Noble looks forward with optimism

[josie andrews]

Noble has promised more signings

Wigan coach Brian Noble believes the future is bright for the Warriors despite Friday's 18-14 defeat to Leeds in the Super League final eliminator.

"We're improving," said Noble. "Great strides have been made by the club in the last couple of seasons.

"As a club, we're pretty healthy and we're going in the right direction."

Wigan finished the regular season in fourth place, beating Bradford Bulls before registering a very impressive win over Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

But they found defending champions Leeds too tough an obstacle at Headingley Carnegie.

"We had an absolute dig," said Noble. "We were good but we just couldn't quite find the composure to stay at the Leeds end. Had we stayed patient, the result might have been different.

"All 17 gave their all but, in the end, they just couldn't find the field position to score some points and basically we had too much defending to do.

"Mark Calderwood epitomised our challenge in relation to the amount of try-saving tackles he made."

The visitors battled to the end and were rewarded with late tries by Harrison Hansen and Iafeta Paleaaesina, but they could not add to their tally as Leeds secured a Grand Final against St Helens.

Now Noble faces a challenging time as he seeks to rebuild his squad following he departures of Trent Barrett, Micky Higham, Calderwood and Liam Colbon.

Parramatta hooker Mark Riddell is the club's only confirmed signing for 2009, but Noble revealed he would be joined by other new faces.

"We need to get the recruitment right," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 639180.stm

[cpwigan]

I found lots of recruits to my Noble out campaign at KR today Josie. Oddly the Saints fans want him to remain.

[DaveO]

"We're improving," said Noble. "Great strides have been made by the club in the last couple of seasons.

"As a club, we're pretty healthy and we're going in the right direction."

I can only assume he is referring to off the field when he says that.

Otherwise he is sounding as deleuded as he was after the Hudds defeat and IL will have to put him staight again.

Dave

[neilbass]

"We need to get the recruitment right," he added.

Well Brian you were there today, and deep in discussion with Mr Lydon. Just hope you two were talking about which of those reserves you are bringing through next year, rather than which Australian 'stars' you're going to throw money at.

Please reward and recognise the effort, talent, loyalty and success of this team.

[The Eclipse]

"We need to get the recruitment right," he added.

Well Brian you were there today, and deep in discussion with Mr Lydon. Just hope you two were talking about which of those reserves you are bringing through next year, rather than which Australian 'stars' you're going to throw money at.

Please reward and recognise the effort, talent, loyalty and success of this team.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[ste lord]

Totaly agree,

Excellent team spirit shown by the lads at knowsley hole,

IMO Liam Farrel had a good game as did sam and mossop,vevers is looking a good prospect also.

[Big Steve]

If wigan don't sign 2-3 quality players with experience for 2009 (australian or not) and instead promote 3 more players from teh reserves straight into the first team then we are in big trouble.

Ideally from the point of young wigan players;

Tomkins consolidates his position in the 1st 17,

Goulding gets back into the 17,

Mossop gets more game time from the bench,

Ainscough and Sam tomkins get 10 - 15 first team appearances 9and if they are absolutly amazing then by all means play more) then that's the sort of involvement from the reserves we should be expecting and want to see.

Anything much more substantial than that (barring teh odd bench spot here and there) will mean another year of 'building for the future' and not challenging Saints or Leeds for cups.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I look forward to optimism. Having watched a lot of the Quins and Wigan this year, it strikes me that the key to success is getting the balance right between play makers and runners/workers. I think Wigan have very good runners/workers, but it is only in the last few weeks, with Smith and TB properly acting as creative players, allowing Higham and Lulu to run, that we have been able to bring our dangerous runners into the game with momentum. I have been pleasantly surprised by the skills and speed on attack we have shown in our 4 game mini season.
Higham has been fantastic, and considering his treatment, heroic in the last few weeks, but he has done so to a large extent because the organising/passing burden has been taken from him.
At our worst this year we have looked static and clueless, and that is because we haven't been giving people early ball, wide ball.
Smith and Riddell, a tried and tested combination from the NRL, ought to give us that. Plus, with Joel T at 13 (please Mr Noble see him in the same way as the rest of the world - a better loose forward than Curly), we can get the most out of our pack.
I agree with whoever said that we can expect/hope to see Joel T, McIllorum (who needs to develop an attacking game, but there is time) and Goulding as first teamers, Sam T, Mossop, Ainscough and Farrell as occasional first teamers and Prescott and O'Carroll developing further.
That said, we were over 10 points behind the top 2 and that is a gulf to make up. To bridge that gap we need a couple of players who can create havoc in the opposition. Because we have lacked direction and strike players for much of this year, we have had to put huge effort into most of our wins, and have often followed a good win with a loss. We need to be able to win games at a canter, and kill teams off, so that we can spread our efforts better.
To get there, a strike centre/winger and an impact prop would, I think, round out our squad nicely.
Even if we don't get big names, with the World Cup we'll get a chance to see a lot of emerging atlent from exotic countries who may be cheaper than the likes of Matt Cooper. Those Fijians et al have been known to produce fantastic wingers and very big explosive lads.
Over to you IL and JL. Give Noble the bullets, so that we can see once and for all how far the team can go under his stewardship.

[gpartin]

Think Tim Smith is going to be a star too to be honest. At the game the other night when Richards dropped the ball after Smith passed it I remember thinking it was almost the best pass I have ever seen. When players get used to playing around Smith we won't go far wrong.

[ian b]

In 2 years we have had a new coach and new owners.The club was in the s---e before this and now i believe Noble,Lydon and Lenigan when they say we are turning it round.Dont forget that linsday sold a lot of the young talent to replace it with Aussies he probably fancied!!.I also think saints are coming to the end of their dominance as did Wigan or any sucssesful club.I feel confident for the future,if iam wrong assassinate me!