How times change regarding phelpsy. he has gone from being a player who some sections of the crowd said that he should not play for wigan again unless we get an injury!

and since saints he has come back and been fantastic for us and his attack has been a revelation.

Cameron is the type of player clubs need and I am glad he is with us, there are not many players around who can play positions 1-6, and i also think he played at 9 some point for us last year. Mr.Versitility is cameron and on the wage he will be on have we got ourselves a bargain?

Well done Mr.Phelps and keep it up!

spot on - on top of all this I think given time he could make the full back shirt his own. Looks very promising in that position.

Full back is his preferred position and it shows.

Keep it up cameron

If Phelps plays then there is every chance Ainscough will miss out when we have a fully fit squad.

Dave

not if noble picks on form!

it would either be richards or amos to miss out.

would you drop phelps?

Roberts to miss out for me with Phelps to fullback.

He's scored trys and set plenty up since he's come back in and you just can't knock him at the moment.

It's now were seeing the value of his versitity and given the fact the lad could play 1-6 and also 9 we should be looking at keeping him on imo.

At the minute if your picking form players then its

1. Phelps
2. Pat
3. Carmont
4. Gleeson
5 Ainscough

I very much doubt Noble will have the balls to do this as he has proven time and time again he picks his big earners and reputation over form.

With Carmont and Richards on the left side thats spot on.

I can't see how Noble won't pick that on Saturday.

I'd go as far as to consider roberts ahead of pat if i'm honest, think we'd just miss the goal kicking too much.

Think it shows how we have gone with a Wing at fullback, Pat is solid at 1 but offers little threat Phelps certainly brings this to the table, with his go forward and link play and his ability to join the line at the right time.

Still think the writing is on the wall for him down to the fact we have Roberts, Richards on long term deals and Ainscough. His renewal should not be a priority, but if we can recruit in other areas and still retain him then and only then should we look to do so in my opinion.

I wouldn't drop him but Noble picking on form is the imponderable which is why I suggested Ainscough may miss out if we have a fully fit squad as Noble was going without Ainscough before Carmont withdrew.

After all, Ainscough isn't the finished article so Nobby keep telling us. He hasn't got an excuse lined up for dropping any of the others!

Dave

If he drops Ainscough for Saturday i'm going onto the pitch, picking Nobby up under my arm and taking him back to the Bradford team coach for the journey 'home'.

Part of me wants Shaun to be dropped now

I'd have Phelps in ahead of Roberts but not Richards, Gleeson, Carmont or Ainscough. Granted Richards has been poor in the couple of games since his injury but we need him for his kicking and I'm sure he'll pick up again soon enough. Could be worth playing Phelps at full back with Richards on the wing?

wasn't to keen when phelps left the ball instad of booting it out in the saints and celtic game. tries for the opposition both times.

I still think Roberts will come good for us, he's not even playing as bad as people make out imo.

For a change we actually have quality competition in the backs, and it looks like Phelps is really playing to stay, he impressed when he first joined, then his form dropped abit but since the saints game he has been fantastic - and has shown his versitality. Alot of people were saying we should have got rid of him and kept Colbon but hes shown in the past few games he can offer ALOT more than Colbon did/could.

Abit of a headache of selection problems for Noble but if Piggy is injured i can see Phelps playing impact hooker.

Funny that this topic has been started. I had intended starting one with the proposition that Phelps (on current form and asuming he continues to develop as he is) is now worth his quota spot. My reasoning is this. Smith aside, he was again the best import on the pitch yesterday from either side and given this includes players whose 'quota status' isn't in question, such as Feka, Drew etc. perhaps we should start to look at what he brings to the table. Firstly, his versatility. He can play all across the backline but, unlike the normal utility player, he appears capable of doing it to the highest level in a couple positions. Performances so far indicate that at FB and centre he his worth his place on merit and can cover wing to a 'journeyman' standard too. As many Aussies feel his best position is 6 and, for my own part, I rated him at 9 when he played there last season, that's a pretty comprehensive cv and something no-one else in our squad can boast. In fact whilst I realise he has to do it over a longer period to earn this comparison, it puts him alongside the likes of Panapa from past squads if he can do so and what price a Sam Panapa in our squad! Good rap if you ask me. Also, as has been mentioned on numerous other occassions, his commitment to Wigan cannot be faulted and he comes in on a much less wage than the normal import who is capable of playing at his level. He comfortably outplayed Demetriou yesterday who has been a good quota player for Wakefield.

Be interesting to get he views of this board.

If he can maintain the standards of recent games then he is a very useful player to have around - covering so many positions is undoubtedly handy, perhaps a good player to have on the bench to cover any position in the backline. For me the way he runs into the line and supports well he could be worth a try at 6.

The only real concerns for me are his injury record - hopefully this is just a temporary thing and not an indication of an injury prone nature and the quota issue - maybe he is worth a qutoa spot but as the number of quota players is reduced then things may look very different.

The pluses in his favour are the enthusiasm and effort he puts in.

Phelps is the kind of utility back that noble was after when we signed withers. Due to injuries the withers signing never really worked but you can't underestimate the value of having a player that can cover so many positions to a pretty good standard. The only thing going against him is his overseas status imo and whilst this isn't a problem at the moment it could become one in the future. Personally i am quite happy with having phelps around for his usefulness to the team and the enthusiasm he shows when playing.

I think Phelps at the minute is worth his weight in gold. He pays FB to a good standard but for me still shows that it is not his specialist position. He does well in three quarters and can cover hooker and stand off. As stated above, sam panapa like. I'd keep him on providing he can keep his form.

Was going to start a topic about Phelps earlier. His form since the Saints game has been excellent, he missed the Easter monday game, but half the 17 did also.

One thing about that is clear about Phelps is that he loves playing for Wigan, and as long as his form continues he is most definately a player to have around the club.

I was concerned when we picked him at centre yesterday but he played very well and didnt look out of place at all. Took his tries very well.

As he is a quota player and as far as the "club trained" rules go is classed as an overseas player, I am pretty sure that would have been why he was only given a contract to the end of this season as those rules were stricter when he signed his deal than they are now. Even with the rules relaxed a bit it is still odds on he will leave IMO.

Our quota players are Roberts, Bailey, Riddell, Smith and Phelps and in 2010 squads can have no more than [usix[/uplayers who are not classed as club trained or federation trained i.e. who are overseas players.

Players who are currently on the books who fall into that overseas player category are Roberts, Riddell, Smith, Phelps and Carmont and also Feka (I think) - six players.

Bailey and Richards get federation trained status due to one of the compromises. I am not sure if Feka does or not (depends when he joined) and TL is also classed as federation trained.

What this means given who's contracts are up at the end of the season is one or all of Smith, Carmont or Phelps must leave if we want to sign overseas player(s) and if we sign an Aussie or two (i.e, non Kolpak players) it must be Smith and/or Phelps as they are quota and Carmont is not.

Dave

I can understand the point about him being versatile but i do not think the way the squad is shaping up that this is essential really.

The key to his retention is his ability as a specialist 1 or 6 for me. We have 3/4 wingmen 3/4 centres and 2/3 hookers.

Agreed.

We are only allowed 6 overseas players next year. This year you are allowed 8.

Our current 8 are:

Cameron Phelps (Quota)
Tim Smith (Quota)
Mark Riddell (Quota)
Amos Roberts (Quota)
Phil Bailey (quota)
(Five quota players)
Feka Paleaasina (Samoa)
Pat Richards (Ireland)
George Carmont (Samoa)

Leuluai and Hansen count as UK trained players and don't count on the overseas quota.

For next season we currently have:

Pat Richards
Feka Paleaasina
Amos Roberts
Mark Riddell

with Tim Smith, Phil Bailey, George Carmont and Cameron Phelps coming off contract. I am assuming we want to sign George Carmont up so that would leave us with:

Pat Richards
Feka
Amos Roberts
Mark Riddell
George Carmont

with one space left. If we were to sign up Cameron Phelps then we would have no quota spaces left to sign up a prop forward or halfback from Australia.

For me with Richards, Roberts, Ainscough, Carmont, Gleeson, Goulding, Pryce we have enough cover.

This would leave one quota spot for a prop forward or halfback. But one will have to be English unless we decide for some reason not to extend Carmont's contract.

I think all that is correct.

does anyone actually think smith will stay beyond this season? when we signed him it was rumoured that it was only going to be a short term signing but I am unsure, if smith keeps the form up of the last two weeks will we want to release him? he has definately shown his class in the last couple of weeks.

And is Carmont included on the overseas? May sound a bit stupid but didnt we have to de register carmont to sign roberts who would of taken us over the overseas quota if george didnt get his samoan passport?