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I agree

I'd put Cust in at 9. Field at 6, French at 1. The right side needs toughening in defence, so I'd consider Thornley centre or Shorrocks 2nd row on that side. However, I don't think the defensive issue is entirely right-side only, its a whole team thing - we're too passive moving up and that allows opposition to get a roll on. The right-side then have decisions to make, or are defending on their own line, neither of which they have been good at. Protect them by limiting the attacking positions Wire get.

I think at som point we have to admit that Wigans squad just isn’t good enough.

We got lucky last year with a few things
- Fields form
- Not too many injuries
- Mago was effective with Cooper
- Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent
- Farrell, Cust and Smith all had good years.

We decided to virtually go with the same squad bar Wardle and King (Wardle I really rate)

Other teams have caught up now (Catalan,Leigh,Salford etc) which now puts Wigan in the pot of 6 strong sides not the previous 2/3 really strong sides.

But simply put our backs are the same (strong but chop and change most weeks)

Half backs (Like people have mentioned 6 different combinations in 16 games)

Forward pack nowhere big enough, slow and give loads of pens away

Bench has little impact (most other sides have a Kasiano, Sao, Satae etc)

Sorry to be negative, just realistic. I’m not as excited waiting for the games as previous just because we know what we’re up against.

Obviously this is in my opinion and not trying to offend any player, coach or fan. Just an observation

That’s an honest opinion not like a lot on here who wear blinkers

Blinkers
If we go back a few month how many of the people slagging the squad off where happy with it (apart from Powell)

We could have Morgan Knowles and Alex Walmsley and people would comment how small our pack is.

Caboosegg wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:46 pm Blinkers
If we go back a few month how many of the people slagging the squad off where happy with it (apart from Powell)

We could have Morgan Knowles and Alex Walmsley and people would comment how small our pack is.

I think we didn’t realise our pack was small last season with the fact Field and French was scoring full lenghters every weekend.

Tell me the last time a prop burst under the posts for a try in a Wigan shirt? Or the last time you seen a prop go through the line?
Probably Mago.

Walmsley Kasiano Satae Fifita Lees Watts (Just to name a few) all give strong sides an edge.
Wigan don’t have that, so plan B is to whip it wide and hope we score out wide giving Smith another difficult kick.

My opinion of course

Havard can score tries (and has) bursting through from close to the line. Not sure anyone else can - SIngo used to but unlikely now.
I still think to get through this match (which is all that matters) Field to FB = French on the wing and Shorrocks to the halves. After that - get the ball down the left to Wardle and Marshall; use planned moves from the scrum and let French and Field play off the cuff in attack.
Maybe switch O'Neill and Cust to hooker during the match and also Cust to the halves if needs be.
It's worked before and the Cup is our most likely chance of silverware.

Brennox7 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:03 pm I think at som point we have to admit that Wigans squad just isn’t good enough.

We got lucky last year with a few things
- Fields form
- Not too many injuries
- Mago was effective with Cooper
- Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent
- Farrell, Cust and Smith all had good years.

Think its a bit harsh to say we got lucky

We signed Field because someone had seen what he can do. his performances where what the club was expecting, so i wouldnt say lucky, but a good signing performing how he should do

Not too many injuries - i'd disagree with that one too. We seem to have long runs of players being out, but we just get on with it and dont moan unlike other clubs. Now there is something club could proactively do and that is look at the conditioning / training etc if we are getting repetitive injury types across the squad and over a number of season. Many have commented how Saints hardly seem to lose any players to injury - perhaps 1 or 2, but even this season we have lost 2 stand offs, 4 starting props and 2 2nd rowers. The last season we have had our 2nd rows playing mainly as centres

Mago was effective - dont think many would agree with that. I actually think he has become less effective, as his time here has gone on. Initially he was explosive into the tackle and had an offload, which started to reduce. Now he just seems to go into the tackle without the offload, and his game time appears to be getting less

Only St Helens and Huddersfield were decent. Its been said for the last few seasons, that Saints have only won it because there is no competition. thats for the rest of us to improve and match their intensity, as they arent a particularly attractive team to watch, but can win the big games. We've been there or there abouts for the recent years, but not good enough to win the GF. We didnt win the challenge cup because we were lucky. I've posted before i dont think we played particularly well on the day, but Watson is so structured / boring in his style of play, they created nothing for all the possession and territory that they had. We created chances, but took them and won the cup.

Farrell, Cust and Smith had good seasons. Farrell has had umpteen good seasons and has been a regular 2nd row in the team of the year. Cust was signed to play 6 and had a reasonable season. Smith, after being hammered in Lams last season delivered what most of us think he can do. yes, he's struggling a bit at the minute, but he's not had a consistent 6 play alongside him all season, and behind a decimated pack

At the minute i think most fans would agree that the team isnt playing well. we have gone from conceding less than 1.5 tries per game in the 1st 7 or 8 matches, to over 5 per game. So there is something not right defensively. has that coincided with our starting props being out, yes it has. (see above comment re injury and where i think the club could be proactive, if they arent already). we've started a handful of matches with a player who was out on loan at Leigh at the start of the season as our no 6. He would admit, he aint a no 6, but was happy to fill in there as our 1st 3 no 6 were out injured, 2 picked up through the season. So as you can see, IMO there is a definite correlation between the dip in performances, and the number of injuries we have picked up. In recent seasons we have gone with a slightly larger squad, but maybe not the same quality (although some on here will argue we havent had any quality for a number of years), and at the minute that is biting a bit as we are giving some of the younger lads probably too much game time at the wrong time i.e. not because we are playing well and can introduce them, but cos we are knackered and squad numbers are decimated

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:49 pm We are a better balanced team with
- field - fullback
- French - wing
- Cust - 6

I get the whole debate about French wasted on the wing and in isolation I agree, but Field isn’t a 6 and we don’t have an experienced 7 who can organise and let him play off the cuff.

I don’t get all the talk about French being wasted on the wing. He was top try scorer in SL last season, and played most of it on the wing.
For me it’s: 1. Field
2.French
6.Cust or Hampshire.
Stick with it for a few games instead of chopping and changing every week.

bertina wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 7:41 pm

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:49 pm We are a better balanced team with
- field - fullback
- French - wing
- Cust - 6

I get the whole debate about French wasted on the wing and in isolation I agree, but Field isn’t a 6 and we don’t have an experienced 7 who can organise and let him play off the cuff.

I don’t get all the talk about French being wasted on the wing. He was top try scorer in SL last season, and played most of it on the wing.
For me it’s: 1. Field
2.French
6.Cust or Hampshire.
Stick with it for a few games instead of chopping and changing every week.

+1