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Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 1:57 pm
by Exiled Wiganer
I was hugely encouraged by Keighran’s performance at 6, and clearly he gives us some great options. But French is the finest 6 we have had in decades. He is off the scale good there. So, if he’s fit he plays there, if he needs a rest (either completely or during a game, particularly when he is coming back from injury), then Keighran could go there. It spells the end of the road for Hampshire though.
Farrimond’s position is simple enough - he has shown that he has what he takes. He can and will bulk up, and can and will improve his defence. We can compensate in part by squeezing the gaps around him, as we did on Saturday. You can teach defence - what you can’t teach is what he has naturally: vision.
Happy days.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 2:34 pm
by medlocke
Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:16 pm
by Charriots Offiah
Exiled Wiganer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 1:57 pm
I was hugely encouraged by Keighran’s performance at 6, and clearly he gives us some great options. But French is the finest 6 we have had in decades. He is off the scale good there. So, if he’s fit he plays there, if he needs a rest (either completely or during a game, particularly when he is coming back from injury), then Keighran could go there. It spells the end of the road for Hampshire though.
Farrimond’s position is simple enough - he has shown that he has what he takes. He can and will bulk up, and can and will improve his defence. We can compensate in part by squeezing the gaps around him, as we did on Saturday. You can teach defence - what you can’t teach is what he has naturally: vision.
Happy days.
I thought that he defended a lot better on Saturday. He amended his tackling technique, aiming much lower rather than trying to attack the ball, and it paid dividends. If I remember correctly, on one occasion he chopped Walmsley down.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:25 pm
by Firestarter
medlocke wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 2:34 pm
Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind
I thought french was your preffered 13?
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 4:53 pm
by moto748
nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 9:38 am
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2024 11:01 pm
On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.
And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?
Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...
Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 4:55 pm
by Firestarter
moto748 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 4:53 pm
nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 9:38 am
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2024 11:01 pm
On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.
And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?
Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...
Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.
Didnt we do a similar thing with morgan escare?
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 5:38 pm
by moto748
Watched the full game now, and yes, Farrimond did fine. Was never MotM, though! Not in front of Keighran or Ellis. Nice to have two kicking options on the pitch. And Keighran looking comfortable in the halves makes life a lot easier for us.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 7:45 pm
by nathan_rugby
medlocke wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 2:34 pm
Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind
His defence is too weak to defend in the middle.
It would also be too many people trying to get involved. Ball handling 13 worked when fullbacks where runners but now they are runners and passers you don’t need the creative 13 as much.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 7:46 pm
by nathan_rugby
moto748 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 4:53 pm
nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 9:38 am
moto748 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2024 11:01 pm
On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.
And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?
Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...
Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.
So what player / position would Farrimond come on for and in what scenario would this happen?
I’m struggling to make sense of it.
Re: Wigan squad for Magic Weekend
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 8:55 pm
by medlocke
nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 7:45 pm
medlocke wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 2:34 pm
Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind
His defence is too weak to defend in the middle.
It would also be too many people trying to get involved. Ball handling 13 worked when fullbacks where runners but now they are runners and passers you don’t need the creative 13 as much.
Why though, is it some sort of rule?
