Hampshire

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Dickidido! Another alter ego?

For whom?

Cracking name though and some great posts.

Wonder if they still hang down to her knees?????????????

The same one as menpond!!

[No straw damn us]

A very interesting and in the main reasoned debate. Just to throw a bit more petrol onto the fire. What do you think Michael Maguire would have done, given that when he arrived at Wigan he had two International halfbacks but in his two years here signed two 30 year olds to play in those positions? Both of whom were playmakers rather than runners.

Then looks at Tony Smith, he's just got rid of an England halfback and an England academy halfback to sign two Aussie halves, one of them aged 33 years.

Going back to the Williams Hampshire partnership, I don't think either of them have YET developed the kicking/game management part of their game anywhere near fully and that's my biggest concern at present. I'd rather they develop slowly as did Burrow/McGuire.

Also I wonder if the situation may now change due to Sams injury.

[cpwigan]

A very interesting and in the main reasoned debate. Just to throw a bit more petrol onto the fire. What do you think Michael Maguire would have done, given that when he arrived at Wigan he had two International halfbacks but in his two years here signed two 30 year olds to play in those positions? Both of whom were playmakers rather than runners.

Then looks at Tony Smith, he's just got rid of an England halfback and an England academy halfback to sign two Aussie halves, one of them aged 33 years.

Going back to the Williams Hampshire partnership, I don't think either of them have YET developed the kicking/game management part of their game anywhere near fully and that's my biggest concern at present. I'd rather they develop slowly as did Burrow/McGuire.

Also I wonder if the situation may now change due to Sams injury.

Madge went a lot younger in the halves at Souths than Wigan. I do think if it was Deacon rather than Matty Smith we would not be having this argument as Deacs was outstanding in terms of game management whereas Matty Smith is not in the same class. Equally, Madge did not have the finest two young half backs to select from when he was at Wigan.

I do think if the coach wanted them to; both George and Rocky have kicking games whilst Sam T and Lockers can add their contribution to kicking. The biggest issue re kicking is that Wigan under Wane used kicking as a last resort and never work a set to the point the finished product is the kick.

[nathan_rugby]

I always felt like Smith was a valuable player and was consistently good and did perform when it mattered. For that reason I never really saw the benefit of removing him, switching Williams and bringing Hampshire in as we had a lot of experience, leadership, game management to lose.

Looking back on the last few months of the season, I really fail to see what Smith offers. His tackling has worsened, he never makes breaks or half breaks, he has no leadership, error prone.

Worst of all, his field kicking absolutely kills us. Bowen took over the goal kicking to enable Smith to focus on his game more which to me shows that there were some problems.... His game didn't improve, and what does this mean for next year?

The reason Hampshire won't be played is because of defensive abilities and the fact Wane doesn't favour very creative, expansive and off the cuff rugby. Something Hampshire would likely bring.

[The booze hound]

Just a thought, how would Smith have fared at full back instead of Rocky? A damn sight worse I'm sure. Im also convinced that Williams at 7 and Hampshire at 6 would have been better than Smith at 7 and Williams at 6.
Before anyone replies that Smith isn't a full back, please consider that neither is Hampshire and it has been unfair to judge Hampshire as such. The way I see it is Matty has been played at the expense of the team overall.

[Panchitta Marra]

Just a thought, how would Smith have fared at full back instead of Rocky? A damn sight worse I'm sure. Im also convinced that Williams at 7 and Hampshire at 6 would have been better than Smith at 7 and Williams at 6.
Before anyone replies that Smith isn't a full back, please consider that neither is Hampshire and it has been unfair to judge Hampshire as such. The way I see it is Matty has been played at the expense of the team overall.

A good fair post booze hound.

[markill]

I always felt like Smith was a valuable player and was consistently good and did perform when it mattered. For that reason I never really saw the benefit of removing him, switching Williams and bringing Hampshire in as we had a lot of experience, leadership, game management to lose.

Looking back on the last few months of the season, I really fail to see what Smith offers. His tackling has worsened, he never makes breaks or half breaks, he has no leadership, error prone.

Worst of all, his field kicking absolutely kills us. Bowen took over the goal kicking to enable Smith to focus on his game more which to me shows that there were some problems.... His game didn't improve, and what does this mean for next year?

The reason Hampshire won't be played is because of defensive abilities and the fact Wane doesn't favour very creative, expansive and off the cuff rugby. Something Hampshire would likely bring.

Good post. I'd probably go along with this too. Smith was good enough for me before this year. This year he didn't show me enough, particularly in the later stages of the season, or games away from home, that he can lead the team when he has to both help the young players in the backs around him and direct the pack around the park when Lockers is out injured. Basically, I don't see things from him being any better so early next year would have been time to find out IF Rocky can make it as a half at the top of Super League. It's an if because he is not proven, whatever his junior/academy records show he was able to do at that level. It doesn't seem like we're going to find out though

[Panchitta Marra]

I always felt like Smith was a valuable player and was consistently good and did perform when it mattered. For that reason I never really saw the benefit of removing him, switching Williams and bringing Hampshire in as we had a lot of experience, leadership, game management to lose.

Looking back on the last few months of the season, I really fail to see what Smith offers. His tackling has worsened, he never makes breaks or half breaks, he has no leadership, error prone.

Worst of all, his field kicking absolutely kills us. Bowen took over the goal kicking to enable Smith to focus on his game more which to me shows that there were some problems.... His game didn't improve, and what does this mean for next year?

The reason Hampshire won't be played is because of defensive abilities and the fact Wane doesn't favour very creative, expansive and off the cuff rugby. Something Hampshire would likely bring.

Good post. I'd probably go along with this too. Smith was good enough for me before this year. This year he didn't show me enough, particularly in the later stages of the season, or games away from home, that he can lead the team when he has to both help the young players in the backs around him and direct the pack around the park when Lockers is out injured. Basically, I don't see things from him being any better so early next year would have been time to find out IF Rocky can make it as a half at the top of Super League. It's an if because he is not proven, whatever his junior/academy records show he was able to do at that level. It doesn't seem like we're going to find out though

When certain players weren't performing they were dropped, an example being Matty Bowen and Ryan Hampshire. Was this classed as resting a player ?
When Smith under performs he still gets selected. Is this classed as favouritism or should he have been rested too ?

[Wes]

Hampshire is being 1st class messed about by the club, he wants out and I don't blame him.

[Panchitta Marra]

Hampshire is being 1st class messed about by the club, he wants out and I don't blame him.

I honestly think that Ryan Hampshire is the best Wigan talent since Sam Tomkins, and to let him go/force him out without giving him a decent chance in his preferred position is beyond a joke for me.
Matty Smith is, and has been mediocre throughout his time at Wigan with few games you can look on and say he was good.
Give me Williams at 7 with Hampshire at 6 to shut me up one way or the other as Smith isn't a patch on what Tommy was at 7 as I see it.