Vs Saint

[Mike]

39 mins smart scrum kick unluckily bounces into touch.

That one I disagree with. The play itself was a good idea but the execution was appalling. The margin of error on that kick was huge. To kick it into touch was very poor indeed. I'm not sure why you thought it was unlucky when a player had 20m+ of space to aim for and missed. Not sure who kicked it but it could have been Williams. Was that a factor in this piece of analysis?

[Mike]

Thought Powell was pretty anonymous in the game this week, as was Mac TBH. Powell's been really growing into the role over the last month and has been looking like a better attacking option than Micky. They've een looking like a useful partnership with varying styles. Didn't work out like that this week but I'd say I've seen enough promise recently to think that changing the side with only a few games left is too big of a risk.

[cpwigan]

39 mins smart scrum kick unluckily bounces into touch.

That one I disagree with. The play itself was a good idea but the execution was appalling. The margin of error on that kick was huge. To kick it into touch was very poor indeed. I'm not sure why you thought it was unlucky when a player had 20m+ of space to aim for and missed. Not sure who kicked it but it could have been Williams. Was that a factor in this piece of analysis?

On balance you are right. The execution was poor but the idea was perfect and as you say if it had been much better, it could have created a try.

[Owd Codger]

Here we go again, a defeat and different posters blaming different players when the root of the problem was again some poor tackling in defence and the fact that we do not, despite the emergence of Wiliams, a top class play maker at Half Back like we had with Finch and Green.

For most of the game, we were controlling it, but when we got to their twenty meter line, we had no one, yet again making the right decisions on how to open up their defence and were again running around like headless chickens.

Saints on the other hand on the few occasions they got near our line did look more dangerous and its a good job their main play maker was missing as we could have lost by more points.

And why are incapable of dealing with high balls by Wilkin who does it in every game?

It's all very well putting in our own good young quality academy players in the team, but what we need is better quality and older experienced players from outside to guide the younger players.

We are lacking the right blend of home produced players and experience from down under like Leeds have at present with Moon, Cuthberson, Delaney, Leuluai and Warrington had in the time of Hodgson Solomona, Waterhouse and the Monaghan Brothers

Ok so who should we sign and who should be shown the door? Bearing in mind we are regulated by a salary cap.

For a start, switch Williams to his proper position of Scrum Half, sign a top class experience play maker Stand Off and move Smith to the bench to cover Hooker and both half back positions.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Here we go again, a defeat and different posters blaming different players when the root of the problem was again some poor tackling in defence and the fact that we do not, despite the emergence of Wiliams, a top class play maker at Half Back like we had with Finch and Green.

For most of the game, we were controlling it, but when we got to their twenty meter line, we had no one, yet again making the right decisions on how to open up their defence and were again running around like headless chickens.

Saints on the other hand on the few occasions they got near our line did look more dangerous and its a good job their main play maker was missing as we could have lost by more points.

And why are incapable of dealing with high balls by Wilkin who does it in every game?

It's all very well putting in our own good young quality academy players in the team, but what we need is better quality and older experienced players from outside to guide the younger players.

We are lacking the right blend of home produced players and experience from down under like Leeds have at present with Moon, Cuthberson, Delaney, Leuluai and Warrington had in the time of Hodgson Solomona, Waterhouse and the Monaghan Brothers

Ok so who should we sign and who should be shown the door? Bearing in mind we are regulated by a salary cap.

For a start, switch Williams to his proper position of Scrum Half, sign a top class experience play maker Stand Off and move Smith to the bench to cover Hooker and both half back positions.

I agree with most of that but for me Smith has to go, we can put his salary to better use. What about the rest of our backline?

[PF Warrior]

Thought Powell was pretty anonymous in the game this week, as was Mac TBH. Powell's been really growing into the role over the last month and has been looking like a better attacking option than Micky. They've een looking like a useful partnership with varying styles. Didn't work out like that this week but I'd say I've seen enough promise recently to think that changing the side with only a few games left is too big of a risk.

My Jury is still out about Powell. I think the lad has some talent, but he needs to become more consistent. I realise he is a young player, and maybe it is me being to critical, but I think, like some others on this forum, that using Matty Smith as the backup hooker, whilst letting Rocky and George Williams play as the half-back pairing whilst Mickey Mac is off may provide dividends.

[up the junction]

What is the obsession with moving George and bringing Hampshire in? George has proved over and over this season how good he is and how much better he will get in the future .Rocky for me hasn't in the games he's played, and I don't go for the he's being played in the wrong position argument .Given the chance he should have taken it .Sam T. Did . Maybe he's just not ready yet ?? Maybe he's just not good enough for the transition to Super League level ?? Maybe just maybe he isn't good enough for Wigan .

[thegimble]

What is the obsession with moving George and bringing Hampshire in? George has proved over and over this season how good he is and how much better he will get in the future .Rocky for me hasn't in the games he's played, and I don't go for the he's being played in the wrong position argument .Given the chance he should have taken it .Sam T. Did . Maybe he's just not ready yet ?? Maybe he's just not good enough for the transition to Super League level ?? Maybe just maybe he isn't good enough for Wigan .

Maybe just Maybe your right

But 1 thing get ready to get murdered on here for that opinion.

[cpwigan]

What is the obsession with moving George and bringing Hampshire in? George has proved over and over this season how good he is and how much better he will get in the future .Rocky for me hasn't in the games he's played, and I don't go for the he's being played in the wrong position argument .Given the chance he should have taken it .Sam T. Did . Maybe he's just not ready yet ?? Maybe he's just not good enough for the transition to Super League level ?? Maybe just maybe he isn't good enough for Wigan .

The moment you mention Sam T your argument crumbles. Sam T started his Wigan career in his then chosen position of half-back. Remember Sam started under Noble and IIRC he and Ainscough got their first opportunities owing to injuries, IIRC Tim Smith in Sam's case.

I am not sure where your notion of moving George has come from? George and Rocky played fantastically as a halfback pairing. Largely, in the modern era it is impossible to say player X = scrum half and player Y = stand off. More often than not it is one LEFT, another RIGHT.

You will never know if Hampshire is the answer until he is given a sustained spell. Truth be told MANY people thought George as first team half was wrong yet he has PROVED HIS DOUBTERS WRONG. It is not my words but for a long spell this seasons Wigan have themselves questioned Matty Smith's form.

Hampshire made his debut season in a foreign position and was good enough to keep an established world class full back out for a sustained period. Surely that says something. Imagine having to judge George as a hooker or a loose forward?

If Wane does not believe in Rocky then why not let Sam Powell play halfback and put Matty at 9 if / when Micky goes off ?

[up the junction]

How can my argument crumble ? It's a pov. Sam was moved to fullback and made the position his own becoming English Rls golden boy in doing so! You keep going on about George and Rocky being so good together in the youth set up ,so what, George was moved to stand off in the first team and took it with both hands ,Ryan Hampshire was tried at fullback as was Sam Tomkins ,one off them proved to be very good the other didn't. As for your case of an alien position?? The Modern fullback isn't that far removed in attack from your stand off .As for moving Smith to Hooker and Powell to scrum half ,maybe that will happen as Powell can play both,Rocky Hampshire it seems can't.