Team selection

[DaveO]

Posted this inthe the other Wigan boards so may as well go for a hat trick. What do people think to this idea for the team?

It needs as much weight and experience in the pack as we have on the pitch for as long as we can manage.

So what that means to me is a startling line up of:

Seu Seu, Newton, Sculthorpe in the front row.
Guissett and Tickle in the second row
O'Loughlin at loose forward.

Subs for the props either one or both of Hargreaves and Prescott.
Subs for the second row either one or both of Wilde and Allen.

I'd be tempted to go with a bench of Wilde, Allen, Godwin and Hargreaves.

That leaves Aspwinall as centre, his preferred position. If Carney is back and Aspwinall not deemed good enough as a centre then he should just be dropped altogether to make way for someone like Hansen on the bench assuming Wilde is at centre. To be honest if we had anyone experienced available both Wilde and Aspwinall would be dropped as I aint impressed with either right now.

Given it is Leigh we are playing I reckon we can risk Brown at stand off again to give him some practice but were if it anyone else (i.e. a big physical team) I would be tempted to play O'loughlin as stand off for his defensive qualities while Orr is out and Allen at 13.

The backs apart from the centre question oulined above pick themselves Moran, Vaikeli (I wish he had a different surname such as Smith!), Dallas, Rads and Carney in their usual spots.

So come on Denis this coaching lark isn't that hard is it get a grip and beef that pack up!

Dave

[proud_pie_eater]

Sounds good to me, id agree with wayne godwin coming off the bench but I dont see how Betts can take Newton off when he is playing so well! If only there were two hooker positiones on the field I think Hansen will do well but more experience with the 21s will do him some good. I also agree with what you say about Aspy, hes reminding me a bit of dodgey at the moment, lets hope he gets over it!!!

[robjoenz]

You've not really selected a team there DaveO, you've just listed every combination we haven't yet used.

I think the Guisset at 2nd row is a good idea, I was sure he played there for Warrington? However, maybe we'd need him to move upto prop as Tickle normal has to when we rotate our two props. Or even as someone else mentioned in jest, play both Newton and Godwin, it has worked in the past with Newton and M.Smith.

I think if Carneys back we go with our first choice 3/4 line of (from right to left) Carney, Aspinwall, Vaealiki and Dallas. Aspinwall has only had one bad game, he's not suddenly become a bad player.

Half backs of Brown and Moran. Can't see the problem with Brown myself, he's played one full game at Stand Off now after playing centre since he left the Academy, give the lad a chance to develop and play along side Moran. He won't get better if we don't play him!

Does anyone know anything of Melling this season? He looked good last year before doing his ankle in. What about him as winger and FB cover if needed?

[GeoffN]

Yep, looks good. I'm assuming that when Carney goes off injured again, Aspi moves back out to the wing with Wild back at centre?

[mario]

DaveO posted:
Posted this inthe the other Wigan boards so may as well go for a hat trick. What do people think to this idea for the team?

It needs as much weight and experience in the pack as we have on the pitch for as long as we can manage.

So what that means to me is a startling line up of:

Seu Seu, Newton, Sculthorpe in the front row.
Guissett and Tickle in the second row
O'Loughlin at loose forward.

Subs for the props either one or both of Hargreaves and Prescott.
Subs for the second row either one or both of Wilde and Allen.

I'd be tempted to go with a bench of Wilde, Allen, Godwin and Hargreaves.

That leaves Aspwinall as centre, his preferred position. If Carney is back and Aspwinall not deemed good enough as a centre then he should just be dropped altogether to make way for someone like Hansen on the bench assuming Wilde is at centre. To be honest if we had anyone experienced available both Wilde and Aspwinall would be dropped as I aint impressed with either right now.

Given it is Leigh we are playing I reckon we can risk Brown at stand off again to give him some practice but were if it anyone else (i.e. a big physical team) I would be tempted to play O'loughlin as stand off for his defensive qualities while Orr is out and Allen at 13.

The backs apart from the centre question oulined above pick themselves Moran, Vaikeli (I wish he had a different surname such as Smith!), Dallas, Rads and Carney in their usual spots.

So come on Denis this coaching lark isn't that hard is it get a grip and beef that pack up!

Dave

your sugestion for the pack is what Stuart Raper did against Bradford a few seasons ago and worked a treat,but for some reason has'nt been used again. Maybe because we hav'nt had enough players available because MO keeps buying players for positions that we don't need covering.
How about dropping Vaeliki rather than Aspinwall.
If we put a team on that can tackle were not going to get 30+ points put past us!

[warrior till i die]

DaveO posted:
Posted this inthe the other Wigan boards so may as well go for a hat trick. What do people think to this idea for the team?

It needs as much weight and experience in the pack as we have on the pitch for as long as we can manage.

So what that means to me is a startling line up of:

Seu Seu, Newton, Sculthorpe in the front row.
Guissett and Tickle in the second row
O'Loughlin at loose forward.

Subs for the props either one or both of Hargreaves and Prescott.
Subs for the second row either one or both of Wilde and Allen.

I'd be tempted to go with a bench of Wilde, Allen, Godwin and Hargreaves.

That leaves Aspwinall as centre, his preferred position. If Carney is back and Aspwinall not deemed good enough as a centre then he should just be dropped altogether to make way for someone like Hansen on the bench assuming Wilde is at centre. To be honest if we had anyone experienced available both Wilde and Aspwinall would be dropped as I aint impressed with either right now.

Given it is Leigh we are playing I reckon we can risk Brown at stand off again to give him some practice but were if it anyone else (i.e. a big physical team) I would be tempted to play O'loughlin as stand off for his defensive qualities while Orr is out and Allen at 13.

The backs apart from the centre question oulined above pick themselves Moran, Vaikeli (I wish he had a different surname such as Smith!), Dallas, Rads and Carney in their usual spots.

So come on Denis this coaching lark isn't that hard is it get a grip and beef that pack up!

Dave

Brilliant Dave. Why dont you coach us? And work on your spelling of vaeliki its getting there.

[DaveO]

robjoenz posted:
You've not really selected a team there DaveO, you've just listed every combination we haven't yet used.

I am not sure what you mean. For the Leigh game the backs pick themselves depending on whose fit with the only doubt over one centre slot.

The idea of my team was to address our biggest weakness as I see it - the pack. By getting Guisett on form the start in the second row (where he really belongs) we are not relying on a physically small player having to be played there because we have lost both Farrell and Hock.

I think the Guisset at 2nd row is a good idea, I was sure he played there for Warrington? However, maybe we'd need him to move upto prop as Tickle normal has to when we rotate our two props.

Yes Guisett played 2nd row at Wire and I reckon we have to rotate the props with one of Hargreaves and Prescott. That is the risky bit as they are very young. But they are props and what we need therefore is for Seu Seu and Scully to be on at least 30 mins a half with the rotation kept to a minimum.

Or even as someone else mentioned in jest, play both Newton and Godwin, it has worked in the past with Newton and M.Smith.

Newton in the second row is an idea. So long as we can beef the pack up I think we will be better off. Not too bothered how we do it!

I think if Carneys back we go with our first choice 3/4 line of (from right to left) Carney, Aspinwall, Vaealiki and Dallas. Aspinwall has only had one bad game, he's not suddenly become a bad player.

This would let us put Wilde in the second row again as another alternative to add some size.

Dave

[Fraggle]

warrior till i die posted:
And work on your spelling of vaeliki its getting there.

Erm, I hate to be a pedant but don't you mean VAEALIKI? Dave's not the only one who can't spell (and I've cheated by looking on the club's website for the proper spelling!)

[warrior till i die]

oh even im spelling it wrong now. I'll get it right one of these days

[Vaealikis Girl]

warrior till i die posted:
oh even im spelling it wrong now. I'll get it right one of these days

You get used to writing names like Vaealiki when you have a team full of Kiwis Unfortunately most of them have moved on to other teams now but we still have Afamasaga