Match Preview: Hull KR

[fozzieskem]

Overseas players should always be in your 17 if you have recruited right. And that’s the big problem we have wasted the salary cap with second rate players. Too late for this season as anyone any good already signed up. Our forward pack needs a major overhaul, Isa, Singleton, Ellis, Cooper, Mago, and Powell all need to be replaced. Also KPP is leaving and Farrell not getting any younger.

Can KR deliver based on previous years I’m not convinced he is the man for the job. Mind you there are at least 8 ex Wigan forwards still playing Super League who we can bring back. A few teams have realised the need to strengthen their packs if they are going to compete ours wasn’t the best last year and this year it’s weaker because we’ve lost Bateman.

If Field and French have many more off days like yesterday it’s going to be a long season. Because they are our attack and no doubt teams will be looking to shut them down this season. Peet said at the beginning of the season he was happy with the squad. I hope he’s right because I don’t want a season like Wire just had. I know it’s early days but if we don’t beat Wakefield on Friday pressure will be on.

Surprised Byrne never gets mentioned. I’m not a fan of him, he’s sluggish and too slow for me.

Me neither barney…… i dont get the hype at all

Thought it was just me glad I’m not alone with the bemusement with the hype regarding Byrne

[Southern Softy]

So, what did we learn today?
That HKR may not be the inconsistent bunch they usually are.
That our starting XIII is weakened when we rotate.
That despite O'Neill being anonymous when he was on, that there is still an enormous hole down our centre in defence which gets regularly exploited when Powell is there.
That Jai Field is electric but can't pass a ball accurately.
That Wardle and Marshall don't seem to have evolved a method of playing together, which is probably down to Wardle wanting to make a good impression and should prove to be a passing blip.
That Marshall is still an outstanding player.
That French looks to be a bit stronger.
That Byrne still thinks it's OK to come on and high tackle to prove a point.
That Smithies still thinks the way to show that you're a hard man is to late-tackle with a shoulder-charge (more or less) an irritating oppo scrum-half.
That both those players are never going to change and it might be time for the club to consider their future if they won't learn.
That Cooper and Havard are still the best props.
That there looks to be a major problem with Ellis who is a shadow of the player who joined.
That KPP is dazzling going forward and rather less so when defending.
That King has moved effortlessly into the Top3..................
That's the Top 3 worst ever debuts for Wigan, of course. To be fair the others were Miski (who has improved a lot) and Bibby who can now make his ill-judged lurches out of the line somewhere else.

Really, we didn't learn much that was new. The key thing is if the team and coaching staff learn from what we saw out there and if King really can't jump or tackle, then remove him and get someone in who can.

One match won't make or break a season but it didn't look great at all.

[Big stick]

People really going over the top here on the 1st game

It isn’t a given we beat HKR away. They are a decent side that have strengthened well. Problem with KR is when they loose players they really struggle. They seem to have crap luck and had a few walking wounded yesterday.

When we had the ball we still looked dangerous in attack. The problems came when we gave away penalties and repeat sets that pinned us in our half tiring out the pack defending. We then started to over play forcing passes like the attempted Marshys to Wardle pass and Fields cut out pass (which he has landed in the past) Smith forward pass. Peet always said last year we need to earn the right to play. KR won the arm wrestle of the game when that happened they were offloading the ball and were bullying the middle. I have confidence that we can get this sorted just will come with game time. Silly we played only 40 mins with a full strength side in pre season. The worrying part is that’s our default setting when behind. We can’t seem to keep our heads and revert back to a few good sets with decent kicks, win back control and then switch on the attack.

King really needs to be told in no certain circumstances should he shoot the line. Every try on that side he was left on the floor after going for the legs. Maybe they should work on him going up top, he’s big enough. Have him clamp the ball.

We can carry the ball and both Wardle and more so King look great at this. Wardles 20m carry was great.

I’d have Isa starting next week with KPP on the bench. Isa should hopefully set the standards and introduce KPP once the game is open.

[PJC]

It is far too early in the season to say how Wigan will do this year. There will be some pleasing performances and we should push towards silverware .
However my big concern is the size of the pack, especially compared to St. Helens.
My initial thoughts are that Matty Peet has a different style of play using fast mobile forwards.
Also after watching the Saints game I think that KPP will have his work cut out in Australia. Unless he puts weight on.

[moto748]

Agree with most of the good points raised by SS and big stick. Why can't we find a right-footed kicker for shots from the left? Even when kicking statistically well last season, Smith struggled from there. As for King, if he can't be taught how to defend, then we've bought a pup.

[Mickw]

We seemed desperate to slow the game down throughout, constantly on the edge of giving penalties and six agains,are our players even remotely fit enough .Certainly not fit enough to execute a decent line speed.

[Barney841]

I agree with some on here that it is only the first game of the season and that we will improve(hopefully).
I just thought some signs weren’t good, like are lack of fitness, defensive attitude and bad penalties we were giving away.
Bateman might not of been the best last year but we definitely look weaker without him.

[Bobby-WRL]

Strange decision to let him go regardless of what he wanted . We lack experience and he has it.

[Bobby-WRL]

We need to recruit a big second row.

[medlocke]

Surprised Byrne never gets mentioned. I’m not a fan of him, he’s sluggish and too slow for me.

Me neither barney…… i dont get the hype at all

Thought it was just me glad I’m not alone with the bemusement with the hype regarding Byrne

What hype?, it's not like anybody is going over the top like they did with other players ie Rocky Hampshire