Obviously this is linked the Hardaker stuff, but thought the lad deserved his own thread and away from it getting lost in the Zak talk.

Is now the time to back Sam and see what he can do with a regular run of games? He'll be 21 in August, which isn't a bad time to start forcing your way into more regular game time.

I'll admit, I've liked the look of him whenever he's played and seems to make the right decisions at the right times.

Also having him come through, on what you'd expect to be a modest salary, will help us in other areas. We've got Thornley as the experienced guy (if he can stay fit) + Bibby and KPP for depth behind that.

I think it has to be the time to back him unless we plan on playing back row forwards there again. He definitely has some talent although I'm not convinced yet he'll be the superstar some have made out.

Circumstances has thrown up a look in to the future for us. All three of Halsall, Smith and O’Neill should be looking at good minutes over the coming months. I rate the three of them and whilst it’s not ideal losing three experienced guys for differing periods and reasons, we at least get to look where these young lads are at and it’s a free pass at looking how we shape recruitment for 2023.

Other than a bit of trepidation about the semi, I’m pretty excited about this next couple of months.

Definitely deserves a run in the team, I vaguely remember him doing well in his stint last year when we had injuries. He seems to be well thought of at Newcastle. Finger crossed he can kick on and become a quality centre

Bl00dy hell! You must be double jointed!



Halsall has been good every time he has come into the side, even earning the nickname "The Bank" because of how safe he is under the high ball. It seems to me as though he's bulked up considerably this season and looked a handful on Monday. Swatted off a couple players and looked really strong. I think he'll go really well if given an extended run, which he should do now

I didn't know much about the lads, but I recently read that he was a FB during his junior rugby days. I know they shifted him there on Sunday when Field went off and that makes sense on the high ball too.

In regards to size, the clubs website has him down as 6"1 and I'm sure he'll continue to bulk over the next few years.

And has shown that unlike guys like Bibby and even Hardaker (to a point), that he can get his head up and pick a pass.

I'm looking forward to him getting a run NK. He played pretty much across the three quarter line and never let us down wherever he's been played. I'd like to see him get a number of games in a settled position now. He's earned that opportunity in my opinion.

I’ve always said that I watched bits in the academy and never really saw him as a standout but after seeing him in the first team, I think it’s just because he’s quite understated and goes about his work in a really professional manner. He’s not hugely explosive but everything he does do is very calm and composed. Some players just raise their levels as they need to and get looks like he’s done that.

I think he’ll go well and take this opportunity

Him scoring at Elland Road for us to go through to the final would be a good start, as payback for all the wiganers who scored for them over the years.

He will have the full backing of all the fans.
For me nothing better than a lad coming through the system into the first team. Add being a Wiganer is the cherry on the top.

I don't think anyone has claimed that he is, or will be, a superstar, but some young lads seem to look at home as soon as they reach first-grade, you see it with some of the talented teenagers in the NRL, and so it has been with Halsall. As said upthread, he gets on with his work and looks calm.

Maybe he could develop into a George Carmont type of centre whilst not spectacular but very good at doing his job

George Carmont (IMO) was spectacular!

I was thinking more like Daryll Goulding,just got on with his job with out being explosive but being very reliable

Compared to anyone since, he was extremely spectacular.

I wasn’t knocking Carmont by saying he wasn’t spectacular far from it he was great for us but I always thought of him as an all round centre who did everything expected from a centre from a team aspect

Sounds like having a read made replacement for Zak was part of the decision. If you are already comparing Halsall to Carmont, you might have a very special young player on your books……

Have we had better centres in the last 20 years than Carmont and Goulding?

I'd say Gleeson was better. The GF winning season, he was outstanding imo.

Hard to find a better centre pairing ever in SL than Gleeson and Carmont or Connolly and Renouf.

It's a real shame we've treated the position as a 'utility' one over the last 5 years.

Senior and Watkins
Watkins and Moon
Lyon and Talau
Gidley and Talau
All better imho…..

as this is a Wigan forum and you named anyone but Wigan players I believe there are some good ones there with me being a Wigan fan who is a bit biased,so no they are not as good as ours.

Gong back before SL Henry Paul and ‘inga the non winger’ were sensational….and the only pairing in my bracket imho…!
Or Connolly and Inga for that matter….

Gene Miles-Mean Dean- now that was a good combo