I’ve been prepared to give Powell a chance and be reasonably patient but tonight should be the last time we see him at 7 in a Wigan shirt. He’s a good hooker if you play to his strengths of being ultra fit and competitive and give him 60+ mins a game but he hasn’t got the required passing or kicking skills to be a 7 for Wigan.

Against Cas next week we should be looking at something different. I’m not sure if that’s just Leuluai and Powell swapping back, Escare or Woods coming in at 7 (or Escare at fullback with Sam at 7) or even Lockers going in there but we can’t keep going with this set up. The ‘Switcheroo’ has been dumped for some reason and maybe it’s a case that we need to bring that back because it at least takes Powell out of the halves for a spell.

Every chance he'll pick up a ban this week for that stupid tackle at the start of the second half so we might see a change by default.

I couldn’t agree more re Powell, he’s a far better 9 than a 7. I wouldn’t swap for TL though, I’d keep TL at hooker gradually being phased out for Ganson and have 1 of 2 options;

1) Sam to #7 Escare to FB
2) Woods to #7

I haven’t seen much of Escare at HB but even so I much prefer him as a FB. Sam would be a good option to the halves, he’s spending a lot of attacking time in the line and I say just put him there. I’m glad we’ve seen the back of this silly switcheroo but what we have in its place is abysmal; nothing.

Give Escare the first go, then if that’s not work try Woods.

Kicking game was shocking tonight.

Agreed, I'd go:

FB Escare
SH S.Tomkins

S Powell (on at hooker)

Escare needs to be much stronger in defence though, that effort on Barba was apalling.

In my opinion both our starting halves are better suited to hooker than 6 or 7.

I long for the days we have done agility and pace at 6 & 7, rather than solid defence and one who can’t pass accurately and another who seems to think he is a backrow forward.

I said earlier that Powell and Williams shame the legacy of our 6 and 7 shirts. I get that the game is played differently now with split halves etc but neither of them are doing any of the basics right that mean we’ll win the big games consistently when it counts. Some of the kicking on display was just awful technique and execution.

Am I crazy for thinking we’d look better like this

Tomkins

Williams
Smith

Tommy

Powell/Escare

At least with Smith and Williams we knew what we were getting, good to great long kicking game from Smith, organising plays. Williams to play with freedom knowing Smith would take control on the last tackle.

Our halfbacks passed it to Bateman twice on the last tackle tonight.

It’s as though we go with a slightly worse option at scrum half as the years roll by. I wasn’t best pleased with Matty Smith in 2016 and thought we couldn’t really go backwards but I thought Tommy was even worse last year and Powell is on his way to topping that in 2018.

I think I’d go Lockers or Woods at scrum half next week and just give them the instruction to keep things simple and try to build us field position.

Don't think it was too bad (as a Leeds fan) but obviously hurt him so understandable sin bin in the present climate but don't think he should get a lengthy ban, thought Isa pulling at Golding's leg at the same time was more poor form and more annoyed at Williams early doors (5 mins or so) pulling off Golding's scrum cap that he went without for the remainder of the game as it was damaged. Given the issues around head damage and concussions you shouldn't rag off someone's head guard.

Great long kicking game from Smith????? Presume youndont mean Matty??? Could find the fullback from 65/70 yrds no worry.

We can but hope.

Mind you if he does cop a ban watch the debate about who Wane will pick to play half back then. My starter for 10 is Lockers. (My preferred option is Sam T). Perm any one from Lockers, Sam T, Escare or Woods. Have I missed anyone out?

Big fat YES!!! Crazy would just about cover it unless u mean Tony Smith from 20 years ago!

I feel the same about Powell, I think some of the criticism of him has been OTT, and he has put in a few half-decent performances, but it doesn't look like he's the answer as a Wigan 7. It would be so lovely to see us blow Cas away with a great attacking performance next week, but it's hard to see that right now.



But of course, I wouldn't be devastated with a 9-8 win.

Feel like banging my head against the wall every time I see a shout for Tomkins to mive into the hales; why limit him to only one half of the pitch and make him do far more tackling?! Madness.

Matty Smith?! There are other HBs in the world other than past Wigan players, forget him, and forget moving Tommy back to 7. Learn from past mistakes, don’t return back to them.

The answer isn’t currently at Wigan. Powell isn’t it, clearly. Escare needs a run there, but I fear his defence might be an issue in the line.
Woods? Too inexperienced just yet. His lace of pace worries me for a long term 7.

What happened to Shorrocks?

Ssd thing is our best half, best 13, and best prop is the same person; Lockers.

I remember when a scrum half was a key position. Bout time we started treating it as such.

And some people are slating williams saying he's doing nothing,there's only williams creating anything in my opinion.We need a top class scrum half who can create chances aswell and powell isn't that person.

For me we just need someone with a good long kicking game and can organise. Would anyone take Patton from Wire?i think he would complement Williams well and he seems out of favour at Wire.

I think we must be watching different games! I don’t see much creativity coming from Williams. I do agree though in that we need to invest in a top class 7

Williams’ creativity starts at a show and go onto a sidestep and then ends at being tackled. It’s predictable garbage and it’s happening 10+ times a game. Why he’s still allowed to keep on doing it is absolutely beyond me.

Williams is at the heart of our left side attack and if people can’t see it then I don’t know what they’re watching. We’re scoring loads down that edge and it’s his involvement and the way he is engaging defenders and getting them interested that is opening up defences and creating the opening for th centres and wingers.
He doesn’t have to be scoring length of the field tries to be effective.

Seriously? I don’t know what you’ve been watching. Engaging defenders? Opening up defences? That’s tosh mate. I’m not asking for full lengthers, I’m asking for effectiveness and creativity instead of being a greedy get and doing his usual predictable garbage.

Go back a few weeks and watch the tries down our left edge. Virtually every one of them starts with a burst of speed or a great pass from GW. Is he playing perfectly? No but he sure as heck doesn’t deserve some of the tosh on here at the moment!

He deserves everything he gets! He’s just going through the motions and has been since he got his marquee deal sorted. I still say that he should be dropped to the bench, every other player has been switched and rotated to try and find a solution to our woeful half back situation, but George continues with the same predictable shoite week in week out and nothing changes. Maybe he has a clause in his marquee contract that says he can’t be dropped!

Wow, some people just can’t see the wood for the trees or simply don’t understand rugby league.

I played the game for 18yrs I think I’ve a pretty good understanding