https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/08/ ... salford-6/ Only Dupree missing from last week.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/08/ ... salford-6/ Only Dupree missing from last week.

Glad to see Mago and O’Neill in they hope they play.

Field
Miski
King
Wardle
Marshall
French
Smith
Ellis
O’Neill (Cust if not fit)
Byrne
KPP
Farrell
Smithies

Mago (Shorrocks if not fit)
Hill
Nsemba
Powell

Crazy to think I’m so relieved Mago is in the squad, hope Dupree is nothing serious, we should have enough for Salford but I don’t think it will be easy

Failed HIA for Dupree I believe.

If there's any doubt about O'Neill I'd rest him this week

Hill for Dupree will be the only change I’d imagine. We’re going to need to be good again because it feels like Salford have really turned a corner.

Agee on both counts.
My worry is that Nsemba and Hill when they play have only played minimal minutes and on Friday they both will have to play extended minutes. If Mago actually isn’t fit then we will be really stretched in the front row.

Salford are a dangerous team and if we in anyway underestimate them we will be in a lot of trouble come Friday. I’m really looking forward to what could be a very entertaining game.

That’s true. It feels a bit like we’ve under used Hill at times and then Nsemba is a beast of a kid but is still getting to grips with it all from a fitness POV. He is so strong carrying the ball up but it’s early days and he’s getting used to the pace of the games. It’s been so pleasing to see both get good minutes this season. We’re two players up already for next season because of that.

Undoubtedly, but if I had to pick between how they've been used Vs the old approach under Lam then I'm happy with them being drip fed in.

Either way, I'm sure both are made up with their game time and they are definitely well ahead of where I'm sure they'd thought they'd be development wise.

I look at Nsemba and just go ‘wow’. He looks bigger than he did in pre season and he’s going to be one hell of a specimen in a couple of years time. The approach is the right one for sure. Lam didn’t have loads of choice but he should’ve flogged guys like Mitch Clark over Shorrocks, Byrne etc. The two lads just having a taste this season will make them really hungry in pre season. Harvie Hill looked like he shed loads of puppy fat in the last one, so now needs to add some size and Nsemba just needs to keep working on his fitness.

I’m more than happy how both lads are developing.
I’ve stated previously that I can have a blind spot for lads coming through the system but in Nsemba and Hill I think that we could have the genuine article with both guys. Hill comes from good stock and he comes across as a real solid guy with a fantastic work ethic. I was a little sceptical about Nsemba but he’s been great and I can only see him getting better and better the more game time that he gets.
With Farrimond and Forber still to come through we’ve got some real talent in the pipeline.

Nsemba is one that really ex it’s me.

He’s still very raw and gasses quickly but both those can be resolved with game time, which he is getting.

I noticed against Catalans he was stood next to KPP and looked taller than him and he has more of a physical presence.

It’s correct what you say he does look bigger every time you see him, he is one hell of a specimen. His physical gifts are often wasted by poor attitude (Gareth Hock) but he seems very level headed and hard working.,

Very exciting prospect and I believe the sky is the limit.

I think he is a player we should enjoy watching whilst we can over the next 4 or 5 years as I think it’s inevitable if he continues to progress like he currently is the NRL call is inevitable.

Nsemba went to shevy High and was well liked and had a great attitude from all accounts.
Looks the real deal and could be the next Wigan great.

I thought he went to the Deanery?

He was younger than my daughter by a couple of years at Shevington high,she left so he could have gone to Deanery after but he was at Shevy until year 9 at least.

Quote ="Jason65"He was younger than my daughter by a couple of years at Shevington high,she left so he could have gone to Deanery after but he was at Shevy until year 9 at least.'" I’ve no doubt you are right. I just found the attached which suggests he did move to the Deanery. https://www.totalrl.com/forums/index.ph ... -for-2022/

Quote ="Jason65"He was younger than my daughter by a couple of years at Shevington high,she left so he could have gone to Deanery after but he was at Shevy until year 9 at least.'" I’ve no doubt you are right. I just found the attached which suggests he did move to the Deanery. https://www.totalrl.com/forums/index.ph ... -for-2022/

Shorrocks in for Dupree otherwise unchanged, Partington and Singleton starting props for Salford

Impressive half from Wigan that. Mago the difference maker again. Four tries to zero with the two penalties conceded only from bad referee decisions.

Not a great performance. Quite flat but didn’t have to get out of 3rd gear.

Probably a very good type of performance after putting in so much effort last week.

My main concern tonight was a lack of push around the ball but easy to resolve.

Defence ok, few errors but scramble got us out of bother.

6 out of 10, but that’s all it needed to be.

Top of the league no injuries, didn’t take much out of the tank. Professional performance. Job done.

Good win. Wasted chances at time but still a lot of positives. Hopefully a clean bill of health. Is there any word on when Harvard’s fit?

Another superb performance to the detriment of some very iffy ref calls in the first half. Byrne was immense again. Since he got dropped, he has turned into an absolute machine.

At the beginning of the season we had Byrne, Nsemba, Hill, O'neill and to a lesser extent Havard who were a bit undercooked for first grade along with being very weak in the centres. Going into 2024 these lot will be like new signings added to the actual new signings with more experience behind them. Such a shame it looks like King is going back. He suits this side so well.

I have to say, discipline recently has been outstanding and this all stems from Smithies. He seems to have lost his childish niggle and when provoked, reacts in a positive way and just runs harder next time. He really is maturing into a top class loose forward. International honours next year is a certainty. When Smithies keeps a cool head, the whole squad seems to respond in the same way.

Agree re. Smithies, x couple of occasions tonight where two seasons ago he'd definitely have lost his cool and ended up in bother, good professional performance, two points in the bag and a good turnaround till next week

I don’t know what Ellis’ stats were but from where I was sitting every carry he made was exactly what was needed for the following play. He doesn’t do anything flash but we struggle without him.

Some great candidates for most improved player - Miski and O'Neill being the other two big ones but Ellis tops the list for me. Rock solid front rower who is now making a massive impact on the game.

Field was MOM by a distance though tonight.

Thought we did well to stay patient and keep it simple for the first quarter of the game before breaking clear. Salford are a team I think we match up well against - we have a team of very mobile and durable players and their expansive plays won't hurt us as much as some other teams. Only slight disappointment was dropping off a little around the 55 minute mark when I thought we could push forward and score another couple but that is nit picking. Great effort to back up last week.

I’ve been waiting for a ‘most underrated player in Superleague’ topic for a while now. It has to be Ellis! He’s had some brain farts from a disciplinary pov but in between the guy has had a marvellous season. I’m still reeling from a conversation I had with a couple of Wigan fans on Total RL, who said he is a bog average player and should be released!! Thankfully the club went the opposite way and gave him 3 more years. I think he has it in him to become one of, if not the best prop in the league in that time.

Field was sensational. The performance levels he’ll need to reach to get a MOM award on Sky are almost unattainable. If a British fullback put in that display, it would reduce them to quivering wrecks! If that British fullback had a surname that began with W, well, it doesn’t bare thinking about.