This is undoubtedly going to be an arguable point but in my personal opinion Tommy is one of the fundamental problems at Wigan.

Yes we have issues with Fielden (and Feka highlighted yesterday) but for me Tommy is a big issue.

Yes he is a good RL player, he scores and puts himself about in defense, but he isn't a 7. He lacks the ability to create with ball in hand. He often doesn't form a partnership with Sam and often fails to get the ball out wide to the attacking backs. He doesn't control the flow of the game or organise the team in attack as a good 7 will.

It's a difficult situation, he is a top player and offers alot on the field just not as a controlling 7. From here we often look flat in attack and void of ideas.

In our backs with have 2 quality centres, but they need to be shown a gap by a ball playing 7, give Carmont or Gleeson half a chance and they'll do the rest.

I wouldn't raise this point other than I believe with a true ball playing organising 7 we would look a very different team. We have great backs, an abundance of young promising forwards and a top quality 6, we now just need that right player to lead the team in attack.

For me yesterday Sam looked tired from trying to create on his own with Tommy not stepping up. Lockers looked more dangerous with ball in hand than Tommy did all game.

I agree, I like Tommy's effort and enthusiasm, but big hits and tries from ten metres out are not what you want your scrum half to be doing. We need an organiser and a kicker - Dobson would have been the perfect foil for Tomkins. I'm not really sure what Tommy's position is beause his distribution from PTB isn't that great either. I think he has better raw materials for 9 though in the long run if he works on his passing.

It's almost like as a young player he was seen as a good RL player, and because of his height he was played as a 7.

Apart from being a 9 where else could he be played? He doesn't have the speed for an outside back or the size to be in the pack.

Rubbish. If leuleui is a problem we could do with another 16 problems in the team like him.

Perhaps because tommy is a 9 and not a seven. Hes an opportunist player and not a controlling half back, which is why we need a class controling organising 7 to play with sam and tommy needs to move to 9. Thats the management and clubs problem not leuleui's!

Its not tommys fault hes in the wrong position. IMO tommy is far from the list of problems we have at wigan....If we had 17 players with the attitude and passion of Leuleui we'd be a much better team.

For me Tommy is one of the best overseas players we've had at the club because he is one of the few that plays like a wigan lad.....did you see the determination and passion in his eyes when he scored yesterday to put us back in the game......The only adopted wiganer who rivals BD for that in my eyes and for me I would be happy if tommy saw the rest of his career out with us!!

Agreed

When IL resigned Tommy he stated long term he sees Tommy at 9, Tommy himself has said this, so why did we sign Riddell and then give Tommy a 3year deal, why not sign a 7 to go with Riddell or not sign Piggy at all.

Another example of botched recruitment by IL.

Agreed. I think it was the WC which highlighted to IL and Tommy that he is far more effective as a 9 than a 7, he really had problems as a 7 in the WC. Before than I don't think it had crossed IL's mind, hence the signing of Piggy.

You've missed the point here pal.
His attitude and effort isn't in question, just him as a 7.

%100 agree.

The try yesterday was the highlight of the day for me.

Not really.....surely if tommy as a seven is in question then this thread should be entitled....'Noble's Selection and Wigans Recruitment Policy....biggest problem at wigan' not Tommy Leuleui!!

If we would have signed a class Scrum Half like Orford / Thurston in the off season, never bought Riddell and put Tommy Hooker all year I would think we would now be at Wembley and easily in the top 4 in the league......Instead we're out the cup, out the race for the top 4, and the season looks like its over, have one class hooker playing half back, one reasonably average but overweight hooker who struggles to do 20 minutes and no 7!!!




If your looking to attribute blame for the situation that Tommy and Wigan are in then at least get it right and dont blame it at one of the hardest working most consistent players in the club!!

True, but the lad can only play where he is told to.

The balme lies at BNs feet. but then again this is just one of a multitude of problems we have at the momment with player selection, tactical and motivational issues.

His kick for the Hicks try deserved everything it got. F*cking shocking kick when we were 7 down.

Tommy playing full time at 9 would be the best optioon. He is devestating in and around the ruck when scooting out of acting half. We need this kind of go forward and require a creative 7 to play along side Sam in my opinion

Yes I agree.

All Wigans points yesterday came when Riddell was on the field. The
majority of Wire points came when Riddell was off.

He is a far better 9 than Tommy. The complete swap round when Riddell
went off caused disruption. It's just a shame that Mickey Mac was unavailable.

I thought Riddell had a great game yesterday, made good metres from runs from dummy half, put himself out in defence as well.

If Leuleui was moved to hooker who would play at scrum-half for you?

Interesting that IL sees Leuleui as a hooker long term. What exactly are IL's credentials in relation to player development. I thought he use to put on shows and run pubs didn't realise he was an expert RL coach.

You do need a better halfback to partner Tomkins, if you look at potential halfback pairings for next year then Wigan are well down the pecking order.

dont worry wire sign good hookers and play at 7 we do it all time

If Tommy is to stay at the club, it has to be at 9 for me.

He spent much of his time yesterday at 9 and was ineffective.

Personally i think he has been playing well and complementing ST quite nicely of late. I am happy yo go into next year with him at 7, especially when you consider we need to invest up front, although that seems unlikely to happen if IFL is to be believed.

Wigan were already 3 tries down when Riddell left the field.

If Wigan did invest in a new 7 (although it would now seem unlikely) We would have 3 players all gunning for the 9 shirt. This is, in my opinion, one of the reasons why IL is keeping Tommy at 7. Here he can keep Tommy, McC and Piggy all in the team. For me this is wrong as one of the major areas for concern in attack is our lack of creativity from our 7.


Riddell has come on since the first half of the season, but lets face it, he couldn't have gotten much worst. Even now as a more settled 9 he's still not as good as a handful of 9's in SL. Was he worth bringing from the other side of the world? Nope.

Last son of wigan, that is the best post I have seen from you and I am glad you make the point without saying he is crap or anything, it is a tricky situation. The solution is to play him at hooker but then who do we drop?

That is were the problem lies for me. Out of our current squad, Tommy is the best option to play 7 if Sam is played at 6. With this in mine in accomidates both McC and Riddell to cover the 9 spot interchanging throughout the game, this is why we have Tommy as a 7.
Regardless of the obvious logic of the team selection, the question remains, is Tommy good enough as a 7? In my opinion, no he isn't (As I discussed in the orginal post).

This then leaves the coach or IL with the tricky situation of what to do to improve the team, if a new 7 is brought in, the team could improve but it means dropping 1 of 3 (Tommy/Riddell/McC) all offer different positives, Experience with Riddell, young postives with McC, and potentially the best 9 we have in Tommy. This is were true coaching comes into the team, making the decision who to drop.

It's easy to say we shouldn't have signed Riddell, but thats a pointless point as he is now with the club.

For me, this area needs to be addressed if we are to succeed as a winning team.