Sam Powell

[morley pie eater]

If we turned a corner on Saturday (which remains to be seen), a large part of it was down to Sam P and Lockers. They led by example, did the hard yards, put their bodies on the line . . . or whatever phrase you care to use.

Man of Steel points awarded seem to confirm that I'm not the only one who noticed.

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/7 ... -13-picks

Points awarded were Powell 3, Lockers 2 and Liam Watts 1 - spot on, imo.

Sam's first half tackle on Mata'utia was the highlight and match-winner for me, above his try. His kicking moved us up a notch after he came on too. Not to mention 52 tackles coming off the bench.

Now we've had post after post saying Sam is Championship standard etc etc.

powell simply isnt good enough for wigan maybe even for super league and why wigan gave him a contract extension he must be playing for free or very very cheap

I honestly cant think of a 9 in the competition who offers less than powell

He's slow, his passing is suspect and he doesnt have the smarts of a hooker - whichever way you dress it up he is painfully average

there isnt a super league club that would come in for him thats for sure

It baffles me that people who aren’t blind so can see how poor he is simply wont believe their own eyes

. . . and many, many more.

Maybe it's time to have your own eyes checked?

[moto748]

Yeah, but... you can argue the praise and criticism are both valid.

I can accept that he went a long way towards winning us the match on Saturday, that he always give 100%, etc but likewise I find it hard to argue with "other SL hookers offer more" and "what other club would want him?"

It's not a black-and-white zero-sum game.

[moto748]

Out and out Powell fans could ask themselves: say we heard (unlikely, but bear with me) that the club were swapping Powell for Houghton. Or McShane. Or even Leeming. Would you be happy, or not?

[wall_of_voodoo]

Just knew someone would come on posting stats as a reason for their ideal how "good" someone is without actually using their own eyes to make a reasoned judgement.

As I have pointed out elsewhere Oliver Gildart made a try saving tackle five minutes from time and he was injured at that time. That for me won us the game and all this talk of Powell this or that would be muted beyond this rubbish of posting stats. I also note Willie Isa dmade more tackles - did that make him an even better player on the day than Powell???

3 points - Sam Powell (Wigan): Scored the match-winning try and made 52 tackles

1 point - Liam Watts (Castleford): Was a real weapon for Castleford - running for 140 metres from 22 carries, 33 tackles to add too.

So Watts made 22 tackles less but managed 140 metres from 22 carries - which if you want to post stats was probably more than half our pack put together

I do not deny Powell's try at the time was crucial BUT it was more to do with Cas at that time missing tackles and not working as hard as they had done in defense rather than any sort of fantastic scooting or play from the player you are placing on a pedestal he doesn't deserve

[Exiled Wiganer]

I thought Powell was superb, in conditions that suited him. I think a lot of the criticism he receives is because people want a different kind of 9. Every team needs balance in their spine, and Powell offers us commitment, brilliant defence (not just in numbers but how he slows the opposition down), and decent service. His scoot for the game winning try was an unusually effective run, but he has that and the occasional killer pass in his locker. He will do for me, when combined with good halves and a good full back.

Someone asked whether I would mind if we swapped him for Houghton. I wouldn’t, but genuinely can’t see much to choose between them. He is better than Leeming and Logan. I think I would prefer Clarke and Roby, but no one else strikes me as clearly better.

[morley pie eater]

I thought Powell was superb, in conditions that suited him. I think a lot of the criticism he receives is because people want a different kind of 9. Every team needs balance in their spine, and Powell offers us commitment, brilliant defence (not just in numbers but how he slows the opposition down), and decent service. His scoot for the game winning try was an unusually effective run, but he has that and the occasional killer pass in his locker. He will do for me, when combined with good halves and a good full back.

Someone asked whether I would mind if we swapped him for Houghton. I wouldn’t, but genuinely can’t see much to choose between them. He is better than Leeming and Logan. I think I would prefer Clarke and Roby, but no one else strikes me as clearly better.ght

Excellent post, EW. [And not a stat in sight ]

[morley pie eater]

Just knew someone would come on posting stats as a reason for their ideal how "good" someone is without actually using their own eyes to make a reasoned judgement.

As I have pointed out elsewhere Oliver Gildart made a try saving tackle five minutes from time and he was injured at that time. That for me won us the game and all this talk of Powell this or that would be muted beyond this rubbish of posting stats. I also note Willie Isa dmade more tackles - did that make him an even better player on the day than Powell???

3 points - Sam Powell (Wigan): Scored the match-winning try and made 52 tackles

1 point - Liam Watts (Castleford): Was a real weapon for Castleford - running for 140 metres from 22 carries, 33 tackles to add too.

So Watts made 22 tackles less but managed 140 metres from 22 carries - which if you want to post stats was probably more than half our pack put together

I do not deny Powell's try at the time was crucial BUT it was more to do with Cas at that time missing tackles and not working as hard as they had done in defense rather than any sort of fantastic scooting or play from the player you are placing on a pedestal he doesn't deserve

So you disagree with (know better than), John Wells, the MoS adjudicator and anybody else with their eyes open. Two tackles earlier, Sam had been slammed by McShane, but got up and ran at McShane who, with another player in support (a big forward iirc), failed to stop Sam getting over the line AND failed to stop him grounding the ball.

Who do you support, Voodoo? Cos it doesn't seem to me that it's Wigan when you can't recognise a match-winning effort from one of "your own" players.

[wall_of_voodoo]

Just knew someone would come on posting stats as a reason for their ideal how "good" someone is without actually using their own eyes to make a reasoned judgement.

As I have pointed out elsewhere Oliver Gildart made a try saving tackle five minutes from time and he was injured at that time. That for me won us the game and all this talk of Powell this or that would be muted beyond this rubbish of posting stats. I also note Willie Isa dmade more tackles - did that make him an even better player on the day than Powell???

3 points - Sam Powell (Wigan): Scored the match-winning try and made 52 tackles

1 point - Liam Watts (Castleford): Was a real weapon for Castleford - running for 140 metres from 22 carries, 33 tackles to add too.

So Watts made 22 tackles less but managed 140 metres from 22 carries - which if you want to post stats was probably more than half our pack put together

I do not deny Powell's try at the time was crucial BUT it was more to do with Cas at that time missing tackles and not working as hard as they had done in defense rather than any sort of fantastic scooting or play from the player you are placing on a pedestal he doesn't deserve

So you disagree with (know better than), John Wells, the MoS adjudicator and anybody else with their eyes open. Two tackles earlier, Sam had been slammed by McShane, but got up and ran at McShane who, with another player in support (a big forward iirc), failed to stop Sam getting over the line AND failed to stop him grounding the ball.

Who do you support, Voodoo? Cos it doesn't seem to me that it's Wigan when you can't recognise a match-winning effort from one of "your own" players.

Two big runs from forwards (I think the first was Bullock, the second definitely Greenwood) set the platform for Powell to score - Jesus how hard is it for you to understand this was most players third game in eight days - yet Powells first. He was going to have energy because if he didn't everyone would question why not.

As for Wells.

Presenters are there to play devil's advocate. What is the point of them if they do not offer their opinion whether correct or not?

Fans called Hemmings and Stevo prior because they make comments that caused controversy (and usually upset fans). I do not give one fig what John Wells says on tv but I bet privately he was like Daryll Powell bemoaning not gaining the two points

As for who gave the MoS points you know for a fact Wells personally gave all the points and no one else had any input? How many does Powell have now in total?
Edited by Mod

[DaveO]

I am sure if they had run MoS like this when Gelling was playing for us he’d have picked up the odd three points. If they gave out negative points he’d have got some of them as well. Powell is the same.

Using this stat as evidence any player is better than they obviously are is nuts.

Come back with it at the end of the season when he sits higher in the list than any other hooker and then you might have a stat that backs up what is frankly your rather irrational opinion that Powell is better than he is.

Powell getting three points, the first time he has got any points at all this season (I think), is nothing to write home about until he starts doing it as often as hookers like Clark, McShane and Roby.

I am pretty confident this statistic will, at the end of the season, highlight what anyone with a functioning pair of eyes will have already concluded. That he isn’t as good a hooker as those employed by our rivals.

[Wiganer Ted]

That was Powell's first game of the weekend following a 2 match suspension.
He didn't play against Saints or Salford. Both squads were fatigued but Powell was fresh.
His tackle was very important and his try won the match.
Agree what was said about Gildart's tackle too.
The debate will go on but didn't he sign a three year deal last year?
I can't see him going anywhere soon.
The priority on signings has to be half backs, which rumours tell us have been made, and prop forwards.
We have to get tougher up the middle and stop opposing forwards making 60-80 meters a set then going for barge over tries.
A new hooker isn't a priority.