I wouldn't call, O'Carroll, Prescott, Tomkins, McIlorum and Ainscough geriatrics.

Get real.

Wigan have probably the youngest squad in Superleague.

Yes, and the best young talent about. They didnt win the grand final for nothing. So lets use em!
Sam can do no worse than comedian Tim Smith

Why would you want to put a young guy in a team where the pack is getting battered?

He won't look any better than what we have there now paying behind a beaten pack.

I see no reason why a bench place instead of Mclorum would have done on Friday.. BN should have realised that the half backs were not at their best against Wakey and Hull... But in the wakey game we were on fire when Tommy moved to Hooker, therefore he could have give Sam a chance... I just dont get it... We have a team full of players who never look like scoring and we have a 20 year old who's scored five tries against whitehaven and two against warrington... I can understand noble wanting to give tommy and smith game time together, but to have no plan B when the obvious is infront of him is just plain daft!!!

NOBBY OUT- SHAUN WANE IN until we get a coach who is world class.... no more desperate measures... if the guy isnt available straight away we need to wait.... As its obvious from the coaches we have had, that only the best can cope with such a position...

Is that because it is fashionable to bash him this week, his quality is obvious. The problem seems to be the team don't know what he is going to do next.

He had to literally hit Carmont to get him to be a dummy runner on Friday, and it worked, we scored from the scrum.

I think Sam Tomkins should have his chance on Saturday, I'm really hoping he does.

I'd keep Smith and Leuluai in the side and have Riddell miss out to rest up his knock. If McIlorum is banned then Riddell in, in his place.

True,

Smiths tackle that let Ferres in was appalling but no-one has commented on Goulding not coming into help. It could have been easily stopped.

I watched it again on BBC's Superlaegue show, no doubt we'll all get the chance later in the week on SL t.v.

Just watch.

I doubt it will happen this saturday, Quins are a tough unit especially at home and I dont think Noble will risk him.
Then again stranger things have happened

Hes an excellent passer of the ball admitedly. But he cannot kick, his defence is ridiculously bad and he is yet to beat a man. How many breaks has he made in his time at Wigan? I can recall none. zero

what kind of halfback cant beat a man or make a break? Even Danny Orr made the odd break or two

It was a shocker, but as you say Goulding watched it happen. They aren't playing for each other.



He waltzed in at the JJB last season for a try, I forget who against, he carved them up with a superb step, so thats one



Smith can beat a man, but running isn't the main part of his game. His kicking is a bit hit & miss.

Smiths defence on Friday night was un-defendable. It was appaling whatever way you look at it even though as pointed out he didn't get much help from some of his teamates.

As for his preformence with ball in hand i'd call it inconsistant. He does some great things, some good things and some absolute shocking things. His kicking game isn't good enough from deep and i don't really get why he's first choice but close to the line it's alot better.

I feel abit sorry for the guy that he's playing at 6 because to me a 6 always makes me think of a player that can organise but mainly is a threat through running the ball and thats simply not Smiths game. He does always look dangerous when he runs the ball but i think thats due to the fact he catches defences by suprise with his runs as he only attempts a couple(at most) per game.

If he plays at the weekend it's got to be at 7 imo alongside Tomkins with Leuluai playing at 9. The more i watch Leuluai the more i can't help but think we're wasting one of the worlds best hookers by playing him at 7. He'd be devastating running out of dummy half.

I agree with you there mate. Bennett could see he is a far better 9, why can't Nobby?

As for Smith he never has been a take the line on sort of half back, it is his passing skills that have set him apart from other halves. He is a pure 7 not a 6 and as such is not being utilized properly just like Lulu isn't. Have to admit though Smithys tackling has been woeful. Smithy to 7 Sam at 6 Tommy to 9 should see a big improvement imo

I think your dead right there mate but don't think Noble agrees

Because Bennett is a legendary coach and Noble just isnt

...Not that you need to be of the class of Bennett ro realise that Leuluai will end up a quality 9, all our fans seem to be able to....

Would Sam not getting a game have a negative affect on Joel?
He must be getting contstant earache from his brother and family, plus with what's being said about 'the dressing room'.....makes you wonder!

Interesting



Never thought about that before

Maybe even Logan could take the pi$$ by saying 'Maybe I'll get my chance before you'

He's playing well enough so i'd probably say no. I'm sure he wants him to get his chance but he's surely too young to be thinking of anything much more then just keeping his own place.

I said last year when Sam scored his 5 trys against Whitehaven in a game that Joel had been dropped from it could spare Joel on so he didn't get left behind. He came in for the following game against Wire, had a blinder and has never looked back.

I reckon they'd feed off each other playing in the same team.

Hope this is true and that when Logan gets into the team it will spur on his big brothers to even greater heights ( if that's possible, with Sam!).

He's not good enough. Get rid.

Interesting read. Seems we all knew more than Noble. How could he be so blind?
Also people wrote about our pack not being good enough...and it wasn't. We have the same pack this year (with young talent being promoted despite 'a duty of care') and we are champions!

Twelve months growing can make a big difference to kids though, they may not have been physically ready 12 months ago.

Hold on there mate! Back that fact truck up!

Oi! No need to call him a fat f*ck!

It's my glands!