Reality check

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
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shaunedwardsfanclub
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Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:08 pm

Reality check

Post by shaunedwardsfanclub »

Forwards win matches and Saints forwards were far better. Would the scoreline have been closer if we had been able to play our first choice pack? Definitely. Would we have been good enough to win? I doubt it. We need to dramatically improve our forwards in 2020.
Winning is down to 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration - Shaun Edwards
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EagleEyePie
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:42 pm

Re: Reality check

Post by EagleEyePie »

Agreed. We're in the position where our experienced middles may provide good things but are frequently injured and it's leaving us relying far too much on our youngsters right now.

No team can really rely on such young forwards to play such a big role week in week out and there's a chance that the more we play some of these youngsters the more they'll start to struggle.

We need players to return but I don't think it's enough to just hope for that because there's a good chance they'll get injured again. I think we really need to be looking for one or two new middles before the deadline. If Cas don't want to let Clark join us early then the club needs to be speaking to contacts in the NRL, maybe looking to see if we could tempt another Super League player (unlikely) and, as much as some would moan, looking in the Championship too to see if we can pick up someone who could take the pressure off our young pack.

For next season though we've really got to look for more quality forwards. I don't see Clark is being someone to solve our issues, he looks like another who needs a bit of development (so we could probably do with bringing someone other than him in this year). We've got to strengthen the pack and add some real quality.
DaveO
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Re: Reality check

Post by DaveO »

The problem has been brewing for a while. The fact we end up with a young front row facing Saints isn’t just bad luck.

The fact the IL and Rads think it is a good idea to extend Clubb’s contract shows you the extent of the problem. In a previous era he’d have been moved on at his age given what he offers and a replacement recruited. Same with Lockers. Testimonial and retirement before now and a player recruited.

Our senior props are Clubb and Flower and that is it. Clubb offers little these days and Flower is injured. We are then relying on Bullock and Navarete who are simply not that good before its kids.

Some may say we need one or two extra props. I’d say we need three with one of them replacing Clubb.

I am not holding my breath as just don’t think IL and Rads are up to it when it comes to recruitment.


fozzieskem
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Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 10:54 am

Re: Reality check

Post by fozzieskem »

I was staggered that Clubb got a two year deal it simply didn’t make sense given his track record with injuries,what the brains trust were thinking is beyond me it’s simply unfair to throw kids at a problem such as this and hope it’ll be ok,it’s ridiculous.
warriors01
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Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 4:14 pm

Re: Reality check

Post by warriors01 »

If you were staggered about Clubb wait until they extend Tommy and Lockers, because KR is clueless when it comes to recruitment. Look at Hulls latest recruitment that's what we are lacking size and power in the forwards but as we all know we don't recruit big powerful forwards. Even Lam said at the start of the season that we were lacking props and that's before we lost Hamlin and Tatatui, but what have we done about it nothing. So its a bit late for Lam to start whinging about losing a grand final pack!
Woody1989
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Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:16 pm

Re: Reality check

Post by Woody1989 »

If George Burgess is available then we need to go for him, he wouldn't sort all of our problems but he'd make a big difference. Signing Hastings is all well and good but he needs a better pack to play behind.
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wall_of_voodoo
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Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:51 am

Re: Reality check

Post by wall_of_voodoo »

Potentially the club will take one step backwards no mater how well we do next season.

Hastings has that option to leave to the NRL, Burgess/Leuluai/O'Loughlin amd a number of other players are out of contract and we will literally be going through all this again next season - putting off the retirements of Lockers and LuLu etc hoping Lam extends (or not) for another year

There appears to be absolutely NO long term planning or recruitment. Seems like someone has said just keep promoting the juniors and snag an overseas player available from a rival UK team and we will be fine ala Clark from Cas who proves this is going on
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DaveO
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Re: Reality check

Post by DaveO »

wall_of_voodoo wrote: Sat Jul 13, 2019 5:28 pm
There appears to be absolutely NO long term planning or recruitment. Seems like someone has said just keep promoting the juniors and snag an overseas player available from a rival UK team and we will be fine ala Clark from Cas who proves this is going on
This is certainly my view of how the club is being run. Opportunistic recruitment at best.

As to succession planning, well there isn't any because if there was, Lockers would be retired by now and players like Clubb would not have been given a two year contract extension.

The frustrating thing is the standard of SL is such that it wouldn't take much for us to be right up there with Saints but the way the club is recruiting it is almost as if they are determined to only achieve success if we fluke it in the playoffs.

There is only one way this will change with IL as the owner and that is if there is a huge injection of cash from a new TV deal or whatever. Even then I am not sure the club has the expertise to recruit wisely. it all just seems a bit random.

We could do with recruitment being driven by the coach. Appoint a coach on a long term deal, say four years and then ask him to plan the squad. Instead our coaches get what they are given which is proving no way to run things.
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