: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:53 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Just feel Smith (But who knows) won't want to be at Wigan for another season.

If Prescott is ready maybe he deserves a call up, but doesn't Pryce? Only 17 spots..

Moi Moi on the interchange with Feka would be awesome. But where does this leave the likes of Prescott and O Carroll with Feka and Fielden already in the team? I would love Moi Moi, but maybe the buck would be better spent on a good HB to play with Sam and a top quality centre.

We could interchange O'Carrol and Prescott on the bench, if they are performing on the pitch we could give them a perminent place in the starting line-up

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:55 pm  

Thought Fielden was here till late 2010?

Would keep him on a much reduced contract or sell him. Would be interesting to see what we could get with the cap freed up by

Fielden
Mathers
Phelps
Coley
Smith
Bailey
dare I say Goulding?

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:56 pm  

I reckon keep the same as last week - There's no point in throwing Sam T in straight away against Bradford - Bradford are a big pack, they will tire after the second half... Thats when he should put Sam in, maybe even 5-10 minutes later than he did against Quins.

Smiths defence is terrible - In London, I watched him prepare for a tackle and then back out at the last minute - It's a shame because he can be a quality player & can produce an awsome pass - But his defence is shocking, that's gonna be his downfall

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:15 pm  

I am staggered how some people can defend having Tim Smith in the side. He is a shadow of his former self, I do not care what he has won in the past so far at Wigan he has not produced the goods. He has looked absolutely awful in defense his positioning is out of place, his tackling technique is ridiculous for a halfback and his general fitness does not look up to scratch. He is a big weak link in our defense and teams will continue to exploit this all season. It infuriates me when I see him shouting and screaming at the rest of the team when he is the one who is letting players get passed him!

I appreciate people do not want to rush Sam Tomkins but I do not think we are rushing him at all in fact I think the opposite we have been far too slow to bring him into the first team. He needs more game time and seems to thrive on the expectation put on him. He is also very solid in defense as was evident against Harlequins. We looked a far better team with Smith off the field and Sam Tomkins on it. I don't care what age he is, if we're a better team with Sam Tomkins on the field then he should start next week against Bradford. He's ready.

As for Smith IMO he needs a few extra sessions with Mike Forshaw as he does not look fit enough to play consistently for 80 minutes. He needs a lot more work on his tackling technique and we'll see how it goes from there. I'm sure there is a good player in Tim Smith somewhere but so far there has been little evidence of this and it's something we need to address to benefit both Wigan and Tim Smith. He's had a long time out of the game so I'm willing to accept to a certain extent but some of the tackles he's made this season have been shocking and he seems very rusty in that department and unfit. Something which can be fixed and IMO we should give him a couple of weeks out to address these issues, Sam Tomkins is more than capable of filling in for him until Tim Smith is ready for first team action again but until then he should not be playing next week.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:17 pm  

We needMoi Moi is a very good player but I really wouldn’t take him. This team is crying out for a leader and there aren’t very many around imo.

We need a Faz type player who will in situations were the game is in the balance put in the hard yards, steady the ship and make sure focus isn’t lost. Peacock did it against us in the CC last year and does it numerous times in the big games. We are crying out for a prop like that and despite his age Petro will do exactly that for you. I wouldn’t expect him to be the top of the meter charts but he’d add far much more to our game.

Fielden.
Feka
Petro
Prescott/O’Carroll- Both of these will get plenty of game time via injuries, cup games & rotation. Then when Fielden leaves we can accommodate both of them with ease and Mossop can step up into the role Prescott and O’Carroll currently fill.

Easy as pie…………

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:18 pm  

Playing as an out and out 7 with some extra defensive work/tackle work we'd see a different Tim Smith.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:23 pm  

Why this thread has drifted off topic I don't know but Fui Fui Moi Moi is not the type of prop forward we need. He is another impact prop and having 2 of them in the same team is pointless. We need a grafter someone that will run their blood to water and lead from the front. Andy Lynch, Luke Bailey, Petero Civonaceva (sp) would all fit that bill.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:24 pm  

On another note I don't like the way Wigan attack with a pitch split with a 1st receiver either side of the pitch.

I prefer a 1st and 2nd receiver of both halfbacks. Like Burrow/McGuire Edwards Greg.

With Smith and Sam this would work.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:38 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I've not seen it for myself but I've heard Prescott isn't exactly setting the world on fire in the reserves. I thought he was a cracking prospect b4 he was injured last season, thats my reasoning for putting Pryce on the bench.

Looking at the likes of Tomkins, Ainscough J Tomkins, O Carroll and hopefully Prescott I'm more than pleased with the young Wigan lads pushing through. Hopefully the likes of Farrell Flanny Mossop will push through giving us a strong young wigan 'backbone' to our team. That with some intelligent signings we could have a good structure, for me, the signs are beginning to show.

Maybe for next season

1 Richards
2 Roberts
3 (New centre)
4 Carmont
5 Ainscough
6 Tomkins
7 (New 7 Dobson?
8 Fielden
9 Tommy
10 O Carroll
11 Hansen
12 Lockers
13 J Tomkins
------------------
14 Feka
15 Hock (like to see Hock made into a naughty person prop?)
16 Riddell/McClorum
17 Pryce
----------------------
Mossop
Farrell etc pushing on for places
-----------------------
No room for

Phelps
Bailey
Coley
Mathers (Sooner take the cash their cap space will leave)
-----------------------
Smith will probably go regardless.

Can see Pryce going if he doesn't prove his fitness. If not him then Goulding going as I don't see the need for both to cover

That side looks very strong IMO
I think a sh1thouse prop, solid partner for Sam (6 or 7 would do), a top centre to play with Roberts

Luke Bailey would be ideal, Petero would want too much and to say he is getting on is an understatement

As for the half back Dobson would be fantastic, Orford has been mentioned, didn't someone mention Richie Myler (is he off contract?) if he is I think we would be stupid not to go for him

IMO him and Sam will be the future England half back partnership in around 3 years or so. I know there is a big question of experience but we we would have other leaders on the field to help them. I know we would have to wait a season or 2 for them to develop but I for one think it would be worth the wait. Stability is often mentioned on here and they could be our half back partnership for the next 10 years. Dare I even say another Edwards and Gregory

We should still have a lot of money left on the cap so a centre in the Cooper/Gasnier/Inglis mould should be targetted

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:41 pm  

cadoo wrote:

I am staggered how some people can defend having Tim Smith in the side. He is a shadow of his former self, I do not care what he has won in the past so far at Wigan he has not produced the goods. He has looked absolutely awful in defense his positioning is out of place, his tackling technique is ridiculous for a halfback and his general fitness does not look up to scratch. He is a big weak link in our defense and teams will continue to exploit this all season. It infuriates me when I see him shouting and screaming at the rest of the team when he is the one who is letting players get passed him!

I appreciate people do not want to rush Sam Tomkins but I do not think we are rushing him at all in fact I think the opposite we have been far too slow to bring him into the first team. He needs more game time and seems to thrive on the expectation put on him. He is also very solid in defense as was evident against Harlequins. We looked a far better team with Smith off the field and Sam Tomkins on it. I don't care what age he is, if we're a better team with Sam Tomkins on the field then he should start next week against Bradford. He's ready.

As for Smith IMO he needs a few extra sessions with Mike Forshaw as he does not look fit enough to play consistently for 80 minutes. He needs a lot more work on his tackling technique and we'll see how it goes from there. I'm sure there is a good player in Tim Smith somewhere but so far there has been little evidence of this and it's something we need to address to benefit both Wigan and Tim Smith. He's had a long time out of the game so I'm willing to accept to a certain extent but some of the tackles he's made this season have been shocking and he seems very rusty in that department and unfit. Something which can be fixed and IMO we should give him a couple of weeks out to address these issues, Sam Tomkins is more than capable of filling in for him until Tim Smith is ready for first team action again but until then he should not be playing next week.

Absoulutely spot on.