Tonight's Game - Team for Thursday

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
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NICKYKISS
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by NICKYKISS »

the pieman wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 7:07 am
Flash wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:46 am
Charriots Offiah wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:59 pm

254 tackles and 5 penalties, less than 1 every 50 tackles he makes. Compare that with Cooper 117 tackles and 6 penalties or Lees 174 tackles and 5 penalties. It is a fallacy that he gives away too many penalties. I am willing to have a 10p bet that, as a percentage of tackles made, he is at the lower end of the scale compared with other forwards. I will leave it to Morley to calculate :D
I would also add that at least one of those penalties wasn't a penalty in the memory of man!
and i think 3 of those were in 1 game, as the commentators were rattling on about it

the noises about Smithies at the minute, sound very familiar to when SoL 1st came through. He's no Faz, he's not a leader, he's not a captain, he's not this or that. No he isnt, he is his own player, who has a different skillset whether we like it or not, and the calls for him to be dropped really show how little some people know about the game IMO
He’s a fantastic young player, punching well above his age. I think most people thought he was very good last season but there seems to be some opinions that he’s not been as good this season but statistically, he’s actually been better. His average per carry is up from 6.96m to 7.38m, his carries per game are slightly up, his tackles per game are massively up, with him averaging around 10 more per match (although that’s probably the teams fault and down to the amount of errors we’re making) and so on.

The ‘team’ aren’t playing anywhere near as well, so people look for targets but Smithies is so far away from being one of the reasons, it’s untrue. We’ve had to fight our backsides off for some of the wins this season and it’s a good job we have a lad like Smithies to lead that.
josie andrews
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by josie andrews »

Southern Softy wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 10:18 am I'd be fair to Miski and say that after probably the worst first match by anyone for Wigan, he did look decent when he got some chances last season.
I an baffled by people's choice of the blunt instrument that is Byrne because I can't see what he brings to the team. His tackling technique is iffy and likely to cause penalties for high shots and he seems to die with the ball without making significant yardage.
As for the halves, Field was noticeably more quiet (apart from creating that final try) when he moved there against Salford and (if fit) I think we look most dangerous when Cust on the right and Smith on the left are in tandem. I don't think we're ever going to solve the conundrum of how to get the best out of both Field and French when that are both in the team wherever they play.
I see it that way too! I think they should both change back
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
morley pie eater
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by morley pie eater »

Charriots Offiah wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:59 pm
Unitedwarrior@66 wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:31 pm Sorry you're right ,forgot about smithies ,I'd still leave him on bench as he gives too many penalties away and yes I went to Huddersfield!!
254 tackles and 5 penalties, less than 1 every 50 tackles he makes. Compare that with Cooper 117 tackles and 6 penalties or Lees 174 tackles and 5 penalties. It is a fallacy that he gives away too many penalties. I am willing to have a 10p bet that, as a percentage of tackles made, he is at the lower end of the scale compared with other forwards. I will leave it to Morley to calculate :D
I'm sure the stats would prove you right, but unfortunately won't stop people believing what they want to believe.

Smithies epitomises why Wigan put so much into developing young players. Not only does it benefit our club, but the whole sport. I take great pride in identifying the Wigan youngsters in other teams.

I'm not sure what drives the psychology or agenda of some posters, or how some "fans" have such a negative mindset. The only factor I can guess at is the success we had in the 80s and 90s means some expect every 13 to be a Hanley, every centre a Miles or Inga. Sad, and in the extreme it could undermine the club.
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WIGIAN
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by WIGIAN »

I never particularly like when people write "fans" as if the posters that have differing opinions aren't. As a fan who stood on Central Park in the 70s for second division rugby and now living in Cheshire and still going to games live I'd say I'm a FAN . I'm sorry that perhaps my opinion differs but isn't this why we have a forum. For me Morgan currently is a work horse without attacking threat the same thing Powell is slated for, yes that may come with maturity but say what you see and that's potential only for now and perhaps not in his current position.
Southern Softy
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by Southern Softy »

When Smithies came into the team, he was terrific and looked like the answer to what would happen when SOL retired. Then, he had a bad season when the opposition worked out he could be wound up and had no control over his temper and his career stalled.
He then seemed to have mostly got his temper under control but still tends to give away penalties which can make a crucial difference to the game as in that pointless late tackle against Salford. It's not high shots which can happen in the heat of a game but stupid and deliberate fouls.
He's had a pretty long time to cut out that kind of thing but it seems obvious he's not going to and the club aren't going to do anything about it so, we're going to have to put up with it I guess. He has such an obvious talent that it's a shame that supporters like me have given up on him. All players can't be like Ethan Havard who has a great temperament to go with his talent but I wish Smithies could make that change.
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NICKYKISS
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by NICKYKISS »

Southern Softy wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:05 pm When Smithies came into the team, he was terrific and looked like the answer to what would happen when SOL retired. Then, he had a bad season when the opposition worked out he could be wound up and had no control over his temper and his career stalled.
He then seemed to have mostly got his temper under control but still tends to give away stupid penalties which can make a crucial difference to the game as in that pointless late tackle against Salford.
He's had a pretty long time to cut out that kind of thing but it seems obvious he's not going to and the club aren't going to do anything about it so, we're going to have to put up with it I guess. He has such an obvious talent that it's a shame that supporters like me have given up on him. All players can't be like Ethan Havard who has a great temperament to go with his talent but I wish Smithies could make that change.
If you think Havards temperament is great and Smithies is so poor, I think you’re watching the wrong sport. I love Havard but his lack of edge, aggression, competitiveness etc is the only thing that will stop him from becoming an international forward. He has everything else going for him and is a class player as he is but if only he was a bit more Smithies like in that area, we’d have a World beater.
Exiled Wiganer
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by Exiled Wiganer »

I think it’s extremely harsh to argue that someone is watching the wrong sport when they make the perfectly reasonable observation that Havard seems less hot headed (in a good way) than Smithies.
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NICKYKISS
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by NICKYKISS »

WIGIAN wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:04 pm I never particularly like when people write "fans" as if the posters that have differing opinions aren't. As a fan who stood on Central Park in the 70s for second division rugby and now living in Cheshire and still going to games live I'd say I'm a FAN . I'm sorry that perhaps my opinion differs but isn't this why we have a forum. For me Morgan currently is a work horse without attacking threat the same thing Powell is slated for, yes that may come with maturity but say what you see and that's potential only for now and perhaps not in his current position.
Powell plays in a position that has to carry an attacking threat, a creative output etc but Smithies doesn’t. The game has changed and teams don’t really run with a Lockers, Farrell, Sculthorpe style 13 anymore, so if we want that from Smithies, we’re just not going to get it. His workrate on both sides of the ball is excellent and his numbers just go up and up by the season. I see Knowles getting all this praise at Saints but Smithies started to go past him last season in terms of his output and is well ahead this season. Each to their own but I’d tie the lad down to a 4 or 5 year deal in a heartbeat if we can.
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NICKYKISS
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by NICKYKISS »

Exiled Wiganer wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:18 pm I think it’s extremely harsh to argue that someone is watching the wrong sport when they make the perfectly reasonable observation that Havard seems less hot headed (in a good way) than Smithies.
I think it’s perfectly reasonable if somebody believes Havards temperament is something Smithies (or any forward trying to reach the top of the sport) should aspire to. The lads a fine player but is far too nice on the field, too passive and really needs to up that side of his game. If he doesn’t, we still have a class forward but if he does, we could have one of the best in the game. To basically suggest Smithies should be ‘more Havard’ in his approach is the absolute opposite to what we could do with happening.
WIGIAN
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Re: Team for thursday

Post by WIGIAN »

I dont necessarily disagree regarding holding on to him, just dont see much past a great grafter for now, I'll hopefully be watching him captain the side in future years who knows its all about opinions. Just think 9 to 13 (Faz accepted) we offer little for teams to worry about going forward
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