www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Phel ... 5382193.jp He's asked Rads for some one on one coaching to help him cement the fullback position. I think he's got a shot at making it his own long term tbh. He's got the basics like pace and a catching ability under the high and low ball and one of his best assests in the position is his bravery. If Rads can just work on his positiong and timing when chiming into the attacking line i think he'll do very well long term. I'd give him a new deal because if nothing else the lad looks like he actually gives a s*it which is more then can be said of some others.

www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Phel ... 5382193.jp He's asked Rads for some one on one coaching to help him cement the fullback position. I think he's got a shot at making it his own long term tbh. He's got the basics like pace and a catching ability under the high and low ball and one of his best assests in the position is his bravery. If Rads can just work on his positiong and timing when chiming into the attacking line i think he'll do very well long term. I'd give him a new deal because if nothing else the lad looks like he actually gives a s*it which is more then can be said of some others.

Surely you have a fullback in the academy with the potential to be much better than this guy?

We have Phil Vievers son Josh but i'm not sure how good he actually is.

I like Phelps and ever since he's moved to fullback he's done a very good job and looks to have finally found a position.

I think the good thing is he has alot of improvment in him as he comes to grips with the position.

To be honest I think Rads should take Ainscough to one side and help him with his catching, and this is not an attack on Ainscough, but if you have the expertise of someone like Kris you must use him

Good lad Phelpsy! Can you imagine how much support the fans would be giving him if he was from Norley Hall?

Hopefully we'll see the advantage of having somebody on the coaching staff the lads 'respect' in their preformences on the field and in the way they iron out their weaknesses.

You'd expect the head coach would help them out but he prefares to point out the weakness without actually doing much about it.

Hang on a minute. In the season ticket thread you said this in response to Jack Kerley:



So you were saying if we get rid of those three that's three less average Aussies, now you are on about giving one of those average Aussies a new deal!

You also went on to say next:



Well Phelps is also average so why give him a new deal? Because he tries hard and gives 100%? That alone is not enough.

Unfortunately we have Riddell and Roberts long term and if we keep Phelps as well that's just making the same mistake again and the end of Ainscough's career here IMO.

Given the contractual situation of the players, Phelps must leave and Roberts start to earn his money with a switch to full back. Ideally all three would leave but we are stuck with two of them so sticking with three is even worse IMO.

Dave

IMO Vievers has what it takes to become our future, regular fullback.

He's a great attacking player and is fearless when it comes to taking that high ball or putting his body on the line.

He's not quite ready yet, but he will be eventually.

To be fair to Phelps his name just popped into my head as an average Aussie which at the moment he probably is but like i say at least he seems to give a toss and can improve by playing in a settled position.

He's also pretty cheap which would be another reason to keep him on if theres nobody of a better quality available or if they want to spend the cap space on other positions(which i presume they do).

As for Ainscough the retention of Phelps wouldn't have to be the end of his first team chances if only we have a coach that picks on form!

Ainscough or Roberts on 2009 form? Ainscough by streets under a coach that picks on form but we don't have a guy that does that.

I'm unsure on this. I like Phelps - his workrate, his effort, he chimes into the line and has decent handling skills. With a bit more work on his defensive qualities - yes he could be a pretty good fullback.

However logic would dictate that we should release him, move Roberts to fullback and bring Ainscough in fulltime next year.

Thats encouraging to hear.

Without knowing a great deal about it him it's hard to judge but at the moment i'd still fancy keeping Phelps on for another season.

I want to see that Roberts actually has a passion to play the game before we move him to fullback.

He doesn't work hard enough even from the wing at the minute so i'm not sure i'd trust him to play fullback where he'd have to cover massive amounts of ground.

Phelps seems to have a pretty good attitude, but, as Dave O says, that isn't really enough.

If we want to improve, we have to find - either by producing them ourselves or signing - better quality players. It's not the lad's fault that he's not the standard we require.

He also has the problem of being an Aussie, and, as the quota is going to start kicking in soon, that means the only Aussies we have must be really worth their place.

I can't see us keeping Phelps. But he certainly tries, which, yes, is more than you can say for a lot of the others.

You meed to trust your subconscious instincts.

I think he does give a toss and he clearly wants to do well here and that is commendable but he is still average and taking up cap space.

It's a ruthless world professional RL and sometimes nice guys have to leave to improve the team. For him he is just unlucky he happens to be out of contract now and we need he wage, whatever it is, to put towards other players.

I am of course assuming we are looking to recruit and he Phepls by being one of the few off contract players is in the firing line to miss out. If he was already a really good player he could be one of those five class overseas players IL reckons should be our overseas contingent but he doesn't really fit that bill IMO.



Well who is the coach next year has a lot to do with it obviously and if Noble is still here Ainscough may as well leave if we keep Phelps IMO.

Dave

If Josh is half as good as his dad then he will be twice the player Phelps is!

You should probably all visit the official site at some point

That's highly debatable.

Another 3 years

From seeing both play (a lot more of Phil admittedly) I believe he was by far the better full back.

Safe as houses with a turn of pace too! Almost outshone that Mal Thingy too!

Veivers's turn of pace disappeared with his hair.

Your sense of humour disappeared with your birth.

I don't know if Phelps will improve as a full back as a result but it can't make him any worse, I suppose. As a PR exercise, however, he has played a blinder, nailing his colours to the mast and enlisting the help of a Wigan legend to boot. Smart thinking!

That's wrong.

He was signed for 2009 with an option for 2010.

No, no, no, no, no.

I don't particularly rate Phelps, but I would choose him every time over Roberts.

Some players can get away with looking like they don't give a toss, Brett Kenny for example, but to do that you have to have talent. I have not yet seen anything from Roberts to indicate that he has what it takes.

Cue someone telling me to give him time. Too late for that, he has been here 6 months. If players like him take a year to settle in, then they should play for free for the first 12 months.

So should you:

[urlhttp://www.wiganwarriors.com/News_full.asp?newsid=4169[/url

"Cameron Phelps arrived at the end of May for the remainder of 2008 and has now signed for 2009 with a further option for 2010 in Wigan’s favour."

“Cameron Phelps has shown what a good addition he is having settled in quickly with the versatility to play at full-back, centre or on the wing and to be a useful goal kicker as well. He deserves his contract extension and to be part of our squad for 2009 and possibly 2010. "

His profile mentioning "until 2011" means his last season with us would be 2010.

Wigan have the option not to extend his deal into 2010.

Dave