Rocky

[KOOCH]

+ Whatever the previous number was.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

People saying Smith has an average kicking game. If we had what seems to be everyone's preferred half combo of Hampshire and Williams then who takes charge of the territorial/positional kicking? I don't think that's an area of the game that either have a patch on Smith yet and with our struggles making metres and that looking like it won't change it could be an important factor in seeing us continuously on the back foot.

Our struggle making metres is down to the tactics we deploy. Our halves rarely kick from good positions on the field, even the best Aussies would find it difficult let alone two lads who have been recently promoted from the academy.

[Panchitta Marra]

Can someone set up a vote on here to get the full sites opinion of who we all think should be playing in the halves for WWRLFC?
Suggested options:
1. Matty & George.
2. Matty & Sam (P).
3. Matty & Ryan.
4. George & Ryan.
5. George & Sam (P).
6. Ryan & Sam (P).
7. Sam T & Matty.
8. Sam T & George.
9. Sam T & Sam (P).
10. Sam T & Ryan.
Any other suggestions and could something like this be put to a vote on the site?

[southernpie]

Can someone set up a vote on here to get the full sites opinion of who we all think should be playing in the halves for WWRLFC?
Suggested options:
1. Matty & George.
2. Matty & Sam (P).
3. Matty & Ryan.
4. George & Ryan.
5. George & Sam (P).
6. Ryan & Sam (P).
7. Sam T & Matty.
8. Sam T & George.
9. Sam T & Sam (P).
10. Sam T & Ryan.
Any other suggestions and could something like this be put to a vote on the site?

I don't think it is practical to keep Sam P, Rocky, George and Matty keeping them all happy and getting game time, IMO Rocky 6 & George 7 should be the future for a considerable time. For now however (and should have been all season) Matty should be starting with either Rocky or George with the other on the bench and a rotation of them all at HB with either George or Matty moving to hooker spelling MM, that way they all get game time and development. Personally I have not seen enough from Sam for him to be holding up the development of Rocky or George. I would definitely have Logan back as we need a specialist hooker should MM not be available through injury etc. So sorry to say it but I would let Sam P go unless there is a second tier competition reinstated.

[cpwigan]

People saying Smith has an average kicking game. If we had what seems to be everyone's preferred half combo of Hampshire and Williams then who takes charge of the territorial/positional kicking? I don't think that's an area of the game that either have a patch on Smith yet and with our struggles making metres and that looking like it won't change it could be an important factor in seeing us continuously on the back foot.

Our struggle making metres is down to the tactics we deploy. Our halves rarely kick from good positions on the field, even the best Aussies would find it difficult let alone two lads who have been recently promoted from the academy.

EXACTLY THAT! I can only imagine what Greg and Edwards would say to Wane re his tactics if they were his halves.

I forget who it was who rightly was saying but Matty Smith does direct play. Truth be told no half under Wane directs play, I watched Matty, more often than not he was pretending to signal the play going one way when invariable it went the same old same old training ground play. Watch Widnes they rarely moved over than shuffling across and simply put an extra defender out wide.

[Tuigamala]

Still amazes me that ppl want Smith dropped. Its not ok for Smith to struggle but it seems Williams gets away with it and over all this season Smith is the better of the 2.

Williams and Rocky have not impressed enough to be considered even if they are playing out of position. Williams is not an organiser or i have not seen him do that at SL level enough.

Rocky needs a run at 6 and Williams needs to be dropped or rested to allow this against Hull to see ho wit goes.

From inside the club Smith was supposedly under pressure for his place 4+ weeks ago. The club and I daresay Smith himself are that happy with his efforts this year. However, experience owing to the dreadful inconsistency of the team won through (odd as it may seem).

You could argue George needs a break but when has Rocky been given that halfback opportunity? NOBODY incl Sam T as a youngster has been so blatantly ignored for his preferred position than Rocky.

However, a question to ponder, maybe George would play better in partnership with Rocky. Certainly Matty Smith has been poor more often than not this season.

So has Williams as well and in spite of being a good young player, he is not experienced enough to be handling the important playmaker/organiser Stand Off role which in my opinion is the root of the problem of why we are not effected as we should be in creating more options in attack.

The same happen last season when Green was out injured and we did not play well then, but that was for a limited period only and not for the full season like it has been this season.

Why do you think that Leeds, sometime ago switched Sinfield to Stand Off and moved McGuire to Scrum Half with Burrow on the bench?

We need to sign a top class playmaker/organiser Stand Off and one who perhaps, is also a top class goal kicker as a bonus.

Ratchford would have been alright, but one from down would be even better!

I disagree with that statement George could organise and so could Rocky if they where given the chance the fact is there is a roster at Wigan and always has been and the more experienced players are favoured more often than not regardless of their form. Call it a justification of salary or whatever you wish but I can count the above average performances Smith has produced this season on one hand. He is the organiser of plays and that's fair enough but that's not his sole job role when he's out on that field but unfortunately his performances do indicate that he struggles with the other element of his role which should be taking the line on. Rocky terrifies defences and I have seen him and Williams organise perfectly well in the reserves so there's no reason they couldn't do this at super league level.

Id say attacking wise Rocky is the best of all of them but has only played a handful of games this year so lets compare the attacking attributes of Williams and Smith.


Taking on the Line - Williams does it far more often than smith

Organising - Smith wins because there are no other options

Side Step - Williams all day long

Kicking Game - Williams hands down has put more kicks onto budgies chest and in to score than Smith has produced useful kicks this year never mind field position.

Speed - Williams hands down again has scored a few 80 metre try's can't remember a Smith full lengther in his career.

Tackle Busts this Season- Williams - 54 - Smith - 18 -NO CONTEST!

Metres Gained - Williams - 1247 Average Gain (6.17) - Smith - 719 Average Gain - (4.23)

Now somebody earlier in the thread stated smith has been better all over than Williams this year. I ASK THE QUESTIONS HOW AND WHY?

[pedro]

add to that how many times has smith been run through for tries aswell.

[Panchitta Marra]

I agree SP, I was just trying to cover all bases as it has been hinted on here that Sam T could/should play in the halves.

[medlocke]

Anyone would think he'd turned water into wine and fed the Five Thousand by the way some are going on about him on here, it's starting to get cringeworthy ffs and for such an unproven player at SL level as well :thum:

[slimshady]

Anyone would think he'd turned water into wine and fed the Five Thousand by the way some are going on about him on here, it's starting to get cringeworthy ffs and for such an unproven player at SL level as well :thum:

At last a voice of reason