Good shout, I'm sure I got shot down for saying something like that 12 months ago. For me penny should have been playing in the run in.

if russell is a better winger than kev penny then i`ll support wigan..never in a million years..back end of the season russell did play ok and could`nt be faulted same as penny..for me our back line wud be ratchford(who i`m not a fan of) penny atkins evens lineham..half back young dec then im struggling but please not gidley or arnold sorry sadhow..or russell penny atkins ratchford lineham..

No backline next year should include evans, he is negative on attack.

Wouldn't it be interesting to swap Penny with Lineham while we have Atkins at centre for a stint?
Would it highlight the weakness on the left edge once and for all?

I'm somewhat undecided on whether retaining Kevin is a good thing or not, but the choice of wingers is largely irrelevant anyway.

Regardless of whether Penny, Lineham, Russell, Evans, my mother, the bloke who owns my local paper shop or a traffic cone line up on either flank, they need a decent selfless, creative centre inside them, and at the moment we have none. Toby King may develop into one, and Atkins had a good season doing what he does (which isn't being a wingers centre) but apart from that nothing.

Whoever is on the wing deserves at least a fighting chance to show what they can do, and a centre who can put them 1-on-1 with the opposition, or pull in the defence then set them free, would be a good start.

Having said that, I wouldn't shed a tear if Evans, Penny, Atkins & Russell were nowhere near our threequarter line next year.

I cannot give you an argument

Didnt Penny's breakaway for Dec's try against come down the right wing ? Warrington left-wingers, scapegoats since .............

............ Matt King, which was when we last had a good left winger. It's really not scapegoating (I feel you may be wanting to point that finger at Atkins). Penny is alright, Riley was alright but we can do better and fans had got used to seeing better in recent times.

This. Compare the likes penny and Riley to wigans wingers, Charnley and manfredi... Or leeds wingers Hall and Briscoe.

It's like men versus boys.

Penny is arguably not a sl quality winger full stop, highlighted by the lack interest in him from other clubs, he definitely isn't what a team competing for trophies should be turning to.

Fair points, but, I think that the key word is "arguably" Ignoring the rumour mill as to why Penny was or wasn't selected and in the interest of fairness do you think that Penny has been given a fair crack of the whip as I think that's where most of the argument still is shoe horning none wingers into unfamiliar roles whilst the two obvious candidates where elsewhere?

He has had multiple seasons at the club and whilst he scored tries, as has any winger at wire over the last ten years, he has glaring faults in his game, which even at 29 years old are still apparent.

The only thing that baffles me is why the club resigned him, must be on very low pay and obviously came through academy which always helps.

I know he's not 23 and over a career he's been given a go, but, he was re signed and my comments are based on the baffling notion that you sign a winger who you know so well including a few faults, but, with pace and then play......erm a Centre on one wing and a Full Back on the other seems a bit daft to me

It is daft, we looked better balanced with Penny playing on the wing, Russell has faults as well (especially on the wing) but his go forward is very useful. It will be interesting to see where Smith strengthens over the off season.

I've heard people talk about his faults etc. but ... every time he is picked I think that's good. He's got something others don't have and I do like a bit of pace. I have been a bit flummoxed with Tony Smith and his wing selection this year. I've never been one to knock Tony Smith but I think he got it wrong and I doubt if he'll ever do the same again. Smithy is always one for saying how we learn by various experiences ... and I'm hoping he will learn as well.

Penny would have took every chance Russell had at the GF and scored. Towards the end when Russell stopped and tried to cut inside but was bundled into touch and all out Winger like Penny would have leapt to the corner flag for an acrobatic try. He may not have scored but you've got better chance of winning the game doing that rather than what Russell did. FWIW I thought Russell had one of his best games for us in the final but that still doesn't make me think he's a better winger.

I'm not sure why people are having a pop at Penny so much.

Haven't we already established that, although Penny doesn't nail every single tackle, that he has been left floundering in no mans land umpteen times in the past by his centre and sometimes his second row???

Question for you Penny knockers, if Evans wasnt the tackle machine that he is (i.e. nailing most one on one tackles ball n all), would we be slating whoever was playing outside of him for their defensive frailties as much as we do Penny?

For me Penny is enthusiastic, takes numerous knock ups, has speed, is usually safe under the high ball and is acrobatic when needed to be. Lets get him playing next year rather than persisting in doing what Smith has done in recent weeks!!!

You had me until you called Evans a tackle machine. He isn't. He makes some good reads and has saved a few tries over the season but he has cost us a few as well. Why doesn't anybody see that or his total lack of creativity?

Look don't get me wrong I don't dislike penny or Evans and feel they have tried their best for us and done some good things BUT if we want to improve the side then these are areas which we can improve on. They will still get game time with injuries to others and won't let us down but they shouldn't be first choice in a team with ambition of winning the treble which I hope we now are. Don't forget that Charnley was out of favour at Wigan at one point in 2015 and he would have been our best winger at the time (still would). The sides that are most successful are ruthless in their aim to improve.

Ok, so tackle machine maybe a bit excessive but I honestly believe his one on one tackling is probably the best in the league. Not only does he drop the attacker but typically wraps the ball up as well. Dont get me wrong, I am complimenting him as a defensive centre because, as you, I feel his attacking is awful. But the reason I brought Evans up was because of Penny being labelled as a liability.....which I honestly don't think he is........ Evans has prevented numerous opportunities down his side which has papered over any defensive frailties of his winger. Penny has be made to look useles as he's been left in two minds which of the 2 or even 3 attackers running at him to tackle because his centre and second row have missed tackles or shot out of the line looking for the big hit only to be sidestepped or passed around.

I'm not saying Penny is amazing defensively and that non of it is his fault, but equally he isn't as bad as people are making out!

Let's be more specific, Charnley was out of favour with Sean Wane not Wigan. Charnley wasn't out of form, just out of the team sheet.

Fair point, but Charnley certainly came back a better player for it. Besides however much I like Penny as a local talent and believe he should have been in the team for the latter part of the season I don't put him in the same talent bracket as Charnley.

2016 SL appearances = 18, trys = 13, games lost when played = 3.

Quote ="10_15_Merchant"2016 SL appearances = 18, trys = 13, games lost when played = 3.'" Matt Russell stats:- https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 1p3zWcgQag

Quote ="10_15_Merchant"2016 SL appearances = 18, trys = 13, games lost when played = 3.'" Matt Russell stats:- https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 1p3zWcgQag

Any winger in sl would score tries in the warrington team, as shown by all the regular wingers records over last ten years.

apart from Russell then... 9 tries to his name.

How many appearances has he made on the wing this season?