OK Sean You've Had Your Joke

[DaveO]

Powell is on of the few since Union went professional in 1996 and in my opinion will make it with experience which he only get by playing in competitive games.

And that is the problem. He needs to get those competitive games elsewhere. Not in the first team. We can't afford to use the first team for basic training purposes.

And by "basic training" I mean just that. He needs to learn the game and it is totally unfair to give him a 1st 17 slot when we have younger players coming through who do know how to play RL already who would also benefit from playing in the 1st team.

If Powell can feature in a game given his novice status then so can Greenwood or Spencer.

Powell needs to go in loan if somewhere like Leigh will have him so he can learn the basics without compromising the first team.

I suspect he won't and will be unduly favoured selection-wise not because he warrants it but because of who he is. An ex-union pro player touted as showing the movement between the codes isn't all one way.

We get a salary cap dispensation for him as well as the RFL have relaxed the rules about players new to the game having to be below a certain age.

I reckon there are too many factors not related to how good a RL player he is for him to have to win his place in the side fair and square. He will IMO be picked not on merit but because of who he is. He will be given every opportunity to improve in a way other players would not be.

[gillysmyhero]

I can't understand why he started either, if he is in the 17 then for me he would be best used in a way that feka was used. I don't think he should be pick ahead of the. Youngsters like Burke and Spencer.

I also think Wigan were encouraged to sign him by the RFL to help promote the world cup in Wales by having an ex RU international in the Welsh team.

[milovisk]

Maybe he can go back to rugby union and take Thornley with him because he is even less worthy to be in the team than Powell, he drops it more than he keeps hold of it and his decision making is very poor.

[morley pie eater]

I agree that Powell clearly isn't ready for this level, and hope he's not played again this season. The idea may have had something to do with helping Wales out, but no more, please. However, saying he'll never make it is a bit harsh imo: he's big, physical and can offload. After a few games for Wales, a close season upping fitness levels and a run-out against some of the weaker teams like Wakey, Saints etc, he could come good next year.

Plenty of other Union forwards have made it in the past and some even played for Great Britain. Players like Glynn Shaw, Jim Mills, Colin Dixon, Cliff Watson, Mike Coulman, John Mantle etc.

Powell is on of the few since Union went professional in 1996 and in my opinion will make it with experience which he only get by playing in competitive games.

. . . and surely a mention for Scott Quinnell, WW?

[cpwigan]

Maybe he can go back to rugby union and take Thornley with him because he is even less worthy to be in the team than Powell, he drops it more than he keeps hold of it and his decision making is very poor.

Thornley is a Wigan junior and IMO has done well in his first full season.

[josie andrews]

Maybe he can go back to rugby union and take Thornley with him because he is even less worthy to be in the team than Powell, he drops it more than he keeps hold of it and his decision making is very poor.

Thornley is a Wigan junior and IMO has done well in his first full season.

I think he's done well too. He is still only a kid & is playing the hardest position at centre IMO. It takes a time, sometimes years to become a good centre.

Give him time, filling George Carmonts boots was always going to be a BIG ask of any player.

Jack Hughes should never have been given the number 4 shirt. He is a second row & he too has suffered this season with the pressure of having that shirt

Give the players a break, especially the young ones.

[Southern Softy]

Maybe he can go back to rugby union and take Thornley with him because he is even less worthy to be in the team than Powell, he drops it more than he keeps hold of it and his decision making is very poor.

Quite right - it's not like he scored a crucial try at Wembley with a brilliant shimmy that looked like being the only try in the match....... oh!

Actually, he's done what most players do. Had a very good start to a season and had a dip in form. Farrell, to pick one at random, had one last year - lots of others do. Still think he has the potential to become a seriously good centre.

Re Powell - no personal animus against him but he just shouldn't have been selected. Far better for him to go out to Leigh or somewhere to learn his trade. Just doubt that at his age, he can really give us something of value up front.

[markill]

Depending on his long run fitness and health I think Powell can offer us something in the team, but playing him on Thursday wasn't the sharpest move.

I personally think too many people got too carried away with his try against Hull and thought he was ahead of where he is right now. Unfortunately there isn't really anywhere for him to go at this point in the season to learn any more than he already has, but he can't play in these big games against top teams right now.

If he trains hard and works his way through the trials and maybe an early loan at a lower club next year then come the middle of next season he could be a benefit to us for sure. He has the physical attributes.

[DaveO]

Maybe he can go back to rugby union and take Thornley with him because he is even less worthy to be in the team than Powell, he drops it more than he keeps hold of it and his decision making is very poor.

Thornley is a young player who shows flashes of great centre play but also shows his inexperience. He is well worth persevering with IMO.

By the time Powell learns the game he will to old to play it.

[AdamMac]

Tom Spencer offers very little. His footwork is woeful, always gets caught flat footed/planted.

I like the look of James Greenwood and If it was my choice he would of played against Huddersfield instead of Powell, but then again I would of played Ryan Hampshire from the bench.

Bottom line is Shaun Wane and Wigan have come up with a good win at a time when most of us didn't think we were capable.

Onto week 3.