most sensible suggestion i'v read on this forum for a long time. easy solution last tackle swap places with either his centre or av paddy over sharpish. could sort the problem out. good hard grafting performance today. well done lads lets try and give the PLASTIC SCOUSERS THE SAME CUM THIS SAT com on you warriors believe in yourselves. YOU CAN WIN.

completely agree.

after all of the abuse (most of it justified) that nobby has received, it is time to say "well done brian"

by taking appropriate measures, at the right time, we now have backup in the halves for the first time in years.

am i also alone in thinking that sam had looked jaded in his last few starts, and that coming off the bench allows him to be more creative, as the pressure is off him to an extent ?

Spot on...on all counts. Smith's passing was, once again, sublime this week!

Smith's passing game has always been sublime. Its really good to see him coming back stronger and fingers crossed - hes sorted his defence out.

Hes a talent theres no doubt about it. Lets see him do it against Saints next week.

Yes ainscough got 4 tries but only needed to finish really today, I seem to remember Hull beating bradford a few years back when shaun Briscoe got all 4 hull tries but swain got mom as briscoe only had to finish the tries, that being said he is one of the brightest young prospects we have had at the club for some time.

He could make the ultimate zero to hero transformation!

I thinks Tomkins plays better when playing a full game than coming on as sub. This is in part due to the fact when he does come on as sub the half backs have to change as TL goes to hooker so it takes time to click.

As to Noble dropping Smith being some sort of master plan er, no. He had no option to drop him. What has made things better is he is now getting some protection in defence. It's taken Noble quite a few games to realise this when it was being mentioned by the fans he had Hindmasch after him in the NRL as soon as his defence was exposed for what it is.

It is also a bit odd to be crediting Noble with some coaching master stroke on the say his selection policy was yet again exposed as crazy.

Dave

Nah, that will be saved for Mathers next week (when he lets Brett Hodgson in for his 3rd try next weekend).

But sam tomkins hasnt got the vision that smith has, but its nice to have the ability to change things around, look at leeds and saints they cant change it round as much as we can

Smith was brilliant today. The accuracy and pace of his paces reminded me of Barrett, sensational



But it's only two games, hope he can keep it up next week!!

Nice to see some people, the usual suspects admittedly, slagging off Ainscough for having deficiencies in his game, yet creaming themselves over Tim Smith who couldn't tackle a good breakfast.

For 2 games, Wigan have managed to come up with a system that protects Smith's defensive frailties, but how long do you think it will take everybody else to work it out again.

Smith is a weak link, and needs to go.

You've not read my site match report then.

Smith was fantastic.

His all round attacking game was very good and he organized well. I like his enthuasiasm and he even had the balls to give Richards a right rollocking when he forced a drop out. At first I was a bit taken back, but then thought it would probably what Edwards, Gregory and Lam would have done in their day and that he must have some desire and a cut-all-mistakes attitude that we sometimes lack. He is still bouncing off tackles to a certain extent and needs to start completing them more, but he's showed some good form recently and a good attitude to be being dropped.

No, I haven't.

He seems to have lifted his game doesnt he, if there was ever a confidence driven player then Smith is your man.

His passes are exceptional, the speed he gets on them gives the defenders no chance.

Keep it up!

I just wish he would take the line on now and again. In all honesty how many people have you seen him beat since he came to Wigan? He needs to take the line on even if it it is only to keep the other team guessing as to what he will do. If he doesn't they will just stand off him and take out the runners.
The guy has great hands but he needs to do a bit more to convince me.

He has never been a half back to take the line on, when he won the rookie of the year in the NRL his try assists were sky high. Search him on you tube and he was playing the way he played yesterday, setting up tries all over the show.

We have TL and Sam to take the line on.

Sounds like Smith is coming good with a bit of protection in defence.

Looking forward to seeing him play on Saturday, should be a good game.

Am I right in thinking Ainscough wasn't in the original squad? Makes Noble wanting to rest him look a bit silly . . . .

Cant do a lot if players get hurt between the squad announcement and the game you have to draft someone in

Correct. Only in because of the late withdrawal of Carmont. And for some reason the couple of mistakes Ainscough made dealing with kicks seems to get mentioned all the time as if the only good thing he did all game was score four walk in tries.

It's no surprise Noble mentions this because he needs his excuse to drop him whenever he wants to do that next but I am bit surprised fans are mentioning it so much.

Dave

I think FTV meant Noble looked silly for not picking him in the original 19 regardless.

Dave

Personally I think Ainscough just needs coaching on it. What does it matter if he concedes 2 tries through kicks if he scores 4 down the other end?

Dallas and Carney used to concede on kicks quite often because both of them were so small compared to the likes of Vainakolo, Vaikona and Bai.

Could end up like Paddy, he wern't the best when he arrived. Then the rest is history

Well just show we all interpret things differently the way i read it he was saying Noble looked silly saying he was going to rest him then picking him in the squad.

He's young, it's game awareness that will come with game time.

I can understand people saying he can learn that in the reserves, but the lack of any real pressure and the inferior kick/chase suggest to me he needs to do his learning on the wing for the first team.

Looks a cracking player, love his attitude. I've no doubt he'll overcome any frailties with kicks - he looks to be the type of lad who'll work hard at his game.