PAAAAAAAAT all the way i cant see deacon playing every game and we dont need be upstting pats consistancey by letting deacon do the job every so often

1st Pat
2nd Deacs when he is one the pitch
3rd The pig

Stats

2009 Richards 69% v Deacon 79%
2008 Richards 78% v Deacon 83%
2007 Richards 81% v Deacon 83%

Overall since Richards took over kicking duties in '07 - Richards 76% v Deacon 82%

I voted for Deacon to kick when he's on based on the stats, especially as Pat had a bad year with the boot last season.

phelps kicked a few good ones from touch line

Surprised it took so long for Phelps to get a mention (I assume most posters including the original poster didn't go today), Phelps hit a couple of beauties which effectively won us the game. Goal Kicking coach (if we have one) seems to be doing a great job on first show. Personally it's a simple case of being Pat's job to lose.

I'm just glad we have an abundance of goal kickers. Just look at Wakey, bet they wish they had a decent replacement kicker today..!! Similar to last season, Stains were shocking at goal kicks without Long (remember the Slug missing all his kicks, including the very kickable last minute matchwinner)? Let's hope our success at goalkicking will win us a few close games this season.

All I can say to Pat, Deacs, Riddell and Phelps is to continue practicing, I'm sure that ALL will be needed to do the job at some point during the season...!!!!

Thats the goal kicking sorted, all we need to do now is concentrate on is scoring tries and defending..

1st choce would be Richards because he deseves at least a crack to try and keep it after his long term kicking form for us over the past few seasons.

He wasn't at his best last season though and if after 5 or 6 games he's down at around last years percentages I think the job could well be moved onto Deacon who obviously wouldn't let us down.

To have options of Richards, Deacon, Phelps, Riddell and Roberts for the goalkicking is a good position to be in.

phelps kicked 2 stormers again st Wakey so we ve got plenty of back up

A few seasons ago we didn't have a recognised kicker. Not a bad position to be in now

Pat
Deacon
Pig
Phelps
Roberts

Deacon.

He's statistically the better kicker.

I don't get why anyone's mentioning Mark Riddell as potential back up, he's kicked 1 from 5 since he came. IMO the order should be:

1. Deacon
2. Richards
3. Phelps
4. Tomkins

Anyone after those four has either not kicked for Wigan or missed more than they have kicked.

Tomkins?

Does Tomkins kick?

Riddell is meant to be a good kicker but it can't be easy getting into rythem when your not doing it fulltime.

Tomkins??

Surely Riddell and Roberts should come before him? Do you know where Riddell's kicks were from?

Roberts can kick too, as can Josh Vievers should he ever get the opportunity.

Sam Tomkins knocked 3 out of 4 over this time last pre season against Warrington, it was a windy day too iirc

I remember him missing at least one very kickable one, I can't vouch for them all though no

It has to be Pat Richards for me. Paul Deacon will make a good understudy but he won't be on the field all the time and is only with us for one season playing anyway so it makes more sense to keep Pat's kicking abilities as least rusty as we can IMO.

Of course the added pressure of having other kickers in the team now may help Pat keep more of his goal kicking form throughout the season & we have the back-up if he falls out of form or gets injured.

Has Riddell actually kicked a goal successfully for Wigan yet? I remember him attempting a few (complete with adolf salute) and missing them.

1 in the cup match at the mighty Barrow

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Ah reet. Cheers

They were all bang in front. My gran would have kicked em and she'd been dead for 18 months.

Richards first then Deacon please. It is great to have an embarrassment of riches in the kicking department -one or two other areas to sort out now methinks!

My Gran's a quality kicker, her hand off's pap though.