Wigan vs Leeds

[Exiled Wiganer]

I have watched and played this game all my life. I have an opinion on the player who touches the ball most in a team I spend a fortune on every year. I am not a qualified coach, but I have seen and played with enough players to have an opinion based on decades of “experience”. It is patronising and short sighted of those who turn on their fellow supporters - either because they are insiders or because they love him so much they will scour the internet for any stat to justify his continued place in the side - to suggest that his critics are the problem. It is not just sad but disturbing that people consider it right to lecture me and my fellow critics. While not “in the know”, our money pays his wages the same as anyone else’s.

So, Morley loves him. Well done Morley. You have won the war - he will play every game he is fit to play, regardless of what he does, and he will get his long term contract. Nothing that we see, say or do will make a difference. Which is galling, especially when we watch entertaining hookers every week play opposite us> Tbh, I would have more time for his long term love in crew if they simply posted - “ha, you loser posters! He’s here every week for the next 10 years, a great club man and member of the leadership group - get used to it! Oh, and you are inferior “supporters” to me!”

[No straw damn us]

Why do you think that the Wigan coaches rate and have rated Powell for years? I'm guessing that they review every game and notice things that we as fans probably don't see. hence why Powell is also part of the leadership group. He is obviously a very important team member. It'll be things like that, attitude and performance in training that makes him a "coaches" player.

[Nezza Faz]

Why do you think that the Wigan coaches rate and have rated Powell for years? I'm guessing that they review every game and notice things that we as fans probably don't see. hence why Powell is also part of the leadership group. He is obviously a very important team member. It'll be things like that, attitude and performance in training that makes him a "coaches" player.

But what have we won in the last FEW years, especially under recent coaches ?
If you stand still with the same logic, you actually go backwards. Saints been winning everything - and with a great No.9 in there ! In fact, Warrington have won Challenge Cups in the same period - again with a top 9 (Clark).

[Nezza Faz]

Not to mention Catalans, btw - with a great hooker we showed the door to !

[NICKYKISS]

Powell is in the Sky team of the week.

And there’s me thinking every team has 2 hookers better than him. Shame on the 22 hookers elsewhere (plus Brad O’Neill for not making our side).

He shouldn’t be and isn’t free from criticism. I thought he had a really poor first half on Friday but bounced back in fine style. He had a really good game at HKR. It’s been a positive start to the season by him.

The silence from the usual suspects across the forums was deafening after week one but that poor first half woke people up and even a fantastic second half showing hasn’t been able to save him.

[NICKYKISS]

Not to mention Catalans, btw - with a great hooker we showed the door to !

A saw a couple of Catalans fans on the Total RL forum yesterday going in on Micky Mac. Too slow, past his best etc was the call.

He’s probably been my favourite Wigan player of the past 10-15 years but time moves on.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Why do you think that the Wigan coaches rate and have rated Powell for years? I'm guessing that they review every game and notice things that we as fans probably don't see. hence why Powell is also part of the leadership group. He is obviously a very important team member. It'll be things like that, attitude and performance in training that makes him a "coaches" player.

And what alternative senior hooker can they pick?

Also if Shaun Wane rated him that much having coached him more than anyone why did he pick 4-5 hookers ahead of him for England?

[Nezza Faz]

Re: "nicky kiss":- But we could have lost that game in the 1st half, especially if Jai Field hadn't made that fantastic tackle ! And remember, Leeds were missing their suspended hooker.
I know it's a salary cap sport, but you have to continue looking at ways to improve, or you're done if you don't.

[Exiled Wiganer]

We can add Powell to the list of death and taxes.

Anyway, I have come to terms that he is untouchable as far as his fans and the club are concerned. Given zero creativity from 9, I would like to see Shorrocks given a lot of opportunities, as he looks really skilful to me. I am not saying he will turn into O’Loughlin overnight, but there is definitely something about him. If we can play French, Field, Cust and Shorrocks, and continue with the offload game, then we can carry a plodder at 9.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Powell is in the Sky team of the week.

And there’s me thinking every team has 2 hookers better than him. Shame on the 22 hookers elsewhere (plus Brad O’Neill for not making our side).

He shouldn’t be and isn’t free from criticism. I thought he had a really poor first half on Friday but bounced back in fine style. He had a really good game at HKR. It’s been a positive start to the season by him.

The silence from the usual suspects across the forums was deafening after week one but that poor first half woke people up and even a fantastic second half showing hasn’t been able to save him.

I saw lots of positive comments around his game against Hull KR i think this fake narrative that he never gets complemented is again fictitious the truth is in the past these games are so few and far between thats the real reason you dont see that much of it when he plays well he is given credit.

I totally understand why people are so desperate for Sam to be accepted because he is a really thoroughly nice bloke and by all accounts a dedicated and thorough professional. Those qualities are really important and i think we've had much more talented players in the past who we wished were as professional.

Powell will continue to do ok as long as the team around him especially the forwards are doing well so im hoping the team around him continue to push on because it will mean his deficiencies will not be as much of a problem.

I think what people need to remember - its not that fans want to see Sam fail its that they want to see Wigan succeed and we should always be looking at ways in which we can improve and at the moment in the spine he is the weakest player but is also the player who touches the ball the most