Lam or new scrum half????

[Welski]

Do you reckon its got anything to do with Denis Betts taking over the running of the team?

Robinson certainly played a lot better and more consistently before MG's illness really laid him low.

Maybe DB doesnt rate him as highly and that lack of faith has been transmitted to the young lad.

When LR dropped the ball in the Hull game with an open pitch in front of him the SKY cameras cut to DB in the crowd and he looked livid didnt he then pull him from the field? (I was in the pub and dont remember it that accurately!).

[robjoenz]

Welski posted:
Do you reckon its got anything to do with Denis Betts taking over the running of the team?

Robinson certainly played a lot better and more consistently before MG's illness really laid him low.

Maybe DB doesnt rate him as highly and that lack of faith has been transmitted to the young lad.

When LR dropped the ball in the Hull game with an open pitch in front of him the SKY cameras cut to DB in the crowd and he looked livid didnt he then pull him from the field? (I was in the pub and dont remember it that accurately!).

Are we discussing those three and a quarter games again that Luke has played under Betts?

Robinson hasn't been resigned, he's trying to play out of his skin to get a contract instead of slotting into the team. It's harder for the half backs to perform when we are so short on forward power like we are now and the lad needs a chance. It took a seasoned professional like Orr 15 or more games to fit in and you are all judging Robbo on 3.

As someone else mentioned, give Robbo a contract to remove that pressure from his shoulders and let him play rugby. Give him the chance in the team that he needs to settle in and establish himself. Robinson prooved last season he could play well at scrum-half and he was star-player for Cas whilst he was there. Now there might be a difference in class between Cas and Wigan but it's the same opposition he just needs time to gel alongside Orr with a decent set of forwards out front.

Welski, was Robinson the only player to drop the ball against Hull? I think not, Dallas did the same, Tickle did it on more than one occassion, I think O'Loughlin did too and Hodgson; Connolly gave the ball away and cost us the points! I bet if you looked at Betts on each occassion he'd have been livid, he expects them to catch the ball and not drop it.

[pacman]

As far as I can tell, nobody on this thread has suggested that Luke shouldn't get a new contract.

Also nobody has said that they are judging Luke on the three and a quarter games, in fact Rob you are the only one to mention it.

However the management obviously don't think that Luke has done enough in a Wigan CAREER to date to earn a new contract, he has never kept the position when Lam has been fit. The idea of just handing him a contract so he can get on and play some rugby is laughable, and a smack in the face for the youngsters that earned their contracts! They all had to earn their new contracts through hard work and good rugby in order to establish their place in the first team, and virtually pick themselves when fit. Whenever Lam is fit he is the automatic choice at scrum half, Luke has never kept Lam on the bench because of his good form.

No doubt Lam is a great player but players like Connolly, O'Neil, Johnson lost their regular places to these young players who won their place in the team on merit. If Robinson is to become Wigans scrum half for the foreseeable future surely he should be pushing Lam for a place much harder, making it impossible for Betts to leave him out. At the moment there is no contest, if Lam is fit......he plays!!

If he can keep Lam out of the team then in my opinion it means that he is in the team on merit and deserves the contract and Lams shirt next season

If Lam retires at the end of the season and Robinson is just gifted the No.7 jersey because their is nobody else, then that is wrong, a step backwards. That is why people are calling for Sean Long, if Long came in and Luke can keep him out the team then the jersey is his and its up to Long to win it off him. Only competition for places will give Wigan any chance of success, and if Robinson can't handle the pressure of earning a contract then he has no chance of handling the pressure of the no.7 position in the best team in Super League.

[MrsLam]

Only competition for places will give Wigan any chance of success, and if Robinson can't handle the pressure of earning a contract then he has no chance of handling the pressure of the no.7 position in the best team in Super League.

Very true, also meaning that he cant handle the pressure of super league in general. I've been on holiday and don't really remember much of luke before it (lotsa sleep and alcohol inbetween) but if he had done anything special im sure it would stick out in my mind.

Maybe he's trying too hard at the moment, it would make sense with him being so young he's not experienced enough to realise that theres a limit to how much you can try without over doing it and messing up then again, maybe he's just not good enough (not my personal view) only time will tell though. I hope things start going right for him soon, we've seen his talent and capabilities if thats a word, last season and if he can play like that again then theres no doubt he'd be our next number 7.
I believe in him anyway.

[Warrior Wills]

To be perfectly honest, I think Denis Betts is only seeing what everyone apart from Rob is seeing. Luke is not playing well!!

Maybe a decision has already been made about Luke's future. It makes you think about all the speculation about Stacey Jones coming to Wigan if Lam calls it a day. Ok, that was only speculation as is the Long rumour. But surely this proves that the management team have lost a bit of confidence / patience with Luke. I know I have.

I would definitely keep Robinson on the books, but as a first choice scrum half a definite NO!

[pacman]

Agreed, if Lam going Wigan will replace him, on current form and ability his replacement won't be Robinson. If Lam stays Robinson will again be deputy

Robinson is now in the unfortunate position of being left behind by his peers, the fast track that a lot of the young players were forced to take into the first team hasn't benefitted Robinson, in my opinion, the step up is proving too great for him at the moment, the good thing is he has time on his side.

[Welski]

Was Denis Betts not assistant whilst Mike Gregory was running the team?
Rob all I was suggesting was that like everyone on this board DB has his own opinion on who they rate as players and I don't mean just their current form.

He hasn't just seen him play over the past few games and will have rightly or wrongly formed an opinion on whether he thinks Luke has what it takes. Now that he is picking the team it is obvious that currently even a crippled Lam is Betts first choice.

That sort of signal would not inspire me with any confidence if I was Luke Robinson.

We are talking about a professional sports team that has a heritage and tradition second to none (in my lifetime) and we really shouldn't be on about easing players into the side or giving them contracts to allow them to play. If they are good enough and have what it takes mentally they will make the team.

I for what its worth think LR WILL make an excellent player but it sadly might mean him having to do it in another team's colours.

I do think a player in his position does need a settled team around him and so far the lad hasn't had that luxury which might make his apparent lack of progress, compared with his peers, a little easier to explain.

I agree lots of players made mistakes and Betts was clearly not impressed with any of them. But it was such a vital mistake, on top of some poor performances and such a simple error -he only had to pick the ball up- and the game was won As I said I was little merry at the time but I seem to recall Betts mouthing some expletives into his walkie talkie and Robinson making a rapid exit*. *(I could be wrong about the last bit!)
I could of course be reading it all wrong but its what it looked like to me.