https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/03/ ... rsfield-3/ No change.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/03/ ... rsfield-3/ No change.

Need at the very least a change up option off the bench this week

In terms of changes we could bring Liam Bryne in somewhere, have Brad O'Neill as an option off the bench or do something more significant and move Bevan French to fullback with Miski on the wing and Cust playing 9.

That would be my preferred route all be it with Cust off the bench.

I don’t expect it to happen though.

Mine too. Wanted it last year after Castleford away but could understand it given French's limited preparation time. Now that he's had a preseason it doesn't make any sense to me not to have both Bevan and Jai in the spine of the team. Makes even less sense when Cust isn't exactly thriving at 6 and Powell the same at 9.

Listened to the Matty Johns Podcast with Cronk and Madge.

They were chatting about the broncos, where Adam Reynolds controls the game at first receiver and the stand off and Reece Walsh were just swinging round out the back.

It would be massive pressure on Smith but if he could play first receiver with Field at 6 and French at one. Swinging each side of the ruck popping up everywhere.

We would be very dangerous.

I think it’ll be a similar team to the first few weeks but I’d like to see

French
Miski
King
Wardle
Marshall
Field
Smith
Cooper
Powell
Ellis
Isa
Farrell
Smithies

Mago
KPP
Havard
Cust

Interview with Bryne on the site, I’m guessing he’ll play.

Hopefully he takes his chance!

Hard to see how Isa could play this week, one smack to the mouth and that cut's got to open up again

Keep Field as far away from 6 as possible

I agree given he simply isn’t a half back

Other than Smith we haven’t got any halfbacks that squad. I am convinced that Hampshire will play 6 when he is fully fit.

He should play. Some of our props from last week don’t deserve to retain their place.

Exactly. His cut out passes are awful.

The ones he threw to Marshall at Cas weren’t too shabby

Just a shame about the ones against Hull KR and Catalans. Pretty sure he also threw a shocker at Cas as well as the good ones.

He was by far our most dangerous half back last week when he moved to 6.

It isn’t ideal or a long term solution but given how poor Cust was at 6 and the speed of service improved significantly when he moved to 9 it’s worth a shot short term.

He's a threat in whatever position he plays because of his speed. I just don't believe he has the kicking or passing ability to play in the halves.

He has a much better passing game than Cust. And Cust leaves 90% of the kicking to Smith anyway.

That isn't true Egg. There is literally 1 pass he isn't good at (the long cut out). The rest of his passing is excellent. Check out the number off assists he gets for proof.

That's missing the point though. We don't need another organising half. That's Smith's job. We need a running half who is a genuine threat around the ball and he is 100% the biggest running threat we, or in truth the rest oglf Superleague, have.

Can't say I'm overly optimistic about this one but hope Wigan can respond. Its still early but suddenly our fixture list over the next few weeks looks tough enough to wonder whether 4th to 6th will be our realistic aim come mid April.

Interesting no singo in the team

Good win that after a disappointing performance against cats

Awful game.

A win’s a win though.

We looked significantly better with Field at 6, French at 1 and Cust at 9.

Better from KPP.

Ugly game ugly win.

We were horrible in all honesty.

Moving French to fullback and Cust to hooker helped us a bit - we need to commit to that going forward.

We’ll seriously have to buck our ideas up for Salford