Re: Ian Lenagan.

[GeoffN]

No IMO on current form we have the second best fullback in the league behind Brett Hodgeson.

I wish that were true, but there are 5 or 6 better than him IMO, even Wellens (much as I hate to admit it), though he's getting past it now. The young lad who played for Huddersfield v Saints was as good if not better, too.


Personally, I think a fullback's prime role is a defensive one, and Phelps is still weak under high kicks and tackling. I'd agree that he's one of the best attacking fullbacks, but that's secondary IMO to his main role.

[Panchitta Marra]

So basically when those guys are on form we have the 5th best full back in the league but he's cheap so that's OK then?

I know Phelps has put his heart into playing for Wigan but if we settle for 5th best in key positions then we will be finishing outside the top four regularly.

Yeah but Cameron has Super Kris to help!

True enough but I am more concerned with the idea IL likes Phelps because he is good value. If this is applied throughout the side we will have a low cost side but won't win anything because IMO you need at least a couple of really class players in key positions and they cost money.

Dave

Key Positions:
1. Cameron Phelps (I rate him in the top three full-backs in SL).
6. Sam Tomkins (Best Stand-off in SL for now & the near future).
9. Michael McIlorum (I rate him in the top three hookers in SL. Probably the next GB hooker with Robey).
13. Sean O'Loughlin (Best Loose forward in SL, as far as I am concerned). Joel T can play there to good effect too.

Do you not agree, thats not a bad bunch of players in key positions.
For me, you dont need an world beater at 7 if you have a top drawer 6.

My concern is the lack of pace, especially on the flanks.
To be honest, I think this could be addressed with the correct training.

The rest of the younger squad have proven, they work their socks off.

Personally, I think we should have finished in the top three this season.
The poor start (bad conditioning) left us adrift yet again, with too much to catch up, using alot of energy to attain this.

Like last season, sadly, I think we will hit the brick wall again, at or around the Grand Final Semis, irespective of who we play.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I.L does not coach or disguss tactics with players, he signs players on recomendation and his signings to date via VARIOUS sources have been spot on IMO. The only exeption being Gleesons contract which i forgot to mention. I.L said and i quote " Is not playing like he sould be doing, but is outstanding in defence" which i 100% agreed with.

Is it any coincidence that the signing of Gleeson resulted in an upturn in our form? Yes, we have yet to see the best of his attacking game, although we will need to sign a quality halfback for that to happen!

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I personally don`t like his personal style , but I do think he has Wigan at heart .
I videod him last year in Perpignan meeting the fans .
I do wish he decide sooner rather than later about the coach , if Noble is going , it isn`t fair on him not knowing his future , if Noble stays it`s not fair on us !

Jackoh - IL has already decided Noble's fate. The only issue is, that apart from himself and the coach, nobody else knows the outcome.

[DaveO]

Key Positions:
1. Cameron Phelps (I rate him in the top three full-backs in SL).
6. Sam Tomkins (Best Stand-off in SL for now & the near future).
9. Michael McIlorum (I rate him in the top three hookers in SL. Probably the next GB hooker with Robey).
13. Sean O'Loughlin (Best Loose forward in SL, as far as I am concerned). Joel T can play there to good effect too.

Well I am with GeoffN on how good Phelps is. He is about half way down the list of best full backs in SL IMO and primarily this is because of his defense. I think he will come unstuck at some point in this area possibly with defending kicks, being out of position or his one on one tackling. I don't think he is top drawer in any of these areas but as others have said he has Rads to help him so we will have to see how he turns out.

Sam T I agree with but we do need a classy 7 IMO and that isn't TL. Without such a player teams will try and do to Sam T what they did to Barrett and mark him out of the game once they have worked him out a bit. We need more variety than giving too much responibility to Sam.

I also rate MM but he isn't ready to be the 1st choice no 9 just yet IMO. Ideally we would be playing him with TL as our two hookers but Riddell is getting in the way.

As to Lockers he is too defensively orientated and spends too much time defending. Recently someone posted his stats up v Faz and when you actually look into it he does far more defending than Faz ever did but Faz is streets ahead in the attacking stats. So while Phelps needs to improve his defense Lockers needs to be a much more attacking player IMO.

The trouble is though even if you are right and I am wrong the fact we have Riddell screws things up selection-wise forcing us to keep TL at 7 so we end up with a less than perfect 7 and an average no 9. So we do, IMO, have too many average players in key positions.

Dave

[DaveO]

I.L does not coach or disguss tactics with players, he signs players on recomendation and his signings to date via VARIOUS sources have been spot on IMO. The only exeption being Gleesons contract which i forgot to mention. I.L said and i quote " Is not playing like he sould be doing, but is outstanding in defence" which i 100% agreed with.

Is it any coincidence that the signing of Gleeson resulted in an upturn in our form? Yes, we have yet to see the best of his attacking game, although we will need to sign a quality halfback for that to happen!

Our form picked up after the loss to Celtic when the players had another meeting pretty much the same way they went better last season after we got battered by Hudds and they had a meeting.

Coincidence?

Dave

[jaws1]

Very good comments from Cruncher off RFL fans about IL and the way the club is being run.
http://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php? ... start=1035

[pedro]

they had no interest in youth?....

Lockers, Hock, Tomkins (Joel), Prescott, Hargreaves, Gilmour, Aspinwall, Brown, Wild, Robinson...bought youth in Tickle and Hodgson.

Seems Cruncher needs to get his facts right.

[DaveO]

Very good comments from Cruncher off RFL fans about IL and the way the club is being run.
http://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php? ... start=1035

Well I have added a bit of balance to his views which are mostly OK.

I don't think IL has been perfect since he has been here in terms of the way he runs the club. If Mo had treated Higham as the club did or the coaching situation had dragged on as it has under Mo's leadership, the knives would be out.

In terms of signings we are likely to go into next season with the same team as this and it lost 11 games so far in the league. I think though placing faith in the youth system is admirable and we all want to see the young players get opportunities in the first team you have to be realistic and realise we won't produce a top class side entirely from within our own ranks.

Dave

[jaws1]

they had no interest in youth?....

Lockers, Hock, Tomkins (Joel), Prescott, Hargreaves, Gilmour, Aspinwall, Brown, Wild, Robinson...bought youth in Tickle and Hodgson.

Seems Cruncher needs to get his facts right.

Yes but where are the players in bold now not playing for Wigan what Cruncher states that some of these players had to be sold on to keep the overpaid imports that we had.