Happy to be back: Powell

[bertina]

Hope Smith keeps his spot when Powell returns. Just spell tommy and Powell I'd say.

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That would be my choice as well. A good kicking game is vital against a big Hull pack. Keep turning them around.

[Wiganer Ted]

That's what so important about the selection of 7 & 9.
As we know Tommy kicks straight into the hands of the wing/fb giving them a running start on their first tackle. Smith can turn them around which doesn't give them a start at all they are going backwards.
Kick straight to Shaul and he'll make 15-20 mtrs on their first tackle. Given the size of their pack that would put us into all sorts of trouble.
I wasn't keen on Smith for this match as their pack is massive, as is most of their team. However it looks like they could be missing up to 6 or 7 or their first 17.
Due to that I'd start with Smith at 7 and Tommy 9 with Sam off the bench to spell TL.

[josie andrews]

I’d leave Powell at 9, can play 80 minutes! Tommy to spell Smith if need be, but think four forwards on the bench!

Jack Well should be given an opportunity.

[No straw damn us]

We'll need tacklers v Hull. A part of Smiths game that still needs work is his defence.

I'd go with Powell and Tommy for this game.

Im all for smith...... lets concentrate on his positives( his attack) not his negatives imo

I rate Smith highly, but he's missed 14 tackles from 49 attempts, Hull would just send their big men at him, If fit I'd play Tommy #7 and Sam Powell#9 and maybe use Smith off the bench, but I'd be tempted to go with four forwards.

Just to add, Sam Powell is one of the most underrated players at Wigan and indeed in Superleague. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in Shaun Wanes England squad.

[Wigan_forever1985]

We'll need tacklers v Hull. A part of Smiths game that still needs work is his defence.

I'd go with Powell and Tommy for this game.

Im all for smith...... lets concentrate on his positives( his attack) not his negatives imo

I rate Smith highly, but he's missed 14 tackles from 49 attempts, Hull would just send their big men at him, If fit I'd play Tommy #7 and Sam Powell#9 and maybe use Smith off the bench, but I'd be tempted to go with four forwards.

Just to add, Sam Powell is one of the most underrated players at Wigan and indeed in Superleague. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in Shaun Wanes England squad.

he just isnt - hes rated exactly correctly, makes a lot of tackles but does not much else and is slower than a post office queue

[Firestarter]

Im all for smith...... lets concentrate on his positives( his attack) not his negatives imo

I rate Smith highly, but he's missed 14 tackles from 49 attempts, Hull would just send their big men at him, If fit I'd play Tommy #7 and Sam Powell#9 and maybe use Smith off the bench, but I'd be tempted to go with four forwards.

Just to add, Sam Powell is one of the most underrated players at Wigan and indeed in Superleague. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in Shaun Wanes England squad.

he just isnt - hes rated exactly correctly, makes a lot of tackles but does not much else and is slower than a post office queue

Powell has also only played 15-20 mins rugby this season....... also tommy and jacko have only played as halves together the same( in a competitive match)...... surely all that counts

[moto748]

now is the time to give him game time as results at this part of the season are fairly meaningless unless we lose 5-6 on the bounce

People keep saying this, but a game now is worth two points just like the last game of the season is.

Do Liverpool and Man City think the first few games of the season don't matter?

[PorterjohLam]

now is the time to give him game time as results at this part of the season are fairly meaningless unless we lose 5-6 on the bounce

People keep saying this, but a game now is worth two points just like the last game of the season is.

Do Liverpool and Man City think the first few games of the season don't matter?

The difference with Liverpool and City is that who finishes top at the end of the season actually means something in their sport.

[moto748]

It's not just that, though, is it? I could have used rugby union or the NRL as examples, which both have play-offs, but they don't seem to have this "the start of the regular season doesn't matter" attitude.

[Wigan_forever1985]

It's not just that, though, is it? I could have used rugby union or the NRL as examples, which both have play-offs, but they don't seem to have this "the start of the regular season doesn't matter" attitude.

More competitive leagues

Fact of the matter is you simply have to keep pace at this stage of the year, but even then its not that important a run of a few games will see you right

look at the last 5 years this is the % of games you had to win to enter into the "knockout" part of the season i.e the bit the prizes are given out

2015 63%
2016 66%
2017 53%
2018 60%
2019 51%

Last year you could lose effectively half your matches and still end up champions. The reason i say games dont matter at this stage in the season is everyone is a bit rusty - the grounds are wet and tricky and players are getting up to full fitness. Its easier to pick up your form toward the end of the season than it is to maintain perfect form throughout the season. There is absolutely no benefit in superleague of slogging your team early on pick up form after the magic weekend and it will be enough to see you to the grand final