Changes Needed

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
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EagleEyePie
Posts: 434
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:42 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by EagleEyePie »

Keeping O'Loughlin for another year would be madness. The kind of stupid sentimental (or just plain mental) decision that saw us sign Tony Clubb to a new 2-year deal. Sure, Lockers played well against Wakefield but he's also missed plenty of games, had ineffective performances this year and had an absolute stinker today. In what way is that good enough for one of our highest earners. In a salary cap sport a player is worth what they bring to the team and Lockers has brought less than Havard, Partington, Smithies and Shorrocks who have all covered the 13 role admirably when Lockers hasn't been here.

I'm a fan of Flower, but we need to move on. No point offering him a new deal just because he might not go to Toronto. He hasn't earned a new deal based on performance so why give him one. Tony Clubb, what's the point of him still being here? I hope he makes me eat my words when he returns, but if he does we'll have had to wait far too long to get those perfomances.

Hastings hasn't been outstanding but he's decent if we can get a dominant pack around him. If Jai Field is his replacement that's not good enough. He's a risk. A gamble. A step down based on what the two players have displayed so far in their careers. We need a quality, experienced halfback to compliment Smith or Field

We've got a good crop of young forwards. We need to keep hold of these but also make sure we bring in good players around them. What's the point in having Clubb or Flower backing up these young forwards when they are more often than not injury or banned. Ditch the old timers who aren't contributing enough and give the young players the support they deserve for their efforts.

Ultimately though, we need a coach who can identify where we are going wrong and fix things. The performance today wasn't a million miles away from our playoff semi-final defeat to Salford. Battered down the middle, lacking a plan B to get us out of trouble when our pack was struggling to make an impact.

Going with 1 recognised prop on the bench when it's tipping it down seems like a strange move. As does keeping our best kicker off the field for the majority of the game when it was clear that a strong kicking game was going to be worth a lot in such conditions. We've had some good wins this year, but we've had some shocking defeats too. We could have been clear at the top of the comp but instead have slipped up too often and we're now out of the cup. Of 3 major trophies on offer since Lam arrived we've won 0.

For a club with the wage bill of Wigan 1 trophy every 2 years should be a minimum. Maybe Lam has suffered somewhat by our marquee prop, who ideally should have fixed our lack of muscle down the middle, being a complete waste of time, but you'd still expect to see some improvements year on year but I'm not sure we're seeing that.
Southern Softy
Posts: 1458
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:15 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by Southern Softy »

I can't disagree with anything said by anybody about a really dispiriting display. Greenwood needs to start - the Bibby experiment must have run its course because he keeps jumping out of the line and missing tackles.

I thought on Tuesday there was a problem and it is the lack of pace among our younger forwards. They look to have bulked up and have no instant speed with ball in hand. Smithies is an exception but they are not helped by the sheer lack of a tactical plan. We played the same in the 70th minute as we did in the 7th minute, battering pointlessly against a better pack of forwards (on the day.)
We have not had a long kicking game for ages - in fact since Sam left and the duties should go always to either Hardaker or Smith, who now should be given the starting position.
As for Lam? Thanks for taking over at a difficult time and good luck for the future. Either an Aussie coach or Watson from Salford, who understands how to get the best out of players will do for me.
Also thanks to SOL for a wonderful career but I'm afraid the end of the season must be as far as it can go using him as an auxillary prop.
moto748
Posts: 4583
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2014 5:30 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by moto748 »

It may be a minority view here, but I think Blake Austin is a bloody good player, and he's showing it again the second semi. He's always busy and offers plenty in attack. I for one would have been delighted if he'd come to Wigan. They might not be lovable characters, but I still think Gale is the best English half in the comp (only Lomax as competition really), and Austin the best of all.
Wintergreen
Posts: 1611
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 2:13 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by Wintergreen »

Southern Softy wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2020 5:22 pm I can't disagree with anything said by anybody about a really dispiriting display. Greenwood needs to start - the Bibby experiment must have run its course because he keeps jumping out of the line and missing tackles.

I thought on Tuesday there was a problem and it is the lack of pace among our younger forwards. They look to have bulked up and have no instant speed with ball in hand. Smithies is an exception but they are not helped by the sheer lack of a tactical plan. We played the same in the 70th minute as we did in the 7th minute, battering pointlessly against a better pack of forwards (on the day.)
We have not had a long kicking game for ages - in fact since Sam left and the duties should go always to either Hardaker or Smith, who now should be given the starting position.
As for Lam? Thanks for taking over at a difficult time and good luck for the future. Either an Aussie coach or Watson from Salford, who understands how to get the best out of players will do for me.
Also thanks to SOL for a wonderful career but I'm afraid the end of the season must be as far as it can go using him as an auxillary prop.
Totally agree. We can't blame Lam, he was asked to keep the seat warm for Edwards.

If we want someone to blame for our current coaching situation it is either Shaun Edwards, Ian Lenagan or both.
fozzieskem
Posts: 6494
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 10:54 am

Re: Changes Needed

Post by fozzieskem »

Never been convinced by Lam and not going to be to be honest,he’s taking the club backwards.slowly.

I think it’s time for Lockers and Tommy to retire,hardly the golden send off but perhaps they missed a chance when Wigan had a coach who could win trophies left back in 2018.

Blake Austin,while a hobby so and so is a fine player one I enjoy watching,which given how ,any times Wigan play wire is a good thing I suppose
moto748
Posts: 4583
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2014 5:30 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by moto748 »

Agreed. Can't we get hold of one of those big South Sea props the NRL is full of? The NZ Warriors are recruiting a few for next season, do they still need Sam Lisone, for example?
Exiled Wiganer
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I don’t think we are that far off, as long as Lam and Lockers go. We have loads of potential but a coach with a zero % success rate in big games.
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Firestarter
Posts: 5443
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by Firestarter »

We have got to win against wire now..... if not i think the outcome for lammy is inevitable
IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN I WILL BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE
Exiled Wiganer
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

Even if we win against a Warrington side with Wembley on their minds, it won’t prove anything. He has been given a squad good enough to win regular non pressure league games regardless of his coaching. The Saints game will be his last chance to earn a reprieve from the axe (if he lasts that long) - though we may just let his contract end and run down the clock on this year altogether.
DaveO
Posts: 15880
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:32 pm

Re: Changes Needed

Post by DaveO »

I'd be amazed if IL sacked him before the end of the season and equally amazed if he did then whatever happens. Lam is a cheap option I am sure and Covid and the weird season we are having as a result will be the excuse to lumber us with him for another season.
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