POWELL!!

[Wigan_forever1985]

I think that’s a good post Eagle however there are certain things that I find issue with

So going to the value of Powell and the coaches pick him - but wane hasn’t as soon as he is away from the wigan setting - in fact he’s picked 5 British hookers ahead of him - even in a game when his hookers drops out he drafted in Micky Mac not Powell. You can’t argue style of play because wanes style of play is wanes style he won’t change that simply for international set up if anything you would be even more safety first at that level

That to me suggests that there is an expectation (don’t know who from but I suspect rads) that Powell is an auto pick at Wigan

The other point when you say about not questioning peet when bringing a half baked powell back Jin to a side when we have a hooker who was playing well and match fit

Maybe we should - all these people who trust these coaches to make the best choices - well that’s great but we have won 1 trophy in 4 years and that was when Powell didn’t play

Saints are the bench mark team - the only two victories against them in the last two years have been when Powell didn’t play

So yeah maybe we should ask more questions of them and this insistence on sticking with a player with such limited ability

[josie andrews]

There's nothing (woke " about my post. We lost the game becaus the better team on the night won obviously. We've had 17 pages on the topic of Powell many posters repeating the same mantra repeatedly. We get it. The Club I'm sure get it. It's gone beyond criticism it's more like a witch hunt Stop it. Please!

WTF is woke?? These bloody words folk make up to mean exactly opposite to what the word actually mean.

Bloody jargon please say what you mean & not these words that only a few people know what they mean!!

Thank you

[EagleEyePie]

I think that’s a good post Eagle however there are certain things that I find issue with

So going to the value of Powell and the coaches pick him - but wane hasn’t as soon as he is away from the wigan setting - in fact he’s picked 5 British hookers ahead of him - even in a game when his hookers drops out he drafted in Micky Mac not Powell. You can’t argue style of play because wanes style of play is wanes style he won’t change that simply for international set up if anything you would be even more safety first at that level

That to me suggests that there is an expectation (don’t know who from but I suspect rads) that Powell is an auto pick at Wigan

The other point when you say about not questioning peet when bringing a half baked powell back Jin to a side when we have a hooker who was playing well and match fit

Maybe we should - all these people who trust these coaches to make the best choices - well that’s great but we have won 1 trophy in 4 years and that was when Powell didn’t play

Saints are the bench mark team - the only two victories against them in the last two years have been when Powell didn’t play

So yeah maybe we should ask more questions of them and this insistence on sticking with a player with such limited ability

I think Wane hasn't picked Powell for England because he doesn't think he's good enough for that level. I agree that he's not good enough for that level even though I'll defend Powell to some extent. I don't think there's any debate to be had that Powell is at that level and I understand why fans think we should have the very best players in every single position and that anyone who isn't mustn't be good enough. It does sometimes seem in this debate though that not taking the position that he's a terrible player is viewed the same as thinking he's a superstar.

For me Powell is in that perfect situation for a player in a salary capped sport. He offers coaches enough of what they want to continually get picked and draw praise even though he's not one of the very top performers. Coaches know what they will get from him and are clearly happy with most of what he does on the pitch. He can also play for 80 minutes at a high defensive work rate which allows for a bit more flexibility on the bench.

I really don't buy the 'pressure from above to pick him' because there have been countless players who were very popular within the club that haven't had that same favouritism. That's why I say it borders on conspiracy to be thinking that all coaches see what the Powell detractors see but are somehow forced into picking him. That would mean we only bring in coaches with absolutely no self-respect. You'd never agree to be dictated to so blatantly. And if a coach really didn't rate Powell what would they have to lose by not selecting him? The coach wouldn't be sacked for it so any coach would pick whoever they want to. Results would ultimately keep them in a job regardless of selection.

That's why I think the middle ground in this debate is the sensible one. That Powell obviously isn't among the top hookers in the competition because he doesn't get picked for international selection. That he does have qualities that coaches admire about him and he's valued because coaches keep picking him even when they do have other options they can turn to.

We've been the best attacking side in Super League this year with Powell at 9, so I can understand why there might be an argument that he's not exactly holding us back. For me I just think the hooking role is about balance. You either have one quality 80 minute all-rounder (which is very, very rare) or two hookers that compliment the teams style of play but aren't too similar. That's ultimately where I think the club has gone wrong. For me Sam Powell is a perfectly decent half of a hooking duo when partnered by someone a bit more direct.

[Wigan_forever1985]

But rugby league is not about the season is it - it’s about 3/4 games playing the better teams when they turn up - you can put 100 points on weak teams throughout the year it means nothing when it’s crunch time

I only understand the salary cap argument when it’s for a non pivot position - I don’t know how you can justify having an average player as the basis of everything you do on a rugby pitch. Everything you do comes from 9 you can carry a poor centre or poor winger or poor second row

Having a poor 9 will stand out every single game and it does hence why so many comments

also it’s not really about him being picked let’s face it there has only been one occasion since Micky Mac left where Powell has had any competition and that’s this season when o Neil got a run and Powell was injured before this season there hasn’t been a hooker to challenge

You talk of self respect for coaches but even the biggest coaches in football are sometimes told by above x player must play - I’m not saying that’s the case here but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility- it happens

The real problem at Wigan is the senior management are all a group of mates they are likely to have eachothers backs there is no independent voice in there really - saints had it with kfc and it gets you so far but they’ve gone to the next level since they did away with that

[Mike]

There's nothing (woke " about my post. We lost the game becaus the better team on the night won obviously. We've had 17 pages on the topic of Powell many posters repeating the same mantra repeatedly. We get it. The Club I'm sure get it. It's gone beyond criticism it's more like a witch hunt Stop it. Please!

WTF is woke?? These bloody words folk make up to mean exactly opposite to what the word actually mean.

Bloody jargon please say what you mean & not these words that only a few people know what they mean!!

Thank you

The original poster using the word 'woke' probably means they feel threatened that people exist that hold a view different to their own. They would like to be protected by never encountering a view point that is not their own.

IE they are offended that someone has the opinion that there has been enough Powell chat for now and believe they are being silenced because archie has said that.

[josie andrews]

There's nothing (woke " about my post. We lost the game becaus the better team on the night won obviously. We've had 17 pages on the topic of Powell many posters repeating the same mantra repeatedly. We get it. The Club I'm sure get it. It's gone beyond criticism it's more like a witch hunt Stop it. Please!

WTF is woke?? These bloody words folk make up to mean exactly opposite to what the word actually mean.

Bloody jargon please say what you mean & not these words that only a few people know what they mean!!

Thank you

The original poster using the word 'woke' probably means they feel threatened that people exist that hold a view different to their own. They would like to be protected by never encountering a view point that is not their own.

IE they are offended that someone has the opinion that there has been enough Powell chat for now and believe they are being silenced because archie has said that.

Still doesn’t make sense to me Mike

[Barney841]

We should of signed Parcell when we had the chance

[EagleEyePie]

But rugby league is not about the season is it - it’s about 3/4 games playing the better teams when they turn up - you can put 100 points on weak teams throughout the year it means nothing when it’s crunch time

I only understand the salary cap argument when it’s for a non pivot position - I don’t know how you can justify having an average player as the basis of everything you do on a rugby pitch. Everything you do comes from 9 you can carry a poor centre or poor winger or poor second row

Having a poor 9 will stand out every single game and it does hence why so many comments

also it’s not really about him being picked let’s face it there has only been one occasion since Micky Mac left where Powell has had any competition and that’s this season when o Neil got a run and Powell was injured before this season there hasn’t been a hooker to challenge

You talk of self respect for coaches but even the biggest coaches in football are sometimes told by above x player must play - I’m not saying that’s the case here but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility- it happens

The real problem at Wigan is the senior management are all a group of mates they are likely to have eachothers backs there is no independent voice in there really - saints had it with kfc and it gets you so far but they’ve gone to the next level since they did away with that

I don't think you can say that Powell definitely affects our ability to win those important games considering he's a multiple grand final winner.

I doubt the coaching staff see Powell as an average player either, but I think they view what he offers in terms of his strengths which are far too focused on the defensive aspects of the game.

You're right that we haven't had an out and out hooker other than Powell since McIlorum left but we did have other players who could play at 9 if it was deemed to be an area of weakness (particularly in 2019). It clearly wasn't deemed an area of weakness which isn't that surprising as we won 2 Grand Finals with Powell playing at 9. It's worth pointing out that Powell was playing regularly at hooker even before McIlorum left. If Powell was that bad at hooker there was no necessity to select him and play him in that position so often back then. There were alternatives at that time.

That's why for me the issue is that we're trying to get Powell to be an 80 minute hooker because he can be, rather than because it's best for the team, and that we're missing out on finding the right balance. I think it would improve Powell too if he wasn't playing 9 for 80 minutes every game. After all, that's more responsibility than most hookers have.

[PJC]

I like Powell I think he’s a decent player. That’s my opinion and other people are entitled to theirs. I suggest we agree to disagree and move on. Its become tedious and monotonous.

[Dreamteam]

I like Powell I think he’s a decent player. That’s my opinion and other people are entitled to theirs. I suggest we agree to disagree and move on. Its become tedious and monotonous.

Saying people are entitled to an opinion but then saying we should move on and stop talking about him ?