Could the GOB about-turn be down to Agar does he see something in him long term, TS seemed okay with Myler plus all the chopping and changing at six, he was prepared to allow GOB to move on to then turn him around and give him a two year contract, there has been a change with O'Brien lately he seems able to go through the gears more easily, adapt to the tempo better giving himself more time, not rushing things, sure he needs to develop the skills he has more but that will come with time, perhaps Agar has been quietly having a input.

No

Funniest thing I've heard all year that.

Fair enough just thought I'd ask, pleased I made someone laugh.

serious answer, i dont know, i doubt it directly, although it has been mentioned in the guardian he's been popping up with suggestions a bit as the season went on.

Gareth O'Brien has real talent, anyway. He lacks confidence, but I think he has it in him to be the sort of stand-off who can dictate play, and come up with the little surpises that break down defences. A good example was his try in the Pie play-off. OK, he was lucky with the bounce, but who else on our books would have tried that?

Bridgey tried it once v Saints at Knowsley Road...3 mins to go and we are heading for our 1st win there in years....step up Mr Bridge with an ill-judged chip and run..you know the rest.

Richard Agar was a good organising halfback, who although he never won any major honours, was still a fair player. It could be that he has been involved in coaching Gareth O`Brien on a one-to-one basis.

I agree that Gareth has the makings to achieve at Super League Level. I think next season is make or break for him.....If he doesn`t nail down a starting jersey, then ultimately Wire will sign a ready made player.....One thing I would like to see, is for him to become the team goal kicker when he is in the team. He is far more consistent than both Bridge & Ratchford, & taking on the extra duties should help him to mature & gain self confidence.

It was just a thought, TS commented a few weeks ago that Agar was about the place and was having some input seemed to coincide with O'Brien's upturn in confidence, the kind of thing I'd hope a assistant coach would help with, prior to this I wasn't sure about O'Brien, he's just started to show the real potential we all believed he has, I'm 100% behind him.

It was a bit strange how GOB seemed to suddenly morph into a much more dynamic player right at the end of our season, I will grant you that. He made his debut back in 2011 when he played 3 games for us, so you could probably call that a bit of a taster, really. Since then he has had more clubs than a professional golfer; Widnes, Cas, Swinton, Saints, Wire of course, then back to Swinton this year. You could argue that all those postings were great experience for a young lad. But on the other hand he had to get used to a new set of players, different sets of plays and a different role in the team - whilst only playing 4-8 games per club. Did that hinder his development ? Or did Agar as you are suggesting, have a hand ? Unless Rubber Ducky comes on to tell us, I suppose we will never know what sparked that change. All we do know is that TS seems to have given up on him and allowed him to sign for Bradford. That all changed with his late season form, and I think everyone is intrigued to see if he can kick on further next year.

Exactly, and well put over all of which started my thinking.

Or perhaps Briers is passing on some stardust?!

The way he played in the last 6/7 weeks was reminiscent of Briers.
Prior to that period of improvement wasn't Briers away from the club on training programmes?
If correct then there's a coincidence I could buy, not so much the influence of Agar.

Half back play is all about confidence and the run of games at the end will have helped so much. He's a good player. He needs to learn how to protect himself and when he shouldn't be putting his body into situations where he is going to get flattened. No one minds getting crunched to create a break or make or try but clever players like him have to be selective or they won't last very long. (from my book on playing rugby with a frail body ... there isn't really a book ... but I reckon I could write one)

I like Chris Bridge but in your post you illustrate my point. In that infamous Saints defeat Bridge tried his 'grubber' (or whatever it was) when we were deep in our own half, in front, and with only a couple of minutes remaining on the clock. O'Brien's kick was made from a position well into Wigan's half, with Warrington behind and not long to go. Who showed the more mature judgment?

O'Brien is the best goal-kicker in the first team squad. The only reason I can think of as to why TS doesn't have him as first-choice kicker is that he doesn't believe that O'Brien will play regularly for the team and thus needs a definite regular to take responsibility. Let's hope that changes next season.

Maybe he doesn't want to add the extra responsibility, preferring for him to concentrate solely on his own game.

It could be, but the previous poster is right, GOB is head and shoulders the best goal kicker in the current squad. When I watched him back in 2010 for the U20's he looked like a carbon copy of Hodgson - it came as a surprise when he missed, even from the touchline. If he can cement his place in the squad we will get the added bonus of his goal kicking.

Smiffy27's point about him protecting himself is spot on, it should have been one of his earliest coaching lessons, there's still lots of time for him with his skills I feel he's now at the stage where he will be honing them as games permit.

He just needed a run of games, with the forwards working and settle And not feeling the axe hanging over him for any little mistake like it was at the start of the year

OR...did TS give the following talk "Ok, everybody knows that up until now its been merely warm up games. Now start to earn your place."

I can't believe that Gareth could treat any game as a warm up