Wigan vs Warrington

[Barney841]

Sarge has been playing well ever since he found out he was going.
For me hankinson isn’t good enough to be in the team, reminds me of a centre Willie isa style player. Won’t let you down work like hell but that’s about it

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I don't know about Bibby but its horses for courses between Sarge and Hankinson and that's only because recently Sarge has had more than his usual one in four decent games. They are both of a standard where when they eventually leave it's shrug the shoulders time and they are pretty easily replaced as Hankinson will replace Sarge. When Sarge left last time I was glad to see him go and thought it was madness we re-signed him. Last season I saw nothing from him to change that opinion and the fact he has shown better form recently is no reason to get the tissues out and shed a tear hes off. He's been far too inconsistent over his time here to warrant that. He's still a player when he has the ball you wonder if it is going to be muck or nettles.

I am not championing Sarge as a top centre, I am comparing him with the players who are likely to replace him. Hankinson and/or Bibby may prove me wrong and I hope they do. I would have liked Wigan to sign a top centre as a replacement but that seems unlikely to happen. I am not sure the club are confident that either are the solution hence the reason they both have one year contracts. It is also interesting to note that the club only enforced the extra year on Hankinson’s contact and signed Bibby when Sarginson had turned down a new offer.

Is Bobby playing centre or wing? I think that Salford may be getting the most of this is a centre exchange.

Played centre at Hull.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

It depends whether Bibby is being paid as much as Sarg as to whether we have got the better of the deal. If, say, we saved money which made us better able to sign French then we may have well got the better of the deal... I think Sarg is a very good full back (though not in Hardaker’s class of course), and Salford should play him there.

They won’t, look at Evald’s record.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I'm not too worried about Sarge moving. Wigan's greatest strength in the past has been consistency and he doesn't really have that. I don't know enough about Bibby because when I've seen him, he rarely stands out. Now that might be because Salford don't play to his strengths or that I've been unlucky seeing him in a not that great team.
Whichever, I would hope that Hankinson is being trained up to be a replacement for Isa in the second row and his goalkicking (although secondary, now that Hardaker has found his range) will still be a very useful option in the future.
We talk about utility players but they rarely are. However, I could see Hankinson filling that role in the team and that could be a very useful option to have.

What attributes has Hankinson got to make him a good back row forward? Wells and Smithies are well ahead of him.

[Southern Softy]

Well, when he's played there, he tackles properly and is decent at ball-clamping, which is something that needs to improve all round the team. Considering his lack of experience at SL level, I'd put him above Isa in terms of raw ability and he is a better ball-handler and tends to give away fewer penalties. Isa is much more game-smart from his experience. Smithies I see as a No 13 and I like Wells but he hasn't been on the scene (through injury, I imagine) for a while. Hankinson's kicking speaks for itself.
Who would have seen Tony Clubb as a prop (obviously the coaches did) when he was a centre at London?

[pedro]

Sarge has been playing well ever since he found out he was going.
For me hankinson isn’t good enough to be in the team, reminds me of a centre Willie isa style player. Won’t let you down work like hell but that’s about it

like sarge but cheaper and younger

[medlocke]

Sarge has been playing well ever since he found out he was going.
For me hankinson isn’t good enough to be in the team, reminds me of a centre Willie isa style player. Won’t let you down work like hell but that’s about it

like sarge but cheaper and younger

And can pass and kick

[jackthelad]

Sarge has been playing well ever since he found out he was going.
For me hankinson isn’t good enough to be in the team, reminds me of a centre Willie isa style player. Won’t let you down work like hell but that’s about it

Shaun Wane signed Hankinson to cover the centre position due to injuries to the squad, if SW rates him, "does he not know what hes talking about?" Hankinson has also had an extension to his contract, so he must be doing something right
When he played a few games on the trot at centre he did a great job in particularly v Leeds/H'field He has not had the continuity of playing at centre either, it is early days for him in SL someone else has mentioned he needs a good run of games

[morley pie eater]

Sarge has been playing well ever since he found out he was going.
For me hankinson isn’t good enough to be in the team, reminds me of a centre Willie isa style player. Won’t let you down work like hell but that’s about it

Your "back-handed compliment" for Willie is truly an insult. Too many posters are not happy unless every player is a star - a Hanley, Offiah or Barratt.

Yet every great Wigan team has been a combination of outstanding players and grafters who went unnoticed or unappreciated by many. Take the 87 WCC winners: Gregory, Hanley, Gill, Edwards, Kiss, . . . but also Potter, Case, Gildart, and man of the match Shaun Wane!

Willie Isa is currently the 3rd top tackler in SL. Fortunately management and coaches at the club recognise the need for players like Willie in the team - I'm sure his teammates do too.

[moto748]

Willie Isa is currently the 3rd top tackler in SL. Fortunately management and coaches at the club recognise the need for players like Willie in the team - I'm sure his teammates do too.

Coincidentally, I happened across that stat earlier tonight. That's quite an effort right there. I think he's been very good this year, better than last year, in fact. The effort is always there, but it seems like the errors have reduced too.