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I agree with most of your post, but I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Harry Smith.Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 4:52 pm Our attack seems to be made up of two Australian’s, one injured and back home and the other playing out of position. Smith looks like he needs a couple of weeks on the sidelines whilst Tommy looks a shadow of his former self. It is a pity Field is not available to partner Hastings. I don’t foresee any excitement soon
I agree with you. I think a couple of weeks rest and then a return playing with Hastings would help him.bertina wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:14 pmI agree with most of your post, but I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Harry Smith.Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 4:52 pm Our attack seems to be made up of two Australian’s, one injured and back home and the other playing out of position. Smith looks like he needs a couple of weeks on the sidelines whilst Tommy looks a shadow of his former self. It is a pity Field is not available to partner Hastings. I don’t foresee any excitement soon
He is playing behind a pack that is getting murdered most weeks, he’s receiving passes from the slowest acting half back in SL, and getting zero help from Tommy who is offering absolutely nothing.
The lad is on a hiding to nothing.
Who would you rest him for? What forward do you want playing in the backs now???Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:53 pmI agree with you. I think a couple of weeks rest and then a return playing with Hastings would help him.bertina wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:14 pmI agree with most of your post, but I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Harry Smith.Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 4:52 pm Our attack seems to be made up of two Australian’s, one injured and back home and the other playing out of position. Smith looks like he needs a couple of weeks on the sidelines whilst Tommy looks a shadow of his former self. It is a pity Field is not available to partner Hastings. I don’t foresee any excitement soon
He is playing behind a pack that is getting murdered most weeks, he’s receiving passes from the slowest acting half back in SL, and getting zero help from Tommy who is offering absolutely nothing.
The lad is on a hiding to nothing.
Not if Hastings plays in his true position and Tommy plays alongside him. Why would we need to play a forward in his position? Do you think that we should continue with Smith at halfback and Hastings at fullback? That’s working well!wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:03 pmWho would you rest him for? What forward do you want playing in the backs now???Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:53 pmI agree with you. I think a couple of weeks rest and then a return playing with Hastings would help him.bertina wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:14 pm
I agree with most of your post, but I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Harry Smith.
He is playing behind a pack that is getting murdered most weeks, he’s receiving passes from the slowest acting half back in SL, and getting zero help from Tommy who is offering absolutely nothing.
The lad is on a hiding to nothing.
Why on Earth should we be partnering Hastings with Tommy? What experience does Smith acquire playing alongside someone as poor as Tommy is performing now? Hastings and Tommy leave at seasons end and the only possible replacement you want having splinters in his arse whilst watching this mess from the sidelines!Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:16 pmNot if Hastings plays in his true position and Tommy plays alongside him. Why would we need to play a forward in his position? Do you think that we should continue with Smith at halfback and Hastings at fullback? That’s working well!wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:03 pmWho would you rest him for? What forward do you want playing in the backs now???Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:53 pm
I agree with you. I think a couple of weeks rest and then a return playing with Hastings would help him.
+1! TL is the experienced player and should be taking the lead, instead he’s leaving it to smith and it’s too much for the kid atm. Tommy has been a good servant to the club but he’s played on a season or 2 too long for me. Absolute passenger when it comes to attacking play, nothing but a couple of big hits in D a game isn’t good enough to be a starting half for Wigan in my opinion.EagleEyePie wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 8:50 pm Smith needs to be in the halves with Hastings. Sure, Smith has made mistakes through errors of judgement in the last few games but he's often been the only one trying to make things happen. Leuluai hasn't made some poor drop outs because he doesn't take them as he can hardly kick the ball more than 20 metres. Leuluai hasn't thrown intercept passes in recent games because he so rarely, if ever, gets the ball as 2nd receiver and looks for the crucial pass. Leuluai hasn't kicked wildly out on the full on the last tackle because Leuluai hardly ever kicks the ball.
Smith makes mistakes but he also does make things happen. He creates opportunities, he puts players through gaps, he supports, he puts in smart kicks, he creates tries. He's not done it enough this year but neither have a lot of our players. He's flawed, but at times his pairing with Hastings worked well.
What opportunities has Leuluai created? How many times has he put players through gaps? Where's his support play? Where are his smart kicks? Where are the tries he's created?
Real captains knock from Tommy this year. 8 game. 0 tries. 0 assists. 7 attacking kicks. 12 kicks in play.
When the team is doing it tough you want your captain to lead by example. You want him to be one of the best performers. He want him to take control, to make the decisions, to be a calm presence. When things have been tough this season we've barely even seen Leuluai.
My view is that Smith needs a couple of weeks on the sidelines he is shot. Then he needs to partner Hastings. Why would you pick Tommy in the 17 if he is playing so poorly? Surely, that is wasting a substitution? Again, why would we have to play another forward in the backs?wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 7:37 pmWhy on Earth should we be partnering Hastings with Tommy? What experience does Smith acquire playing alongside someone as poor as Tommy is performing now? Hastings and Tommy leave at seasons end and the only possible replacement you want having splinters in his arse whilst watching this mess from the sidelines!Charriots Offiah wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:16 pmNot if Hastings plays in his true position and Tommy plays alongside him. Why would we need to play a forward in his position? Do you think that we should continue with Smith at halfback and Hastings at fullback? That’s working well!wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:03 pm
Who would you rest him for? What forward do you want playing in the backs now???
I have no doubt Smith is not playing well. He is not the only one. Our best combination is (and I've been banging the drum since the close season) is Smith and Hastings with TL interchanging with Powell. Only Lam and the happyclappers think what they are seeing at the moment is "fine"