Wigan squad for Leeds

[nathan_rugby]

Well, for most of the season we had Isa and Farrell as centres.

Because Gildart was injured, Hardaker injured or covering fullback and Bibby covering wing for injuries.

And only one of those is a centre! Bibby is a winger and Hardaker a full back. Yes they can also cover centre but that's what they are doing, covering. Just another example of the shambolic squad management and recruiting that forces square pegs into round holes. I still don't know why the club brought in Field when we had French and needed a centre. Apart from playing academy players who are specialist centres at centre (which is not the kind of thing he does anyway sticking academy backs on the wing) Lam has no choice but to compromise.

I do agree there are question marks around signings and squad management. I think we also try to sign versatile players that is a blessing and a curse.

We signed French when we didn’t really need him. But he absolutely has delivered at fullback and didn’t Zak get our player of the season at centre?

If Gildart was on old form, I’d be happy with a centre pairing of Gildart and Zak. I much prefer Bibby at Wing also, so would want Halsall to start getting opportunities at centre when the time is right.

With regards to Field it is again a strange one. He’s likely to be on a cheap ish contract, he really needed a club and to get his career going again. The club were either signing him as a versatile back OR mitigation against French or Hastings leaving. That risk hasn’t paid off but you can see the thinking given he is labelled as a fullback or stand off. If the club signed a half back to mitigate Hastings leaving and it was French who left, we would have been left depleted at centre as Zak would move to full back.

It’s all ifs, buts and maybes but it does feel like the squad management hasn’t been the best the last couple of seasons.

[Southern Softy]

It's history now and I'm hoping that these mistakes won't be made again but I don't think anyone would disagree that Halsall should have been in the team at the first opportunity which would have freed up one second-row position. The main point is that if you have a problem in a position, it seemed and still seems odd to then take a player from his regular position and thus create another problem whereby you have a second-row at centre and a replacement at second-row, who wouldn't normally get selected there. We got by because Farrell (particularly) and Isa were skilled and talented pros and filled in pretty well.

What is worrying is that either we're not bringing through backs from the academy or that we are and they are either not good enough or perhaps not trusted enough. It does seem that the coaching regime would rather use an older player out of position than look for a young one to come through in his chosen position. That doesn't bode well down the line for us. Hope I'm wrong.

[nathan_rugby]

It's history now and I'm hoping that these mistakes won't be made again but I don't think anyone would disagree that Halsall should have been in the team at the first opportunity which would have freed up one second-row position. The main point is that if you have a problem in a position, it seemed and still seems odd to then take a player from his regular position and thus create another problem whereby you have a second-row at centre and a replacement at second-row, who wouldn't normally get selected there. We got by because Farrell (particularly) and Isa were skilled and talented pros and filled in pretty well.

What is worrying is that either we're not bringing through backs from the academy or that we are and they are either not good enough or perhaps not trusted enough. It does seem that the coaching regime would rather use an older player out of position than look for a young one to come through in his chosen position. That doesn't bode well down the line for us. Hope I'm wrong.

Fair point, it’s all about finding a balance isn’t it. The problem is there isn’t much faith in Lam with regards to the decision making and there has been so much chopping and changing. Shorrocks at 9 is a prime example when he didn’t need to play him there as there are two other 9s on the squad. I get that his defence is on point but it’s the attacking side we and he lacks at that position.

I do agree this season there were times he should have just gone with Hanley at fullback and also times he could have maybe played Halsall at Centre.

[DaveO]

It's history now and I'm hoping that these mistakes won't be made again but I don't think anyone would disagree that Halsall should have been in the team at the first opportunity which would have freed up one second-row position. The main point is that if you have a problem in a position, it seemed and still seems odd to then take a player from his regular position and thus create another problem whereby you have a second-row at centre and a replacement at second-row, who wouldn't normally get selected there. We got by because Farrell (particularly) and Isa were skilled and talented pros and filled in pretty well.

What is worrying is that either we're not bringing through backs from the academy or that we are and they are either not good enough or perhaps not trusted enough. It does seem that the coaching regime would rather use an older player out of position than look for a young one to come through in his chosen position. That doesn't bode well down the line for us. Hope I'm wrong.

Fair point, it’s all about finding a balance isn’t it. The problem is there isn’t much faith in Lam with regards to the decision making and there has been so much chopping and changing. Shorrocks at 9 is a prime example when he didn’t need to play him there as there are two other 9s on the squad. I get that his defence is on point but it’s the attacking side we and he lacks at that position.

I do agree this season there were times he should have just gone with Hanley at fullback and also times he could have maybe played Halsall at Centre.

I had some sympathy with Lam over selecting the backs when he has had just one specialist centre as a recognised first team player but that vanished when he resorted to musical chairs and playing players out of position compounding the issue.

As to the squad management this is one reason I can see a justification in having a Director of Rugby if they are tasked with recruitment and squad retention. IL & Rads don't seem to have a clue what they are doing and I doubt a Director of Rugby would have gone for Field given the squad at the time.

[Blackpool_Pie]

I have sympathy for Lam with poor recruitment and injuries this season, however playing Hastings at fullback for several games when we desperately needed him at stand off and had young Hanley not even in the squad was unforgivable for me

[morley pie eater]

Less than 2 hours to kick-off. A bit of positivity and support for the 13 on the field is what's called for. Post mortems can come later.

Come on Wigan!!

[Charriots Offiah]

Hardaker
Bibby
Isa
Gildart
Marshall
Hastings
Smith

Partington
Powell
Singleton
Farrell
Bateman
Smithies

KPP
Byrne
Harvard
Shorrocks

That’s the 17 for tonight, Brian is Lammy in disguise. Can you now tell us the score?

[Charriots Offiah]

Less than 2 hours to kick-off. A bit of positivity and support for the 13 on the field is what's called for. Post mortems can come later.

Come on Wigan!!

Exactly. Above all else I want you to be able to walk down your street Morley with your chest out and head held high whilst our Yorkshire friends scurry to the shadows

[morley pie eater]

Thanks Chariots.

Wigan are 8/11 favourites - that's about 58% to 42%.

My prediction is an 18-12 win.

[Firestarter]

We will do leeds tonight come on wigan