Wigan v leeds

[doc]

I rate Lockers v highly as a loose forward and is OK as a make do stand-off when no one else is available, but we had a natural stand-off playing full back. Surely it would have been better to put Sam in his natural position.

If Deacon's out next week I guess Amos will return to the squad with Sam moving to stand-off and either Pat or Amos taking the full back spot and the other taking the wing.

[ian b]

Can't go back now, we just have to face it that the advantages that come with finishing top have been blown by losing tonight.

Simple facts are our defence was all over the place, once Deacs was finished for the night our kicking game became one dimensional and we got sucked into how Leeds wanted to play the game.

Just have to dust ourselves down, improve and get ourselves back on track ... starting on Friday night.

that really worries me when we struggle if Deacons out

[100% Warrior]

We just have to hope that it's Amos in his early season form that we bring back into the team.

If Amos could find that form again it could lead us to Old Trafford.

[Matthew]

Lauititi should be brought before the RFL for trying to incite the fans in the east stand not once, not twice but 3 times. Oh I forgot.... its Leeds who can do NO wrong.
Dirty cheating BA****DS. I hate Leeds more than Stains.

Danny McGuire deserves an Oscar again for his acting

I said to my Dad - "that cheating tosser is only staying down so the ref doesn't send him off".

Fat boy ali is one of the worst sports in the game - nothing he does surprises me. If he was trying to incite fans as you say, then you should write to the police and get them to look into it. You have more chance of getting some action from then than from the pathetic excuse for a governing body.

[DaveO]

Thought we were doing OK til we lost Deacon. Our kicking game went to pot after he went off. Moving Lockers to stand off was a mistake as Mcguire is much faster than him and we also miss his defensive input. Would have been better putting Joel at centre, Gleeson on wing, Pat at Full back and Sam at stand off.

I thought we had at one point but it was only for a couple of plays.

If Deacon is out next week and it looks like he will be if Madge does not play Sam at 6 that will be mistake.

I am all for selecting on merit and rewarding players for training hard and doing as the coach asks in training but unless Roberts is injured he needs to play. Lockers is not a stand off and I heard Madge on GMR after the game saying we are fortunate we have players like Lockers who can play in the halves. No we are not. He can play in that position but he is no 6.

So if Roberts isn't quite busting a gut in training picking him would not be rewarding a slacker (for want of a better term) but reacting to the fact we have run out of realistic options.

There is another reason to play Sam at 6 and that is he is no full back. He can join the line and attack well from there but one on one near the line it's going to be a try for the opposition every time. It's happened several times since he has played FB. He can tackle when in the line round the legs or slow someone down etc and then someone else will come in to help but on his own one on one v a forward 3m out he has no chance. Richards for example would have.

Dave

[Matthew]

Agree completely Dave.

If Roberts isn't fit/in form/training hard enough to play fullback, then why not play him on the wing - the position he was recruited to play?

As you have said, Sam is incredibly brave as a last line of defence; however he is just not big enough to stop players at full tilt 5 metres out. If Madge wants him to play stand off when we are attacking or our opponents are forced to kick form their own half so that he can return the ball, fine. But close to the line, he should be defending in the centres with George or Gleeson.

Lockers is a ball playing loose forward and a very good one - however he (like just about every other ball playing loose fowrward) is not a stand off. With our scrum half playing more like a hooker, we need a proper stand off.

I prefer Roberts on the wing and Pat at the back from all of the available options (that includes bringing Phelps back or God forbid the return of Pryce on the wing).

[Downunder]

I'm with you 100%Warrior, the games in the past now, we need to move forward 1 game at a time, & as far as the ref goes, Wigan needs to realise if he's biased, they are playing 2 teams, & have to play against 2 teams. Opposition & ref, which I've seen happen numerous times over my years of watching sport.You know if a ref is going to be one sided during your game.League is not only physical but a mental game as well. They have to have mind set about playing 2 teams. Players also have to forget about retaliation because nowadays it's normally the team that suffers, that's proven many a times. Players
need to be strong minded & willed to put it in their game,& pick the right moment to smash him legally in the game. I'm know the satisfaction & feeling would be much greater than to retaliate at the time.No penalty against or send off for your team, but the feeling within from doing agood hit on the perpetrator unreal.Wigan need to go HARD or go home,& I know they WON'T go home. They've come this far & are looking good for it. Definitely need PD for kicking & organising.

[cpwigan]

I am too annoyed to contribute much

I think losing Deacon was the key BUT I am sick a tired of teams bashing us about and putting us off our game to win. This namby pamby we never appeal, we kiss the RFLs behinds, we never fight is not for me. It is doing my head in. I wanted Wane to rip the doors of the Refs door at half time and threaten Alibert with murder.

So annoyed.

[gpartin]

I think we missed Feka too and I think Coley going off in the first half made as much of a difference as Deacons injury. Fielden was outstanding tonight some of the others were average to poor. Agree with the point that we lost the game ourselves with stupid penalties but it has to be said Leeds were very good tonight, some of their offloading was quality but our defence was poor outwide and if we'd had Rads at fullback we'd have won the game. McGuire is in the form of his life but he's a cheating scumbag at times but I'd have been quite happy for Sam to have done the same in the dying seconds of a match. Prescott and Tuson had their worst games for us and Joel's wasn't far off tbh. All in all I think we were beaten by a better team on the night and we need to start building on our early scores but think its a bit too late for us to change the habit of a season.

[botica]

I gotta agree with CPW...... We have to stand up and say something, Alibert was dreadful tonight. He saw no off sides no forward passes and no knock ons... The bleeding ball was bouncing from hands all over the place and you get a play on.

Has anyone any ideas how the issue of poor standard referees across the board can be raised with someone with clout without sounding like a sore loser??? :conf: