Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

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EagleEyePie
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Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:42 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by EagleEyePie »

I'm glad Shorrocks is back with the team as I'm a big fan of him and his style of play, but I'm not sure he'll be brought straight into the side

He could be played on the right edge but he's not that effective going forward in that role due to his lack of size. We'd get plenty of effort in defence and that might be seen as a trade off that's worth it for the benefit of the team, but for me he's a 13 and not as effective in other roles. I thought KPP had a reasonable game against Salford though. Not outstanding but an improvement and if fans want Cust dropped and Field in the halves and Miski to play on the wing then that's going to be a lot of changes on our right edge against a team that is overwhelmingly left side dominant in their attack. It could be a recipe for disaster.
Of course there's the option of going with KPP and King as the centre/wing partnership as it was at the end of the Salford game which negates the need to bring in Miski.

Smithies won't be dropped as he's been one of our best defenders but also our 3rd best metre maker this year behind Faz and Havard. I think he's solid in that role but there's the option of Shorrocks coming off the bench at 13 and maybe Smithies doing some minutes at prop as he has done very occasionally. Shorrocks' best position is definitely down the middle. His ball playing ability is good but I also like the way he plays on the shoulder of the props and offers an outlet for an offload or short pass. The down side is obviously we don't get the strong carries you'd expect from the 3rd prop on the bench but given how ineffective Singleton was and how little work Cooper did against Salford I'm not sure that's a deal breaker. We've had at least one prop contributing very little in most games so going back to 4 props surely isn't a huge risk.

My personal preference has always been for Smithies to be tried on the right edge in the hope of having that workhorse forward on both flanks like we've had in the past, allowing Shorrocks more opportunities to play down the middle as a ball player. However, the coaches will have more in-depth knowledge of players and how well suited they are to different roles, how their style of defence suits which role etc. Last season Shorrocks ended up out wide and Smithies in the middle whenever we needed a stand-in back rower.
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4128
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Charriots Offiah »

Big Steve wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:01 am I think one of our problems in attack has been a lack of ball playing forward.

Partington and Shorrocks have filled that previously and without it we are far too predictable, especially without a creative 9 in the team.

Close down Cust one side and Smith the other and we're so easily restricted.
You don't have to do much to close down Cust at present.
Charriots Offiah
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Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Charriots Offiah »

EagleEyePie wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 6:40 pm I'm glad Shorrocks is back with the team as I'm a big fan of him and his style of play, but I'm not sure he'll be brought straight into the side

He could be played on the right edge but he's not that effective going forward in that role due to his lack of size. We'd get plenty of effort in defence and that might be seen as a trade off that's worth it for the benefit of the team, but for me he's a 13 and not as effective in other roles. I thought KPP had a reasonable game against Salford though. Not outstanding but an improvement and if fans want Cust dropped and Field in the halves and Miski to play on the wing then that's going to be a lot of changes on our right edge against a team that is overwhelmingly left side dominant in their attack. It could be a recipe for disaster.
Of course there's the option of going with KPP and King as the centre/wing partnership as it was at the end of the Salford game which negates the need to bring in Miski.

Smithies won't be dropped as he's been one of our best defenders but also our 3rd best metre maker this year behind Faz and Havard. I think he's solid in that role but there's the option of Shorrocks coming off the bench at 13 and maybe Smithies doing some minutes at prop as he has done very occasionally. Shorrocks' best position is definitely down the middle. His ball playing ability is good but I also like the way he plays on the shoulder of the props and offers an outlet for an offload or short pass. The down side is obviously we don't get the strong carries you'd expect from the 3rd prop on the bench but given how ineffective Singleton was and how little work Cooper did against Salford I'm not sure that's a deal breaker. We've had at least one prop contributing very little in most games so going back to 4 props surely isn't a huge risk.

My personal preference has always been for Smithies to be tried on the right edge in the hope of having that workhorse forward on both flanks like we've had in the past, allowing Shorrocks more opportunities to play down the middle as a ball player. However, the coaches will have more in-depth knowledge of players and how well suited they are to different roles, how their style of defence suits which role etc. Last season Shorrocks ended up out wide and Smithies in the middle whenever we needed a stand-in back rower.
If form counts then Shorrocks should get a gig.
The Pearl1
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 9:25 am

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by The Pearl1 »

Shorrrocks will be this years Escare/Hankinson. People just want them in the team for no real reason.

Has anyone actually watched him play for Leigh?
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4128
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Charriots Offiah »

The Pearl1 wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 10:12 pm Shorrrocks will be this years Escare/Hankinson. People just want them in the team for no real reason.

Has anyone actually watched him play for Leigh?
No but I have watched others play for Wigan and some don’t deserve a shirt on present form.
Stanfax
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2020 8:42 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Stanfax »

IF Smithies is capable of playing right second row then that solves a number of problems and affords a number of opportunities.
Brennox7
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2021 3:17 pm

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Brennox7 »

I think Wigan have had a bit of bad luck and poor foresight over the years especially with forwards.

Who knew when we let Rushton, Nicholson and McDonell go that Bateman and KPP would leave and we find Mago and Ellis to be ineffective.

Williams, Hastings & Leuleui move on and now we have Cust and Smith.

McIllorum leaves and we end up with Powell and won’t replace him.

Our back line on paper can’t be beaten but it looks like the squad has progressively gotten worse with bad retention and poor forsight with a little bit of bad luck.
Barney841
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Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 9:24 am

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Barney841 »

Brennox7 wrote: Thu Mar 30, 2023 4:11 pm I think Wigan have had a bit of bad luck and poor foresight over the years especially with forwards.

Who knew when we let Rushton, Nicholson and McDonell go that Bateman and KPP would leave and we find Mago and Ellis to be ineffective.

Williams, Hastings & Leuleui move on and now we have Cust and Smith.

McIllorum leaves and we end up with Powell and won’t replace him.

Our back line on paper can’t be beaten but it looks like the squad has progressively gotten worse with bad retention and poor forsight with a little bit of bad luck.
Forward planning and better management with contracts would help.
Barney841
Posts: 2201
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 9:24 am

Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by Barney841 »

Also retaining players and recruitment needs to be better
medlocke
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Re: Joe Shorrocks back with Wigan Warriors following Leigh Leopards loan spell

Post by medlocke »

The club sure does need to rid itself of the cronyism culture currently at the club ;)
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