I'm just not sold on Singleton. I see the effort and, undoubtedly, he's having more impact than last season. I'm just seeing better output from much younger guys. Byrne and Ellis do, for the most part, what Singleton does, but better (maybe less confrontational granted). I just want more from our senior prop, who's now in the peak period of his career. Imagine how good we'd be if he had two Ellis's as an example.

He finished last season really strongly Singleton, which was over looked a little due to how poor we were. He then actually started this season quite slowly but he’s been playing well recently. He’s blown a bit hot and cold for me at times and there’s no way I’d sit here and say we shouldn’t keep looking for better players but he’s going pretty well overall.

I’m intrigued to see how Ellis goes this next couple of weeks. It’s these games we really need everyone to step up and show what they can do.

Singo looked to be playing bust at times last year and he started this season quite slowly but he is growing into the season and I really like how he has gone about his business of late. He was a big miss in the Salford game in my opinion.

He may not be the superstar in the rotation but he is as tough as they come, works his socks off has more experience and is the natural leader of the prop rotation.

In the current rotation he plays every week as far as I’m concerned.

Thought Singo was mom against Wakefield.
Had a great game.

Singo was our best player in our last champion season in 2017. Does all the small things that fans don’t notice. Letting him go was one of a list of terrible decisions we have made…

Good efforts again last night-

Singleton
Carries-9 Metres-61 Tackles-16

Ellis
Carries-8 Metres-93 Tackles-24

Bateman
Carries-11 Metres-102 Tackles-24

Farrell
Carries-13 Metres-119 Tackles-26

Smithies
Carries-11 Metres-73. Tackles-36

Mago
Carries-9 Metres-73 Tackles-12

Havard
Carries-9. Metres-104 Tackles-24

Byrne
Carries-8 Metres-60 Tackles-15

Good metres per carry from everyone and a real team effort between the lot of them. They’ll need to raise a couple of levels next week, especially in the middle but they should feel confident after this last couple of weeks.

Havard churning out over 100m every week even though he starts from the bench is remarkable.

Still think we need Ellis or Singleton to step up in attack a tiny bit more.

To be fair to Ellis he is only one carry off being 100+ himself in what probably wasn't one of his better games. He's been excellent this season (ban aside).

Good stats from all there. Byrne's don't do him full justice as he carried really strong into the teeth of the defense. He made the hard yards yesterday. Havard, has as been said often before, can be anything he wants.

I love watching Byrne this season. He has no respect for his own safety in attack or defence and he’ll just get better as he gets older and keeps filling out.

I’d love to know how good Havard thinks he is himself. I’d be constantly telling that kid how good he can be at this game. He’s a freak but I watch him and even when churning out big numbers, I think he plays things safe at times. That’s not a criticism, he’s only young and everyone needs to build their confidence. He’s a fantastic player already but there is no ceiling on how good he can be.

Byrne is so massively improved this season as to be hardly recognisable as the same player. He takes the ball into the defence so strongly now and has also managed to eliminate the errors he was often prone to. It's hard to say "our best prop" so far as they've all been going well in their own ways but he's there or thereabouts. The improvement in them is very encouraging when you think that Havard, Byrne and Smithies are all still very young, especially for forwards. You wouldn't expect them to peak for another 4 or 5 years yet.

Havard is a machine. I know what you mean with regards to a feeling that there's more in reserve but I'm happy for him to keep churning out 100+ metres every week!

We have a very good rotation in the making right now and you feel there's still much more to come.

Special mention for Mago here as he cops some flak over his minutes. As with Wakefield he showed exactly what he can do and how we should use him going forward. I don't think there's another prop in Superleague who can do what he can. Keep refining what he does and how we best use him and we have a tremendous asset and variation to our front row.

Very happy with that as our settled pack, with Partington, Isa and Shorrocks proving back up if one needs a rest.

Funny you mention those guys. I noticed the non playing lads coming on to the field at the end of the game last night and those three guys were absolutely outstanding in their conduct. They looked chuffed to bits with the win and were walking round hugging all the players. Shorrocks made a beeline for Brad O’Neill and jumped on him. That is team spirit and is exactly what good sides are built on. Shorrocks could easily sulk at missing out. It was probably the most pleasing aspect of last night for me.

Good call mate, Peet highlighted the togetherness of the group in his post match.

Without getting into it all again, the togetherness of the playing group is a big reason we had all the drama last week and why it was undoubtably the right thing to do.

Didn't see that, but it's really good to hear. All those guys will get game-time at some point, and fortunately they are being used more wisely this season than last.

It was brilliant to see mate. Every good squad needs lads on the outer, happy to play the role of the guy busting his nuts to get in, all whilst being genuinely happy for their mates to be successful. They all impressed me but none more so than the Shorrocks and Brad O’Neill embrace. Full credit to Shorrocks, he’s unlucky in many ways because he is a talent but I get the feeling he’ll always be back up here, That isn’t a nothing role by any stretch and he played it perfectly last night.

What were Brad O’Neill’s stats?

How refreshing is to see a hooker actually move forward from the ruck and run a bit before passing, it's putting more doubts in the defence. With Powell they know he will literally just pass it from the ruck no threat from him

O'Neil was down for 2 scoots 30m
40 plus tackles one miss.
He was top tackler on the night from memory.
I do think he's almost over eager at times and he shot out a little for their first try, it caught Ellis moving the wrong way and flat footed. Not too worried by that long term really impressed by him. Sure he will scoot more has his game fitness and awareness improves. His passing seems sharp and fast good performance especially 80 minutes.
Feel Shorrocks will be back on the bench for the semi.

Seems to run through the club.

Surprised it been talked about more, but how good was it to see Briers hitting the drum in the changing room with such intent! Cullen's face after it was priceless too.

Shame our social media guys didn't post it.

I think that highlighted the influence Briers is having on the good feel around the place. The players clearly think the world of him.

The players all seem to speak highly of him and his influence. More importantly, I think we can all see it on the field. Well done to Briersy. It must have been strange to leave his beloved Warrington and commit so fully to the cause at Wigan. Pertinent to the points being raised regarding Hastings on the other thread. Full commitment is easy to spot but hard to fake and the results are equally easy to recognise. Great to see.

From the recent interview he states that after two decades things were going a bit stale, with Powell coming in and bringing his own coaching staff Briers found himself surplus to requirements.

His move to us has breathed new life into him as well as us.

Was in work Friday and I've only seen the brief highlights but the ball movement for the first try was brilliant, especially the money ball from Cust, long may it continue.
I reckon the vast majority of Wigan fans just wanted some entertainment this year above everything else and we're getting it in bucketloads so far, well done to the coaching team on turning it around so quickly

Top points scorers in the league now, so we can’t be anything but pleased with the way things are going. We really need to tighten up defensively but I always think it’s easier to do that as and when you need to, rather than attacking badly and then expecting to turn that around in a big game.

Personally, I can't get my head around our defence not being our strongest point. The team itself isn't too far removed from the one that was known, under Wane, for it's defence. Was Peet not the defence coach too?