will never accept having a bang average player at 9 is a good tactic to move the club forward