O'loughlin or Tomkins 2nd row?

[platt-warrior]

I personally thought it was a mistake to play O'loughlin
at loose forward.If NB had learned anything from last year
it was that Tomkins had the vision and attaking ability to make that position his own.Any other thoughts?

[cpwigan]

At the current time I would play Joel at 6 until we get a proper replacement for Smith and I would play Sam at 7 and Tommy/McIlorum at 9. Fat unfit players or players with huge emotional off field baggage have no place in professional sport.

I thought tonight Lockers clearly concentrated on defence which he did very well and he did not make any horrendous mistakes that have blighted his efforts thus far this season. I do think Noble has not used him wiself and likewise perhaps Hock. Lockers is always played for the full 80. Hock increasingly for the full first half. I believe Hock needs to be given a rest around the 30 minute mark and at some stage so does Lockers. We need to treat the back row as 3 rather than 2 and rotate the players far better than we currently do.

My ideal second row partnership is Hock/Tomkins with Lockers or longer term Liam Farrel at loose forward. I would like to see Lee Mossop given some game time at prop.

[lucky 13]

Hansen to start for me,he is not a bench player he is a workhorse the type every team needs, he does run good lines which is a shame really in the present set up because we can not utilise it .
With the team we have Hock, Fekka, Macolrum off the bench Lulu switching to actin half as well both could then scoot the impact of all that can change a game or finish it .
Prescott must come in for Coley , Baily did well at center and gave one good pass
Sam Tomkins showed more in half a game than others with much bigger wage packets have delivered in all their time at Wigan!!!
Ainscough is not the finished winger but again we gain more than we lose with him out wide potentially he is the best wing we have produced since Robinson .
I had my doubts about O'carol but gladly he has proved me wrong he is our best prop at the moment by a mile
Pat as to be at the back, Mathers shouldn't get near the team the only other option would be as Roberts he gets back to full fitness he showed a few glimpses against Quins .
Pryce needs time stick him in at prop for the reserves soon get him fit!! in fact think he may end up after injuries in the pack ?
After the performances of the younger lads think Farrel should be lined up next for action he looks dynamic and could offer us a threat running out wide .

[superleague]

Hansen to start for me,he is not a bench player he is a workhorse the type every team needs, he does run good lines which is a shame really in the present set up because we can not utilise it .
With the team we have Hock, Fekka, Macolrum off the bench Lulu switching to actin half as well both could then scoot the impact of all that can change a game or finish it .
Prescott must come in for Coley , Baily did well at center and gave one good pass
Sam Tomkins showed more in half a game than others with much bigger wage packets have delivered in all their time at Wigan!!!
Ainscough is not the finished winger but again we gain more than we lose with him out wide potentially he is the best wing we have produced since Robinson .
I had my doubts about O'carol but gladly he has proved me wrong he is our best prop at the moment by a mile
Pat as to be at the back, Mathers shouldn't get near the team the only other option would be as Roberts he gets back to full fitness he showed a few glimpses against Quins .
Pryce needs time stick him in at prop for the reserves soon get him fit!! in fact think he may end up after injuries in the pack ?
After the performances of the younger lads think Farrel should be lined up next for action he looks dynamic and could offer us a threat running out wide .

i agree with all of that good post

[cpwigan]

I think the problem is that if you start both Hock and Feka from the bench then you have no impact during the first 20 minuts of so.

I would like Noble to see the back row as 240 minutes with 3 positions open to the rotation. If Lockers and Hock play the full 80 or as near to that leaves Bailey unless moved to the centre and Tomkins/Hansen and whomever else E.G Mossop, Farrel fighting for a single 80 minutes between them.

IMO Lockers is a workaholic and by playing him the full 80 he runs the risk of making bad errors through fatigue. It also brings the question of whether ultimately a team needs both Lockers and Hansen in the back row together. Hansen is also a great workhorse but he is not a natural rugby player in the sense that Hock and JTomkins are.

[lucky 13]

I would move JTomkins to loose Lockers to second row he would start with Hansen , O'carol is starting to look like he can have real impact , I think that starting line up with maybe Prescott would do the job , think impact is important but also containment first 20 . We are stronger with Sam Tomkins on from the start he is not as weak in the line as Smith when you add that with the fitness levels of certain players we could get smacked first 20 and have.

[wink]

you can forget Hansen. He might be a bit of a work horse but that is as far as it goes. Mossop yes, but most importantly where do we find a captain. There is no one at the present time to lead the the team. This is where we are failing and unless we find someone we will not be a significant force.
Wink

[Maroon]

I think Hansen is our best 13 he is deceptively strong for his size and makes 1/2 breaks every other run. Get someone running off him and the gaps will come.

[ian.birchall]

Tomkins at 13, Hansen at 12 and much as it pains me O'Loughlin at 11 until Hocker begins to show some form as at the moment he is not good enough to start but what about Mossop instead of O'Loughlin?

[josie andrews]

Tomkins at 13, Hansen at 12 and much as it pains me O'Loughlin at 11 until Hocker begins to show some form as at the moment he is not good enough to start but what about Mossop instead of O'Loughlin?

Why would getting rid of O'Loughlin be an option? He's holding the team together in defence at the moment. 40 tackles against Cas last week and probably over 30 tackles again against Quins at the weekend. Bailey or Hansen would be better missing out, considering they are also defensive players but aren't doing the work of Lockers at the moment.
Also, Sean's kicking ability gives him more of an edge and there's a bit more to his game than both Bailey and Hansen.