Recruitment.

[NICKYKISS]

Smith like pretty much everyone is under performing. I wouldn’t judge anybody under this coach because he’s even making top class players look average.

He’s having a tough time of it is Harry Smith but I’m still extremely confident he’ll be a good player for us in the right circumstances.

[Big Steve]

Agree on Smith.

If you have no runners or dummy runners and the defence can read our attack like a nursery book what chance does he have??

Then he starts to make more and more desperate plays and makes more and more mistakes.

[Big Steve]

We have zero attacking structure.
Create zero doubt in defenders minds.
Have zero line speed in attack or defence.
We create zero doubt from dummy half.
We have the most ridiculous selection policy I've ever see in 40 years of watching wigan

For all Jacko's passion he gets caught in possession far too often- because he has no runners and is targeted far too easily.

All this is down to coaching.

We may not have recruited well recently, but Lam is getting less than 50% out of the talent he has.

[nathan_rugby]

Ive yet to see smith at first receiver this season….. jacko and himare both trying to play seven imo…… we are desperate for a running stand off for smith to pair with

Isn't that a contradiction?

Yet to see him at first receiver but then he is trying to play 7?

7 was always first receiver?

[nathan_rugby]

Agree on Smith.

If you have no runners or dummy runners and the defence can read our attack like a nursery book what chance does he have??

Then he starts to make more and more desperate plays and makes more and more mistakes.

Everyone agrees, but why so many kicks out on the full and balls hitting the floor if we literally just do catch and pass?

[Firestarter]

Ive yet to see smith at first receiver this season….. jacko and himare both trying to play seven imo…… we are desperate for a running stand off for smith to pair with

Isn't that a contradiction?

Yet to see him at first receiver but then he is trying to play 7?

7 was always first receiver?

Its the way ive explained it….. i was meaning both are sevens but jacko is always first receiver……. Sorry for not being exact but im sure you knew what i meant as we both watch the same team

[nathan_rugby]

Ive yet to see smith at first receiver this season….. jacko and himare both trying to play seven imo…… we are desperate for a running stand off for smith to pair with

Isn't that a contradiction?

Yet to see him at first receiver but then he is trying to play 7?

7 was always first receiver?

Its the way ive explained it….. i was meaning both are sevens but jacko is always first receiver……. Sorry for not being exact but im sure you knew what i meant as we both watch the same team

I didn't, but now I do.

[Mike]

Ive yet to see smith at first receiver this season….. jacko and himare both trying to play seven imo…… we are desperate for a running stand off for smith to pair with

Isn't that a contradiction?

Yet to see him at first receiver but then he is trying to play 7?

7 was always first receiver?

Its the way ive explained it….. i was meaning both are sevens but jacko is always first receiver……. Sorry for not being exact but im sure you knew what i meant as we both watch the same team

He's no though. They're playing sides.

[southportcdm]

I'm a big fan of Harry's but I'm disappointed with his lack of progress this season. Perhaps he's not going to get much better but I don't think so. It must be difficult for an inexperienced halfback playing in a team such as ours. Notwithstanding tha lack of go forward in the team which is clearly a problem, I wouldn't know if working with Hastings benefits him more than hinders him. i.e. is he learning from a top player or taking a step back as Jackson dominates everything we do? Perhaps those of you that have coached/played at a decent level would have an opinion on that.

I'd have thought that Lammy would be an ideal coach for a developing halfback but that doesn't seem to be the case and let's be honest, Harry isn't the only young player who hasn't improved from last season. Sadly, although he's gained plenty of experience, I can't help thinking that this season has seen his development stall and that makes next season even more important. Let's hope that a new coach can help him develop into the top player that I think he can be.

[fozzieskem]

I'm a big fan of Harry's but I'm disappointed with his lack of progress this season. Perhaps he's not going to get much better but I don't think so. It must be difficult for an inexperienced halfback playing in a team such as ours. Notwithstanding tha lack of go forward in the team which is clearly a problem, I wouldn't know if working with Hastings benefits him more than hinders him. i.e. is he learning from a top player or taking a step back as Jackson dominates everything we do? Perhaps those of you that have coached/played at a decent level would have an opinion on that.

I'd have thought that Lammy would be an ideal coach for a developing halfback but that doesn't seem to be the case and let's be honest, Harry isn't the only young player who hasn't improved from last season. Sadly, although he's gained plenty of experience, I can't help thinking that this season has seen his development stall and that makes next season even more important. Let's hope that a new coach can help him develop into the top player that I think he can be.

Good post with lots of valid points.

I do have a bad feeling he may have reached the wall tge all players reach,the really great ones punch through it,the good ones get through eventually while other stay behind it,they can become good players just not great ones.

The issue with Smith is the hype that surrounded him,I don’t think he believes it at all but some thought there was a world class player in the making and excuses for his at times miserable performances have been made if that was Matty Smith well you get the picture.

Quite why he’s been played again and again despite poor performances beats me,at times you have to take the young ones out of the firing line to give them time to digest what they’ve been through,not at Wigan though the reward for bad games is keep going to the point it’s quite perverse now.

Do I think he will become a great player,gut feeling is no I do think he can still kick on abs become a very decent SL half back,at Wigan though I’m not so sure.