Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
Exiled Wiganer
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I hope for the best, and will always hope for the best. Having massive doubts about this squad doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be better. I am only really reflecting on this at the moment, as it is season ticket time. And genuinely I haven’t read anything the contradicts the logic of what I have written.

As that drags down the mood, and I get that, there are some things which I can see might be better:

- one good big forward might mean that we our halves and hooker are getting better ball;
- O’Neill (or even Leiluai) might replace Powell;
- Smith may recover in time, and be better after being fixed up with some go forward;
- the reason we scored no tries for hours on end may have been down to Lam rather than talent, and Briers might actually unlock some attack;
- Cust may be an instant success;
- Field may fully recover and be a dangerous broken field runner;
- Shorrocks may develop into a great 13;
- Havard, KPP and Smithies may really kick on…

Walmsley could get injured, and Roby may be over the hill.

We all have a lovely day out in Wembley on a sunny day.
josie andrews
Posts: 35573
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: Wigan
Contact:

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by josie andrews »

Exiled Wiganer wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:58 am I hope for the best, and will always hope for the best. Having massive doubts about this squad doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be better. I am only really reflecting on this at the moment, as it is season ticket time. And genuinely I haven’t read anything the contradicts the logic of what I have written.

As that drags down the mood, and I get that, there are some things which I can see might be better:

- one good big forward might mean that we our halves and hooker are getting better ball;
- O’Neill (or even Leiluai) might replace Powell;
- Smith may recover in time, and be better after being fixed up with some go forward;
- the reason we scored no tries for hours on end may have been down to Lam rather than talent, and Briers might actually unlock some attack;
- Cust may be an instant success;
- Field may fully recover and be a dangerous broken field runner;
- Shorrocks may develop into a great 13;
- Havard, KPP and Smithies may really kick on…

Walmsley could get injured, and Roby may be over the hill.

We all have a lovely day out in Wembley on a sunny day.
Now that’s a lot better 😊
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Wes
Posts: 2179
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 2:28 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Wes »

Flash wrote:
DaveO wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 1:04 am
Charriots Offiah wrote: I am positive we will be far better than last season.
Well that’s not hard to be honest but just like last season we need French fit but far better? Not sure about that when we will probably have centre pairing of Bibby and Thornley for a while.

We also need Peet to get more out of Powell and for Tommy to defy his age. I am not sure either is possible.

I do think Cust, Mago and Ellis are positive additions but my fear is Cust will be a one man band like Hastings was because he’s basically it just as Hastings was.
That's a massive oversimplification Dave. You have no idea how Thornley will go as yet and, even at his worst, he'll be better than Gildart was last year. Even more telling, a Thornley/Bibby partnership has to be considerably better than a Farrell/Isa one which we often had last year unless you subscribe to Lam's 'square pegs in round holes' philosophy, which I'm pretty certain you don't. That's before we get to the fact that the club expects French to be ready to go for the start of the season anyway!

Cust is a different player to Hastings and any partnerships will be different too. Hastings tried to do everything himself and didn't really form partnerships as such anyway. I would expect both a Cust/Tommy and a Cust/Smith partnership to be better than anything we had last year simply because they are likely to be just that...a partnership.

Our front row is significantly stronger than last year both in terms of the new personnel (Mago and Ellis HAVE to be better than Clubb and Bullock and the youngsters are a year older and don't have to contend with being the 'senior' props). You would also expect Bateman to be significantly better than last year as he was way down on any season he's ever had previously last time out. Our pack is better this year, no question. Much better in fact.

Then there's the new coaching setup. I'll say no more on whether I expect them to get more out of this squad than Lam did other than to say they simply couldn't get less.

To say we're the same other than Cust for Hastings is not painting the true picture. Not even close.
You can’t be right with any of that, sounds like too much sense to me[emoji1787][emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Exiled Wiganer
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

In my new glass half full mode, I was wondering what is the best that we could hope for, and came up with:
French
Field
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall
Cust
Smith
Mago
O’Neill
Singleton
Faz
Bateman
Shorrocks

KPP
Smithies
Havard
Ellis

This is on the basis that everyone is fully fit, the juniors fulfil the potential they have shown, and all of the new signings settle in quickly. The biggest improvement we could make as a team would be Powell being replaced by an attacking hooker, and O’Neill has shown some potential... It also assumes that Peet is a good coach, and will be prepared to play entertaining rugby, as opposed to returning us to the grim Waneball years,
Wintergreen
Posts: 1611
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 2:13 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Wintergreen »

Exiled Wiganer wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 11:36 am In my new glass half full mode, I was wondering what is the best that we could hope for, and came up with:
French
Field
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall
Cust
Smith
Mago
O’Neill
Singleton
Faz
Bateman
Shorrocks

KPP
Smithies
Havard
Ellis

This is on the basis that everyone is fully fit, the juniors fulfil the potential they have shown, and all of the new signings settle in quickly. The biggest improvement we could make as a team would be Powell being replaced by an attacking hooker, and O’Neill has shown some potential... It also assumes that Peet is a good coach, and will be prepared to play entertaining rugby, as opposed to returning us to the grim Waneball years,
Bit harsh on Bibby, who, whilst not a superstar, is a solid enough player and would get at least a bench spot imo.

Shorrocks- I just don't get why he is rated. Then again I felt the same about Lockers when he first came onto the scene, so maybe I will be wrong again?
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by nathan_rugby »

Wintergreen wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 12:57 pm
Exiled Wiganer wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 11:36 am In my new glass half full mode, I was wondering what is the best that we could hope for, and came up with:
French
Field
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall
Cust
Smith
Mago
O’Neill
Singleton
Faz
Bateman
Shorrocks

KPP
Smithies
Havard
Ellis

This is on the basis that everyone is fully fit, the juniors fulfil the potential they have shown, and all of the new signings settle in quickly. The biggest improvement we could make as a team would be Powell being replaced by an attacking hooker, and O’Neill has shown some potential... It also assumes that Peet is a good coach, and will be prepared to play entertaining rugby, as opposed to returning us to the grim Waneball years,
Bit harsh on Bibby, who, whilst not a superstar, is a solid enough player and would get at least a bench spot imo.

Shorrocks- I just don't get why he is rated. Then again I felt the same about Lockers when he first came onto the scene, so maybe I will be wrong again?
Being realistic you wouldn’t have winger or centre on the bench…

With regards to Shorrocks there is great potential but I worry about his size. That being said he tackles well, has good hands and does make some decent drives / half breaks.

He has the potential to he moulded into a ball playing 13 that is for sure but it shouldn’t be at the detriment of other areas.

What I’m saying is ball playing 13 is beneficial but not a pre requisite for success.
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
josie andrews
Posts: 35573
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: Wigan
Contact:

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by josie andrews »

Wintergreen wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 12:57 pm

Bit harsh on Bibby, who, whilst not a superstar, is a solid enough player and would get at least a bench spot imo.

Shorrocks- I just don't get why he is rated. Then again I felt the same about Lockers when he first came onto the scene, so maybe I will be wrong again?
I think everyone bar me saw the potential in Lockers from when he played at Pats, then the academy I have followed his career keenly 🥰

I think Bibby is underrated, don’t forget he played every game last season!

Shorrocks, I think could be Lockers replacement on a permanent basis if they would just let him play there rather than shoving him in at hooker!
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Gerrumonside
Posts: 299
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2019 2:58 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Gerrumonside »

Everyone see,s things differently and views players contributions and skills different which is nice. For me I don’t get the Bibby thing and if Thornley is half the player he was from his first spell I’d rather have him and Hardaker at centre - that said Bibby is no bad a player just he was playing out of position most of last season but if I had a choice then I’d rather thornley/hardaker at centre.
Exiled Wiganer
Posts: 2677
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I picked Field ahead of Bibby because I was assuming that Field on top of his game would be a good player - he did play some games for a talented Parramatta side if I am not mistaken. If he is disqualified for not being a winger, then Bibby would be next in line (unless Dom Manfredi goes to Lourdes…).

As for Shorrocks, he looks like a natural 13 to me. I worry about his size, his mongrel and his pace, but he looks to have vision to me.
southportcdm
Posts: 1150
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 5:05 pm

Re: Wigan’s 2022 squad numbers

Post by southportcdm »

Bibby is a solid player in defence and has done well for us on the wing scoring plenty of tries. However, I don't feel that he has great pace and he's a liability under the high ball. I'm sure I've read that he prefers playing centre too. Bibby and Thornley will do a solid job for us but I'd like to think that young Halsall will develop into a better player than either of them.
Post Reply