https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/06/ ... eford-r14/ Field missing again, looked more than fine at Wembley but if he is still nursing this calf injury giving him the rest of June off might be for the best long term

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/06/ ... eford-r14/ Field missing again, looked more than fine at Wembley but if he is still nursing this calf injury giving him the rest of June off might be for the best long term

The fixture list has to be better next year. I feel for the players having to motivate themselves for a 4th fixture against Castleford before we're even at the halfway point.

Crazy to think my visits to Cas will draw level with my visits to the DW this season come Friday night and we've been playing for nearly 5 months now. I quite enjoy the old place but maybe not this much!!

As for the game, I'm glad to see Field rested if he is still carrying something and would have no issues with him getting another few weeks off. I would like to see Farrimond get the start over Hampshire on Friday though. I thought Hampshire was really poor at Warrington and now looks a good time to get some games in to Farrimond because there won't be many other opportunities after this next 2 weeks. I'd put French in at fullback and Farrimond in to 6. I would also give Nsemba a week off. He's extremely young still and just having a week out of the fire will do him no harm.

I'd go-

French
Miski Eckersley Wardle Marshall
Farrimond Smith
Thompson O'Neill Havard
Walters Farrell Ellis

Subs
Mago Hill Byrne Leeming

I think that won't be far off but personally I would rest Marshall as well. He was injured at Wire and put a hell of a shift in at Wembley and Douglas is a more than capable replacement. Also, I think Cooper both deserves to keep his place and hasn't played too many games so far so I'd keep him in, resting either Harvard or Mago.

Good point on Marshall. Douglas looked superb at Wire as well, so no issues with that. Cooper I'd keep in if he's absolutely 100% fit. Feels a bit like they're really managing him and might just take it easy with him and roll him out in spells around the bigger games. A week off for Havard might be a decent option though with him coming back off that injury.

It's a great feeling to keep having to choose how many top players we're resting/leaving out.

I think Cooper could play the next 2 as he definitely won't be involved in the international so could get a week off there. Harvard & Thompson will both be in contention so we need to take that into consideration when spelling players. O'Neil may need a rest too as he should be in the frame on form, although I get the feeling Waney will favour Clark and Walker.

Our 4th fixture against Cas before we have even played Leeds or Hull FC, absolutely mental



French
Douglas
Wardle
Eckersley
Miski
Farrimond
Smith
Thompson
O'Neill
Cooper
Farrell
Walters
Ellis

Leeming
Hill
Mago
Byrne

Well earned rests for both Nsemba and Havard with Nsemba's extending into next week also. I liked the starting combination of Thompson and Cooper last week and feel it is worth a further explore, would put my money on Byrne being there instead of Cooper though.

Walker should be nowhere near the Wire side never mind England he's dire. Poor mans Micky Higham

It'll be a real test for the 'Wane only chooses Wigan players' brigade across the league if he leaves out guys like Marshall, Wardle, O'Neill, Thompson etc this time. All should be walking in to the 17 along with guys already in and around the squad like Smith and Farrell. Due to us not having the NRL based players, I think there's a strong case for 8+ Wigan players being involved and if that happens there will be a meltdown.

I think O'Neil is currently the best Hooker in Superleague and it's only a matter of time until he gets the England call up. Waney seems to like Walker, Clark and Ackers, none of which are better than O'Neil imo, but are the incumbents so it depends on whether Waney considers him to have done enough to displace one of those. I think he has but I'm less certain Waney would agree. He seems to be harder on Wigan players than ones from other clubs. Whether that's because he sees more of them (familiarity breeds contempt and all that) or for some other reason, I'm not sure.

I know we have some great wingers but it seems scandalous that Marshy has still to win a cap! He's been at the top end of the try scoring charts consistently and is arguably the best at bringing the ball out from yardage. Tommy Makinson was probably the best up until recent seasons but I think Marshall has overtaken him and Hall is now not in contention. No one else is as good. Very few faster too and a class finisher. He should be in the squad at the very least but, in the absence of Young, should play.

Probably would have been cheaper to buy a Cas half season ticket.

Field injured rather than rested. Pulled his hamstring in the final and is going for scans. Fingers crossed there isn't much in it.

Hell of an effort to get through a cup final with a hamstring pull. They're a bit vulnerable Jai's hamstrings. Hopefully not a bad one but if so Wigan have time to get him right by the end of the year.

Hopefully nothing too serious. He seemed fine at the homecoming on Sunday.

Where is this info from NK? I can't see anything on Wigan TV.

I saw it on twitter about an hour ago

Yeah, saw it on social media from Peets press conference. He said he'll be a few weeks at least. He's not looked like he's being playing flat out so far this season (but he did on Saturday funnily enough and has maybe paid for that) so as long as we're not talking a really long term thing, I think him having a good few weeks off won't do any harm.

The replacement is the interesting part. I think French should be put at fullback regardless of it being Hampshire or Farrimond. French is turning in to an outstanding stand off but I still think there is a fair case for saying he's a better fullback.

Seen it in a few places now NK. Cheers for the reply.

I think French will do a good job wherever he plays. He's that type of player. However, should we be disrupting the likely team for the business end of the season? If Field plays, French is at 6 and that relationship with Smith is really starting to work superbly now. French at fullback if it's the odd game but I think I'd like to see a more permanent and less disruptive solution if Field is out for a protracted time. Eckersley has played fullback and maybe he would be worth a shot once AK is back.

If we go French at fullback who do we play in the halves? Farrimond is the one we all want to see given game time but is he the best fit for Smith? Hampshire is a more 'running 6' type and hasn't let us down when playing in the halves. Thoughts?

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When Keighran returns, play Eckersley at full back.

There are definitely options. Keighran himself could go in at 1 or 6 when he’s back. He’s played both in the past. Hopefully Field won’t be far behind the end of the Keighran ban anyway.

I agree he's got the potential and also the talent to nail down that England number 9 spot for years.
When i watch him play I always think how the hell are Wigan going to keep hold of him as he's got the NRL written all over him talent wise IMO

I think that's a problem with a few of the younger guys. You'd have to imagine that, along with O'Neil, Nsemba will get NRL interest and we already know they've been sniffing around Hill for some time. Harvard too, who's still relatively young, has had lots of interest. We have to get long contracts in place so that we at least get a return on our development and keep the conveyer belt going. Anything else, I fear, is wishful thinking.

Who is regular FB for the reserves now?

Reagan Sumner.

French to full back 100%.

Rocky had a bad game at Wire but think he’s more a half than full back these days.

I’d be fine with him, Farrimond or Leeming in the halves.