I wouldn't question wilkin effort, nor his commitment.
He may not be working smart, I suppose. Defence work could be spread and he could save his energy for running lines etc, but he used to be able to do both.

I would suggest his attacking form will/could increase with the rest of the squad. Once/if we start doing the things that we've been missing, he'll be coming up with better stuff as his contribution.

Wilkin's always struck me as they guy who'll do whatever the coach asks of him, rather than play a natural game.

I think most people on here no my views on Jon wilkin. Two good seasons in ten years.

I think now's the wrong time to make judgment - let's assess once the new coaching staff have started to implement a new gameplan*

For all we know, the Simmons tactics may have been to use Wilkin as nothing more than cannon fodder



* this assumes there will be a new gameplan, because if there isn't we're shafted anyhoo

Given the way things have gone this season so far and the apparent discord behind the scenes I think it's incredibly unfair to lump too much criticism onto any player right now. Let's see how he and everyone else goes over the rest of the season with the alleged back-monkey now removed and then start the knife-sharpening.

No one disputes whether Wilkin is putting the work in. It's his leadership and direction, or lack thereof which is in question at precisely the time when we need both the most.

What specifically is he not doing? I'm genuinely interested in to what this would constitute in your eyes? Bollocking the rest of the players behind the sticks is one I would agree with although I'd say it's more Wellens' job as captain. Other than that, if you're suggesting he should be dominating games from first reciever or pushing our half backs out of the way to direct the team around the park, then I can also see a point but I don't think the rest of the team, especially Gaskell and Lomax, would particularly appreciate it. Would it not be counter productive? I would suggest that Royce has asked him to fulfil a role that isn't getting the best out of his potential this year and I'd hope that Rushy and KC will give him a little bit more responsibility in guiding the team around the park.

What about consistantly offering himself as a running option to the young half backs? They've been the two to suffer the most with our lack of structure.

Fair enough, maybe he's not made as many runs as he normally would. We'll see if that improves under a new coaching technique.

I'm not having a go, but he is supposed to be one of our smarter players. For intance , if he spent the whole game offering himself as a simple runner on Lomax's inside, it would help immensly. Saying that, if he's had different instructions.....

Couldn't agree more! Especially with your last sentence.

I find this a strange criticism, given he probably offers himself more than any other player in the squad, whilst running himself into the ground in defence.

Think I must watch a different player to some on here at times.

Wilkin has been misused by a succession of coaches at Saints, and as a result, we have never seen the best of him. He was singed as the "new Scully", but has never yet been given the 13 shirt. I think that sums up how he has been treated. Hopefully, the change of coach can bring our the best in Wilkin, give him the 13 jersey, as a traditional ball playing, kicking, loose forward in the Sinfield, Scully, Harry Pinner mould, and lets see what he can do. Otherwise, he will end his career as a player who never fulfilled his potential due to mismangement. I belive we are lucky to have retained him, he could easily have gone elsewhere for a regular 13 jersey.

Wilkin doesn't deserve individual criticism IMO, I'm just spitballing as to ways our current plight could/will be solved.
Whilst I agree he is a willing runner, it would have shown good ingenuity if he'd taken the decision to move in field from his usual wider line to play the role I mentioned. That may have helped pull in the defence more in the last couple of games.

Exactly.

Unfortunately some people simply aren't leaders and that is maybe the case with wilkin. It's easier to train a player to tackle or pass or kick than to lead. Roby is a genuine world class player who I don't really see as a leader. Newlove was never a leader. We are asking wilkin to do everything, let's give him a break from being a leader too?

He is not taking control of the play when it is obvious Gaskell and Lomax are struggling. This is a guy who has played entire games in the halves, dictating the pace and direction of Saints' attack (with effective passing and kicking), often to enormous effect.

Against Hull it was obvious Lomax was falling apart. Even simple passing moves were being blown, mistimed etc. During periods like these you need an experienced, tactically aware player to assume some semblance of control and relieve the pressure from the youngsters. Wilkin has done this in the past. He is not doing it now - for whatever reason.

Rubbish. It wasn't two/three years ago when Wilkin almost single-handedly guided Saints to victory in the Challenge Cup at Leeds playing at stand-off. There were NO PROBLEMS with his leadership then.

People always bang on about that Leeds game but don't forget he was rubbish the week after at stand off and was moved back to the pack during the game.

Wilkin will be remembered for that game at Leeds, a challenge cup semi against a lower league club and also that he runs good lines.

As they should. He was exceptional.



It's not like he was destined to stay in that role forever. The positional change was purely temporary because of injuries. And Wilkin has performed a similar role - with varying degrees of success - for years. Unfortunately, he seems to have gone missing precisely when he is needed the most.

He was also superb last season when asked by Royce to cover at stand off when we had no halves left at all.

Jon Wilkin is a natural talker. He loves sharing his opinions. He knows the game inside out and has a rugby brain. He's been at Saints almost as long as Wello. Therefore, he is the natural candidate to offer guidance to our inexperienced halfbacks but he has thus far declined to do it. Without Roby on the field as well we spent the last 2.5 games with nobody giving direction and Royce lost his job as a result.

Because Wilkin is a senior player with skill, knowledge, experience and longevity at the club it is absolutely right that people have higher expectations of him than of our less experienced or newer players. He has failed to take on his responsibilities for the sake of the team IMO.

Ancient Chinese proverb:

One game in ten years does not a leader make.

He was very good last year and IMO was best backrow in super league.

I've just never rated him to be honest, he always does his tacking which I can't knock him for but he's to slow for a stand off and not big enough to play backrow.

I dont think he's rubbish but IMO he's massively overated and is living off the back of a good season in 2006 and a game at Leeds which was a one off.

To say he's a leader is laughable.

Did you watch him against Hull? He was shocking; I was right near him where he was at one stage in the second half when we were supposed to be attacking the Hull line and he was just stood around refusing to join the line. I thought he must be injured or something but he just looked confused and disinterested.
If I didn't know better it looked like fear.

I wouldn't hang him for 1 bad match but he hasn't been great this season (he's not alone there) and I know he can do better which is just annoying as I'm sure he would like to do better.
Perhaps new coaching.......?.

Nothing wrong with the coaching. Remember, he was outstanding last year. Same coach as the one we had against Hull.

Maybe Wilkin has shown leadership qualities in spades by choosing not to put himself in the way of Simmons' gameplan? A sort of 'work to rule' to show the gameplan is flawed, in the hope that Simmons changed it/got dumped? If the senior players had lost confidence in Simmons, why would you expect them to try to bale him out?