So this implies then that we didn't miss Phelps as much as we may have thought. I doubt he would have scored that try Roberts scored right at the end. He wouldn't have had the pace.

We will miss phelps on sat and for coming 4 weeks just hope they put pat/amos there at F/B and bring in goulding who is a bit more solid than ainscough

Not really, he just brings different types of problems to defences.

Who's to say that Phelps wouldn't have created more tries for toehr players than what Roberts did in the 2nd half, even if he hadn't scored that last try?

If you don't like Phelps then fair enough, but don't try & Put words in somebody elses mouth?

Thus far Phelps' creativity from 1 has been superb, but i do think Roberts can also fill this void.

Roberts can pass a ball very well and can pick a line to attack.

The injury to Phelps is unfortunate, he has undoubtedly played very well thus far, but if we cope without him and continue to cause a threat from the back 3 without him, his position for 2011 is under threat because of his contract and quota status.

Agree, but, in an ideal world this weekend would you have gone with

1/Phelps
2/Roberts
3/Richards

Or

1/Roberts
2/ "Insert Name i.e Ainscough/Goulding/Pryce"
3/Richards

?

No fear in playing a young lad at all because at the end of the day I want to see a young guy selected in Karl Pryce. In real terms whats he got in terms of first team rugbyleague experience behind him? 2 seasons and about 5 games. We've got guys like Joel Tomkins and Prescott who i'd still class as youngsters who've got more experience then that.

I'd also be happy enough to see Ainscough selected but that would have to be on the left side with Richards moving to fullback because we couldn't expose the lad against King(do that and if anything goes slightly wrong there'll be people queueing up on here to say 'i told you so' about his failings).

I just fear throwing Vievers in at the deep end could cause more harm then good.

Phelps
Roberts
Richards

But with the depth we have now it is up to whoever comes in to make themselves indispensable.

I have been hugely impressed with Phelps this year, but i think our new coach has brought in an extra dimension from our fullback play, it will be interesting to see if whoever plays there can continue this new more attacking NRL style that in truth we have not seen very much of in SL.

I honestly don't see how his place is under threat given his form and what he brings to the table. I appreciate he's quota and OOC end of the year but we already have 1 quota space available with Bailey likely to go at the end of the year.

If Phelps form holds up as it has since he moved into the fullback position he's worth a long term deal quota or no quota spot. He's been getting better and better and it's just a shame his progress will be halted by this injury.

I've posted it before but the way we are using our FB this season seems to be a major part of all our attacking plans. If we don't bring someone in to replace Phelps who can link up in the attack and give a killer pass then we'll have to reorganise our whole attacking strategy. That’s why it has to be Roberts at FB and not Pat as I don’t think Pat has the rugby brain for it.

gutted as I have been a knocker of Phelps in the past but I dont think we will be the same without him. The balance the team has at the moment is awesome.

Yeah I agree with that. Roberts does have an eye for a pass, not of the quality of Phelps but he's definitely our best option given as you say how our fullback is a key part of our attacking structure.

See what you've done, you've started them all off again

I really have no idea what Maguire should do for this weekend.

It's a really tough call, lost has been created from the FB position and we don't want to lose that. At the same time we have to consider the strengths of the other team and I don't think it would be wise to throw Ainscough in. Personally I would keep the same team and bring in Vievers.

I can honestly say though I will genuinly trust the decision of Maguire which can't be said for the past few seasons. If he throws in Pryce I'm sure it will be because he has been on good form in training. Whoever plays will play on merit and I am confident he will have some good tactics for this one. Batesy on here was saying good line speed is the key and I think he is right.

minimum disruption for me and vievers replacing phelps.

maguire and wane will trust their youth and so they should, we have some quality youngsters who are chomping at the bit for a game, great time for josh to show his class.

gleese and roberts seem to have developed a good understanding so i wouldnt want to remove that. and although pryce adds an element of height, he removes an element of pace.

I've never really give Wane a thought in all this tbh and it's a very good point that he will trust aswell as know all these young guys inside out.

He's worked for sometime with all of Pryce, Goulding, Ainscough and Vievers and is probably the best person for Maguire to ask advice off for this weekend.

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this on this thread but isn't it great that we have a number of real options - for the first time for a long time we have real strength in depth.

Since I've been a little self-righteous on the Feka/Lockers thread on the subject of Lockers knockers, I should make an admission on this thread - for a long time I thought (and occasionly posted) that Phelps was a player who, while he always tried hard, ultimately didn't have the class to make it at Wigan. Not as great a crime as undermining an excellent LF who is Wigan through and through but I didn't really give Phelps the benefit of the doubt that a player as honest and dedicated as he is deserves. He wasn't a great player when he arrived but he has worked very hard and has certainly developed into a very good player indeed. Phelps is exactly the kind of player we need in the new model club, players who have the drive and will to succeed, players who are willing to grab an opportunity when it is offered to them and put in the hard work needed to better themselves.

So, I was wrong about Phelps and I have to say its great to be proved wrong!!

He has become a top FB and despite the cover we have available in this new golden era of Wigan RL (

), this injury is a real blow to our chances in what will be a very tough fixture, though I still think we will win narrowly at Wire.

I think the problem with Phelps when he first arrived was nobody knew what position he was best in(not even the coaching staff). He got played on the wing, at centre and even at hooker for a little spell and he looked average in those positions. He then got a shot at fullback and BANG!!! He was very good in it and has continued to improve ever since in the position.

He looks an out and out fullback and looks capable of holding that position down for years at Wigan.

sorry if this is somewhere in the previous 12 pages , but has he broken his ankle ?

No.

He's strained/pulled the ligaments in his ankle and will be out for 4-5 weeks.

thanks for clearing that up

According to Sky Sports News tonight he is out for 3 months.

I'm watching SSN now and the info bar says 4 weeks after initially thinking it was worse.

4 weeks, straight for the horses mouth.

We need experinced players out there v Wire.
Putting Vievers in at fb for his first team debut and start would be inviting trouble. It would not be fair on the lad either.
Roberts was excellent last Friday when he switched so leave him there.
To me the choice is between Goulding & Pryce on the right wing.
I'd favour Pryce as we'd have a bigger man than King who's probably their tallest player. That would be an interesting match up as King plays against smaller guys every game.
As has been said though, if MM goes for Goulding I'd be more than happy with his judgement.