: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:52 pm  

Red Hot Jalapeno wrote:

Cant say ive seen much of Sam Tomkins play BUT, what makes people think that adding him to the team will make such a difference?

Ok for arguments sake he plays against Hull,lets say he starts at halfback. No matter how good he is or isnt it wont make one bit of difference if the players around him cannot hold onto the ball and they dont show any enthusiasm to run after loose balls and put the effort in.

Before people start on about Noble it should not be his job to get them players up for the first game of the season,and a home game at that! Noble should not need to teach pro RL players how to catch a bloody ball!

The blame lies with the players who played on Sunday,the errors were schoolboy stuff and things they should be able to do without a coach telling them.

The way people are talking Sam Tomkins is some kind of God who by playing will suddenly fix everything. The pressure put on him by the fans is now huge, im glad im not him.

This is my line of thinking. The worse case scenario for Sam is to come in and be expected to "save the team". If the team defend as they did, catch (or not catch!) like they did and act like they did - what can he possibly do?

Its the players that played on Sunday that can fix things.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:53 pm  

*BTW that's not me saying I don't think Sam should play - I think he should. I just don't think people can expect him to turn everything around - a lot of players have to do a lot of things before this team can turn around.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:59 pm  

Elle Coco wrote:

*BTW that's not me saying I don't think Sam should play - I think he should. I just don't think people can expect him to turn everything around - a lot of players have to do a lot of things before this team can turn around.

This is the point im making. We lost the game V Wakey because pretty much the whole team were crap. They couldnt catch a cold,they didnt look interested and the worst bit they seemed to be jogging after loose balls.

You could have Andrew Johns in his prime in the team but it would make no difference if the players around him dont pull their finger out. Even if Tomkins comes in and wins us a tight game V Hull with some individual brilliance it will only paper over the cracks of the other problems (schoolboy errors!)

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:07 pm  

jinkin jimmy wrote:

Hold on a minute! Nobby is not getting off scot free here. Agreed the players selected didn't perform well but Nobby's selections were baffling also. He has to take at least some blame.

We dont know the ins and outs. Noble is the coach,we have to trust his judgement. If we are not gonna do that then we might as well just sack him now. Wether you agree with his selection or not,he knows a lot more about the players at his disposal than we do. Maybe he did make a blunder selection wise,it seems he did but which ever way around you play them the team was good enough to beat Wakefield easily. Thats no disrespect to Wakey,but they had half there key players missing.

The reason for the loss was the 17 players who couldnt do the basic things right. The team selection just didnt take advantage of our strengths.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:12 pm  

Sam shouldn't be billed as some sort of saviour for Wigan Rugby League club but what his inclusion in the 17 for Friday would do is add some much needed balance.

Instead of having to make 4 positional changes just to rest Piggy we can bring the lad on and kill 2 birds with 1 stone. We give him some much needed experience at the same time as gaining some extra balance for the side and some much needed flair.

The kid may not be a saviour but he's a good rugby league player who's in massive need of some first team game......if Noble isn't going to give them him here then cut the lad a break and loan him out to a club who will.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:28 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Instead of having to make 4 positional changes just to rest Piggy we can bring the lad on and kill 2 birds with 1 stone. We give him some much needed experience at the same time as gaining some extra balance for the side and some much needed flair.

Exactly. Wouldn't complain at either him or McIlorum being included - but would prefer Sam as it means Tommy can push up to 9 (where he has been playing far far better).

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:31 pm  

Definately an improvement in terms of squad and subbing people but once again no matter whos on the field it wont help if the rest of the team dont pull there finger out.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:55 pm  

Red Hot Jalapeno wrote:

Cant say ive seen much of Sam Tomkins play BUT, what makes people think that adding him to the team will make such a difference?

Adds speed
Has balance
Is clever
Natural instinct
Proven tryscorer

Brian Noble wouldn't know what those attributes were.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:56 pm  

Red Hot Jalapeno wrote:

Definately an improvement in terms of squad and subbing people but once again no matter whos on the field it wont help if the rest of the team dont pull there finger out.

True enough.

The unwillingness of the team to do the small things like running of the ball is why i really worry about Tim Smiths impact on the side! He lives on good runners and if they run good lines for him he'll find them with good ball but if that doesn't happen fans will soon get on the back of him and he'll probably just jak it in and return home.

: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:05 pm  

The Eclipse wrote:

Adds speed
Has balance
Is clever
Natural instinct
Proven tryscorer

Brian Noble wouldn't know what those attributes were.

about right that.