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I reckon Mathers will be dropped too. But only for one week then he will be back regardless of how his replacement played, play bad in the next two weeks and have a stinker in the third week, then be dropped for one week... That seemed to be the way of it last year.

At least this year we have workable options with Roberts/Pat at the back and Pryce/Goulding coming into the backs. We don't lose much in attack making those changes.

Also, surely if tommy is going to be a rotation hooker we should have S Tompkins in the squad. Bringing him on for riddell and moving tommy to hooker is less disruptive than bringing Lockers into the halves, and would give us a real change in style that oppositions may find hard to deal with. One other point about this policy though - I thought we rotated hookers because its too hard a job to play there for 80 minutes - how come tommy can play 80 minutes switching between hooker and scrum half? Is he taking a rest when he is in the halves? Weird

The team are in this morning going through the game..Not a good atmosphere.. I can tell you that fingers are already being pointed and its the players who are pointing them at each other…. It was said this morning that this is more of a post-mortem rather than anything else…

Just one question how would a team of Wigan born and bread player react to this very bad state of affairs after reading what the people of Wigan are saying…

The Brian Noble excuse for not using youngsters? We have a duty of care. Everybody knows how I feel about Mathers but where is the duty of care in Noble exposes Mathers by continually selecting him.

Here is the weird part. In training. Noble had Roberts running at FB. So why switch it around come match day.

What must Goulding think re his treatment?

Goulding, Ainscough and Sam T could all benefit from not being involved.
If Mathers cannot tackle or catch he cannot be picked. Only Noble sees this differently, and this is a massive negative for me. Phelps is so ordinary that there can be no excuse for picking him ahead of a Wiganer.
Glad to read that O'Carroll went well. The World Cup may have done him and Michael Mc a lot of good.
How about for next week...
Richards
Roberts
Goulding
Carmont
Ainscough (assuming our very own KP is not fit yet)
Smith
Lulu
O'C
Piggy
Fielden
Hock
Lockers
J Tomkins

Hansen
Prescott
Feca
S Tomkins

Sadly, we may well be subjected to Phelps, Mathers, Coley and Bailey again.

Noble has a duty of care to the young players by not playing them to early etc. as said at the Fans Forum.
Howeever what about the term if they are good enough they are ready, does he also not have a duty to the fans to provide a team that plays well together, and gives 100% each match.
We pay to watch a good match and if we win great, but at least lets try to beat the opposition not stand round like deer in the headlights. Like some of them did yesterday.
I don't mind losing if we have made an effort, well i'm sorry to say I saw little effort yesterday.
I hope for a big improvement.

Did everybody notice the heavy strapping on Mark Riddell's right leg yesterday?? Its only just become apparent that it was to cover up his Wooden leg.. It looked on the day as if Brad Drew was twice as quick. Also did anyone else notice Tim Smith constantly encouraging the wings and centres to come in field to cover his tackle duties whilst he went out wide. I like Tim Smith, i think he is a fantastic passer of the ball, but to play stand off in a wigan team constantly passing and chipping through to look for a winger is not good enough, he needs to at least try to take the line on more and if he doesnt start to give Sam Tomkins a run. It looked as if the wigan backs didnt have a set move or play in them. What do the lads do in training all week apart from play darts, its quite obvious they dont have a ball to train with and use Richie Mathers as a cone to run around.

Can't disagree with most of what's been said. Team were abysmal and I suspect that most of us were disgusted with the apparent lack of purpose shown by so called professionals. It's not just about pride in the shirt it's about self pride which is missing in a lot of cases as most of our so called team don't seem to have aany. I have to say it's no use blaming Roberts because anyone who plays on a wing for this team will be lucky to see the ball in his life time as was the case with Calderwood. I agree that players who have apparently got their own agenda according to Noble should bee dropped then maybe we could get a bit of teamwork going. Let's hope they all get a swift kick up the tailpipe before next week.

cherry.pie wrote: As for our problem in the halves, it seems that Leulaui's best position is hooker, so maybe that's where he should play. If it looks like we're lacking something when Tommy goes to 9 then have Sam Tomkins on the bench, because unless Smith improves greatly we're going to be needing him sooner rather than later.
I'm sick of hearing that 'it isn't the right time' and that young players need to be brought into a 'winning side'. It's nonsense! Good young players emerge in bad sides too. Young players aren't always called upon when it's the 'right time'. Players have to face adversity, they will have to play in a side that plays badly at some point, and wrapping them up in cotton wool isn't going to help.
You can bring a player into a winning side, they can look like world beaters, but when the going gets tough they're the ones who are going to struggle. It's about time Noble gave the kid a chance, because holding back a good player is never going to help.

I agree 100%. When TL went to 9 we saw some Higham type running which was exactly what was required and will be required in future games.

Smith is a 7 not a 6 and so Smith at 7 and S Tomkins at 6 with TL at 9.

So we have a choice then who is the other hooker besides TL, Riddell or McIllorum. Too early to write Riddell off but he was far from impressive.

Whoever it is this sort of team selection would cut out the need to change the half backs when the hooker goes off.

I will never happen while Noble is charge though.

Dave

Fawdoffshed wrote: Call me what you want, I don't care. I won't be going to the JJB again this season.

Fickle? Yes.

Out of pocket at spending hard-earned money?

Even more yes.

Disappointed?

Even more, more yes.

Let's just hand the play-offs to someone else, eh?

Travelled from cannock west midlands.Nice drive down was feeling quite optomistic.Dreadful performance.Sat in stunned silence not quite believing what i was seeing.Travelled home feeling numb from shock in dreadful driving conditions.However,no matter what i pesonally think of the performance or lack of effort i shall continue to support as often as is financially possible to support.This after all is wigan rugby league.

Now Ive had time to calm down, Wakefield were well worth their victory! They oozed commitment, pride, passion, guts, and determination! All the things Wigan lacked! We can go on and on about how poor players were for Wigan and everyone is right they were poor, what can be done about it...?! Well Noble does need to wield the axe, it wont do any 1st choice players any harm to spend some time in the under 21s! Maybe the kick up the backside they need!! My line up for next week would be:
1 Richards (Capt)
2 Roberts
3 Goulding
4 Carmont
5 Pryce (if fit)/Ainscough
6 S. Tomkins
7 Smith
8 Fielden
9 Riddell
10 O'Carroll
11 Hock
12 O'Loughlin
13 J Tomkins
14 Feka
15 Prescott (if fit)/Coley
16 Leuluai (sub hooker)
17 Hansen

1st teamers dropped
Mathers
Bailey
Phelps

May make things happen, may not!! But would it hurt to try? Cant get any worse!!! Will still be at Hull!!!

Matt