Squad v Hull FC

[Southern Softy]

For once I'm having some trouble understanding what's been posted on here.
I'm no great fan of Hampshire but he saved two certain tries in the first 20 minutes and performed perfectly reasonably - goal-kicking was very good as well. Matty Snith was ineffective for one obvious reason. He had to spend most of the match filling in for one of the worst displays I've ever seen in a Wigan shirt. That was Gelling who is still patently unfit (and what the hell are the backroom staff doing sending him out in that condition?) and hardly made a pretence of a tackle all night. He made one try with a sublime offload and cost us 3 tries by being out of position and missing tackles. Charnley had to tackle everything anywhere near him to cover and it unbalanced the whole team. Hull took no time at all to realise what was lacking and attacked that side all night.
The forwards (bar Joel who looked off,the pace) were generally excellent. Flower - another terrific try and hard work - Mossop - made yards more than he did against Catalans - Clubb - effective and hard to stop.
Again we suffered when MM was spelled and surely the experiment with Powell will stop for a while when he gets suspended for his grab at Lineham's face. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say it was a grab rather than deliberate but it was ugly. And let's hope Tautai gets suspended so we don't have to suffer him on the field again this season.
The large nucleus of what could be an outstanding team must despair at how the others cost the team dearly when they perpetually mess up. Lucky we have the amazing Bateman to stand out week after week.

And as for Bentham as a Referee - it's a toss-up where he's more dangerous. On the field or in the Video booth? Please can't the club request that he be stood down from our matches for the remainder of the season.

How can any supporter hope that one of our players gets suspended irrespective of what is only their own personal opinion of any particular player.

Judging by other opinions on her about nearly every player in the squad, we would never have a team!

For two reasons. The first being that we have better players who make more yards and Tautai is a permanent liability with his propensity for risky offloads and giving away penalties.
The second because not only was his 'tackle' half-witted in terms of leaving us down to 12 men when we were under the cosh but it was unbelievably reckless and dangerous in its own right. If an oppo player had done it to a Wigan player we would be screaming (quite rightly) for a suspension. It's the kind of incident that we don't want to see anywhere on a pitch. Putting you hand between an opponent's legs and turning him over to land on his neck when unable to protect himself is a coward's tackle. I can think of players from other teams who might well do it but I didn't think we had any such players on our team.

[michael inch stoke]

I thought Mossop played well!!

I agree, best game for us since his return.

[Wandering Warrior]

Despite a player's inadequacies, I too agree it's a bit illogical to wish suspension on one of your own!

[butt monkey]

Despite a player's inadequacies, I too agree it's a bit illogical to wish suspension on one of your own!

You are correct. However his thinking is perfectly logical

Players do not play in this side for two reasons. One is injury (and even then some players are afforded a spot when clearly not fit). Two players are suspended.

Now judging on players performances over this season it is fair to say that more often than not Teatowel has been an utter liability in the side. Handling and discipline being the key area.

Without the coach being able to sort this out and players continually walking straight into the side no matter how disdainfully they play, it is fair to say we rely on injuries or suspension to get the deadwood out of this side.

Hence Southern Softies comments

[butt monkey]

I don't really understand the criticism of Joel Tomkins. He made more tackles than any other Wigan player last night and missed just two. Gelling and Smith were more culpable missing six each. Then there was Crosbys poor tackles that led to the late Hull tries and his subsequent "hook" from the pitch. I thought Hampshire went well saving two certain tries and also Mossop probably had his best game since returning from Australia.

You need to change your glasses if you think Joel's performances are any where near "acceptable".

This drop off in form is not recent and neither has it been sporadic. He has consistently been our worst forward full stop. If he didn't make some tackles then he would be as much use as a touch judge!!!

Perhaps it is the lack of a brother in the ranks or perhaps we signed a dud back from Union. It was a gamble at the time and at the moment it appears to be money squandered than money wisely spent

I concur that Hampshire saved at least two certain tries (not saying Bowen wouldn't have done the same). Decent performance from him but now obviously rubbishes the claim that he will not be selected in the side because he cannot tackle, especially after Smith's "efforts" this season

Mossop was very effective last night. Not back to his best BUT an huge improvement nevertheless

Gelling, well he was all over the place and if he plays centre next week then the saints will be rubbing their hands in anticipation. One good offload, one poor offload and no defence whatsoever was all he offered in the 80 minutes. Charnley was having far too much work placed onto him last night

[Owd Codger]

For once I'm having some trouble understanding what's been posted on here.
I'm no great fan of Hampshire but he saved two certain tries in the first 20 minutes and performed perfectly reasonably - goal-kicking was very good as well. Matty Snith was ineffective for one obvious reason. He had to spend most of the match filling in for one of the worst displays I've ever seen in a Wigan shirt. That was Gelling who is still patently unfit (and what the hell are the backroom staff doing sending him out in that condition?) and hardly made a pretence of a tackle all night. He made one try with a sublime offload and cost us 3 tries by being out of position and missing tackles. Charnley had to tackle everything anywhere near him to cover and it unbalanced the whole team. Hull took no time at all to realise what was lacking and attacked that side all night.
The forwards (bar Joel who looked off,the pace) were generally excellent. Flower - another terrific try and hard work - Mossop - made yards more than he did against Catalans - Clubb - effective and hard to stop.
Again we suffered when MM was spelled and surely the experiment with Powell will stop for a while when he gets suspended for his grab at Lineham's face. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say it was a grab rather than deliberate but it was ugly. And let's hope Tautai gets suspended so we don't have to suffer him on the field again this season.
The large nucleus of what could be an outstanding team must despair at how the others cost the team dearly when they perpetually mess up. Lucky we have the amazing Bateman to stand out week after week.

And as for Bentham as a Referee - it's a toss-up where he's more dangerous. On the field or in the Video booth? Please can't the club request that he be stood down from our matches for the remainder of the season.

How can any supporter hope that one of our players gets suspended irrespective of what is only their own personal opinion of any particular player.

Judging by other opinions on her about nearly every player in the squad, we would never have a team!

For two reasons. The first being that we have better players who make more yards and Tautai is a permanent liability with his propensity for risky offloads and giving away penalties.
The second because not only was his 'tackle' half-witted in terms of leaving us down to 12 men when we were under the cosh but it was unbelievably reckless and dangerous in its own right. If an oppo player had done it to a Wigan player we would be screaming (quite rightly) for a suspension. It's the kind of incident that we don't want to see anywhere on a pitch. Putting you hand between an opponent's legs and turning him over to land on his neck when unable to protect himself is a coward's tackle. I can think of players from other teams who might well do it but I didn't think we had any such players on our team.

Everyone has their favourites and non favourites and he is not the only one in the squad who has done silly things and got sin binned, sent off and suspended.

Do you believe that Tautai did what he did on purpose then. From what I saw he acknowledged that his tackle was wrong by putting up his hands and the Hull players accepted his apology.

[Southern Softy]

I don't doubt he was sorry but you don't make a tackle like that 'by accident' any more than Ben Westwood 'accidentally' punched Blake Green in the face on the referee's blind side. It was a reckless and dangerous (and stupid) thing to do and should be punished so he won't even contemplate doing it again.
I think Ben Flower is one of our finest players and makes the team better every time he's on the pitch but should he have been suspended for his Grand Final 'moment'? - of course he should. And he is never likely to do it again.
We can't point the finger at other teams and players (Ryan Bailey/Ashton Sims/Ben Westwood/insert thug of your choice) if we ignore our own player's transgressions. And I'm not calling Tautai a thug either - just undisciplined and not helping our cause when he plays as he does.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

I don't think TT is malicious at all I just think he is not playing well and trying to hard to impress and pushing boundaries that if he was playing well he wouldn't push!

[Southern Softy]

Fair point.

[Panchitta Marra]

The timing of the leg lift by TT happened at exactly the same time petal was lowering the players head and body, therefore exaggerating the severity of the tackle.
I don't think for a second that there was any intent of nastiness by TT.