But he hasn't played a game since then, making the statement slightly unbelievable.

but since that time Roberts went through a very good spell of form where he was in a lot of peoples top 3 for 3/4/5 weeks.

The last two games he has been poor, but i think anyone who lined up against King in the form he was in yesterday would have struggled.

The last two matches Roberts has been shown up, but both times against quality kickers, that undoubtedly ainscough would have done no better with.

King was playing .


Roberts can't be expected to defend both and wing positions. The Wire try at the beginning of the second half in particular was more down Gleeson and Tomkins than Roberts.

IMO, its the coaching and tactics at the club that is wrong. We play the exact same way against every time not adapting our play or subs or anything to beat the opposition.

Yesterday we saw a wire tactic of running at Feka, Mongahan ripped us apart with his dummy runs as Feka couldn't get near him, it worked nearly every time with Mongahan making yards or offloading beginning a strong attack.

This was also the case with King, here we had King jumping for the high field cross kicks against Roberts Sam and occasionally Phelps. It was causing a host of problems, in the line up or during the game Wigan's tactics never adapted to cover this attack.

Phelps, although giving 100% and showing signs of potential in attack isn't safe under the high ball. This will become more evident over time as teams work out his weakness and work on him.

Not all Roberts' fault.

It's all Roberts' fault.

In fact - I think it was him who invaded Poland and not the Germans to start the 2nd World War.

Ah the weekly Witch hunt has begun, right on time.

I thought the term "supporters" meant that you had to do just that. ie "support" the team.

Since the "team" contains players, would it not be a good idea to start "supporting" them.

half the users on here are nothing but a bunch of Boo Boys. The way i see it, if a player wears the cherry and white they deserve our full support.

no wonder certain players get better when they go to other teams, i mean would you want to perform for a bunch of people who show them so much dis-respect. i agree that respect has to be earned, but the same thing applies to us fans. If i was a player i would have very little respect for some of the fans.

Just watched the game again and I don't think Roberts did half as bad as people are making out, Gleeson should be taking a lot more of the flack, he had a shocker.

Whether at Wigan or somewhere else I hope Ainscough makes it. He's class with the ball, and that is - or ought to be - worth a lot. I agree entirely about other defenders helping out on kicks as well. Israel Folau stood still under a high ball with attacking players running at him unimpeded can look dodgy. I think a lot of sides can do more to protect their wingers under the kick.

Note to everyone: Matt King is a very good player in the air.

Seen Ainscough with a cast on his arm, wont be playing for a while - however if he was fit, I think he should be in the team.

Tries win games.

Tries do win games but you can say bad defence loses games

I stuck up for Roberts last week after a poor preformence and will do again this week because i think he's a good player but i'd like to see Noble show a ruthless streak and leave him out of the team this Friday.

Thats not to blame him for the defeat or to rip him apart for a couple of bad games but it would just send out a message to the rest of the side that theres players waiting to take their places when they fall below an acceptable level of preformence.

If Bailey hadn't got injured i'd be saying the same thing about Feka and Mossop would take his place.

It'll never happen though.

If Ainscough is injured, who would you play on the wings?

Again like Baileys injury letting Feka off the hook in my team Ainscough being injured could let Roberts off the hook aswell.

I suppose your only option then would be Karl Pryce. His form in the reserves probably warrents a shot.

Bailey's injury should not let anyone off the hook. Warrington will target Feka again. I'd play an extra backrow forward. Rugby is a running game, especially in August. If a player is immobile, he should be dropped.
I began this post, not as a criticism of Roberts but as a criticism of Noble whose tactics can't defend a crossfield kick.
I didn't even criticise Mathers who has since done well at Wire.

Every coach will do the same when feka is on the field now, the only way back for him now is putting some effort in at the gym and trimming down and gaining more stamina, the only worry being if he does lose some weight will he be as effective in attack?

He was just as effective and more then likely more effective when he was about 2-3 stones lighter only a couple of years back.

The guy is letting the team down at the moment and is letting himself and his immense talent down more then anything at the moment.

He needs to get back down to his NZ Warriors playing weight before he came here.

I agree, but who is at fault with his weight? Conditioning staff? Coach? Himself?

IMO it's mainly himself but some of the blame now should be shifting to the coaching staff. They pick the team and the guy needs to be taught a lesson.

He shouldn't be playing first team rugby at the moment imo. He should be having his own mini pre season in preperation for the play offs with the aim to get a stone off him and to get him fitter.

Irrelevant.

Sean Ainscough would have stopped him, won us the game, the cup, ended the war in Afganistan, stopped swine flu and cancelled big brother.

Can anyone tell me why we didn't put Richards opposite King? Surely this would have made a lot more sense.

Roberts problem isn't getting to the high ball but actually catching them! He caught a couple of beauties on attack early doors but then dropped ones in defence i'd have expected him to take.

I'd have hoped we have learned some lessons about defending them from the game at the HJ earlier this season but it didn't seem that way.

Jim Mills was overweight for years. When he trimmed down he became sensational.