The problem goes back years. It's not a case of having backups who can play centre as we did have that in Bateman and at a push Isa.lucky 13 wrote:I am looking at it logically. We didn't even have one expierenced centre, I still don't think Gildart fits that billing.wall_of_voodoo wrote:
Look at this logically.
We had one experienced and decent centre in Gildart as you point out and most all ready accepted
After Gelling went, as DaveO pointed out elsewhere and most others already thought, resigning Sarginson was nothing more than a panic, ill thought out bad recruit we were lucky to get shot of in the first place.
Forsyth??? I've seen one legged deceased slugs faster than this guy and he has no skills with ball in hand. Basically Iain Thornley mkII
Higson?? Do you make these up? What experience or ability had or has he shown that suggest he would ever be a more than better than Forsyth? in Wigan's first team? (I a do not give one jams butty what he did in the academy)
Burgess as centre??? Tried that and looked awful. Why not continue and say Marshall or Davies or any number of players you want to play out of position to justify them being in the team.
Finally Bateman. Fair to say that alongside Gildart, is our best centre partnership. Not because Bateman in himself is utterly brilliant at centre but because the alternatives are sooooooo poor
This is/hasn't happened overnight or even over the last season or two. Think further back and you can start to look at something Wigan have failed to address for a while
Not saying Hankinson will be good or bad but at least we have looked at pulling players in that possibly could become great players with a bit of decent coaching and training
We are in the age of a cap system that lags sadley in its value behind the NRL and RU.
The days of our back ups in all positions being first class are gone even though we are reported to spend the most.
I would have loved a top centre when Gelling left but the timing of his departure probabley did leave us with a last minute search or depending on your outlook desperate.
I dont think we was glad to get rid of Sarge, infact in the playoffs and GF in his last season at full back he was one of if not the best players on performances. I think Sarge is that extra utility back that a squad needs much like Isa is in the forwards. They find themselves in the team most weeks. Although I agree he would not be first choice if we had a Watkins or the like.
Forsyth was signed as a back up, he was still young, coming into a team in the position we was in was not ideal and did him no favours. Higson looked a good prospect but injuries have spoiled his chances, how do any young players make it in the game without being given a chance??? You have to look at what they do in the accademy look at the players we would have list if we didn't give two hoots????? What makes it hard is when that team is missing more than half a team through injuries which we was.
Burgess if he was fit now would be playing centre on Thursday simple. That does not make him a first choice but the type of back up that you need in this era... saints use Makinson?? Hall played there for Leeds Hadley and so on. I can't think of any team with any more cover than we have?
Finally Bateman, for me a backrow or as seems the in thing a "middle". He is probabley our best centre afterall he was a starting centre for Bennett in WC and Gildart didn't make the squad. Hes a stop gap for me out wide and shows a lack of quality in that position in SL.
The squad was/is vulnerable to any injuries but so is everyones, look at last year's champions?
I still feel this is an era we could have put a few more trophies on the shelf in but that's a different topic.
It is that we have not had two decent centres for literally years.
Remember we went into one season with Thornley injured, Gelling a as a raw recruit and Sarge on the other side who turned out useless.
The re-signing of Sarge was blindingly obvious a panic move and looked like Wigan were just desperate with no idea what to do when Gelling left. I don't think I have ever seen recruitment at Wigan be done in such an unprofessional manner.
Saying we would be playing Budgie if fit as centre is not certain but even if we did we know it's a poor option and we'd only be doing it because the reserve centres we do have are not up to it.
This new recruit reminds me of when Wigan recruited Nathan McAvoy. He was another stop gap, did the job asked but was never recruited for his skills.
I hope we have unearthed a gem with this guy but I suspect as mickw said, this is just a reactive desperate signing not a considered move for a player Wigan have been tracking. The reason I think this is I have lost faith in Wigan's recruitment.
A few years ago I'd have just assumed the fact I didn't know who this guy was was immaterial because the club would have been scouting and doing their homework. I'd have been expecting him to be a player other clubs were also after. The Sarge debacle has left me with the nagging doubt we don't have much of a scouting network going at all.
