Sorry mate but I don't agree with that I don't rate Fielden anymore at all. When he was at Bradford he was best forward in England... The defensive situation all the wigan defence is just awesome (except for the last couple of weeks) we could put any player in his position to defend. In attack he runs the ball in 10 metres and gets carried back 15... then he will throw a stupid ball. then in defence he will give a penalty away. 1/2 reducing his wage will not make him play better it would just make him worse just sell him there is many players out there who will fill his position and more for half of his wage. I mean look at Andy Coley recently I know hes been picking up injuries but hes our best forward when he plays.

choice between fielden and feka feka every time, fielden is a liability knock ons penalties no yards gained, you get none of those from feka.

Yeah Feka never knocks on does he?

In a way I’d say I’d take Feka over Fielden.

This isn’t a knock at Fielden btw it’s just I want to see players like Feka at the matches I go to. I wanna see the massive bustling runs through defence and I want to see him barging over the line with three players on his back against Saints.

It’s the same way that I like to see players like Hock or Lauititi play as you never know if their next touch will change the game or if they are gonna come up with that magic offload which puts you in right back in the game. Yes all of the above have weaknesses to their game but I’d be more than happy to accommodate them as they’ve got that ‘x factor’ about them.

I’m worried that in a few years players like this will be gone from our game in favour of players like Coley, Hansen & Fielden who although I appreciate the talents they have and the hard work they put in there should, imo, be room for players like Feka.

He's making 0.4 metres per carry less than Feka, that's 40 cm. So 40 cm is the difference in your eyes between one guy making 'no yards' and another guy making good yards? Fielden is also busting 4 times the number of tackles. The greater penalties and errors are a reflection of doing much more work defensively, which is why Lockers has made even more the Stu. There's actually only a 1% difference between Feka and Stu in penalties per tackle (in Feka's favour), and 0.5% difference in errors per carry (in Stu's favour).

Maybe it's not quite the picture that you paint?

Maybe that's why Stu is being selected all the time and Feka is not?

Maybe Maguire knows more about Rugby than both of us?

Feka is a total liability.

When is on the pitch, the opposition have learned to run four or five quick plays at him and then go through the gap.

He spends very little time on the pitch so others have to do more work.

Yes he makes the odd barnstorming run but that's about it.

He's a poor man's Kelvin Skerret. Kelvin could play 80 minutes. Tackle all day and do barnstorming runs to boot.

Feka wants to find an NFL team who need an impact player for 5 minutes a game.

Fielden is getting picked over Feka due to his fitness nothing else. Fielden takes 3 drives to every 1 drive Feka does but Feka still makes the same yards. Fielden might burst more tackles but thats because he takes 3X the amount of drives. He bursts the tackles then makes a stupid mistake like a offload when not needed.

At the games feka gets the crowd going, he is a big impact player its just ashame that he can't last very long.

Feka should keep working on his fitness but try to keep the same size/weight and know its not easy to do but if that could be possible then I think thats what Mcguire will try to do. He comes on and sometimes changes the game IMO i've never seen that done before at WIGAN from Fielden...

what he said with knobs on,

What a frightening assessment of the two players.

Thank god you never get near picking a team.

Here's the reality.
[urlhttp://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics_player.php?hs1=2010&hp1=29&hs2=2010&hp2=1135&stat=tries&season=[/url

Your analysis is flawed tbh, I gave figures pro rata based on an equal number of carries, Stu actually makes a fracition less mistakes per carry (0.5%) and a fraction more penalties per tackle (1%) though the difference is so small as to be largely meaningless, i.e. =#FF0040Stu doesn't actually make any more mistakes than Feka could be predicted to do given the same game time/carries/tackle rate.

Fielden isn't there to come on and change a game, he's not being tasked with that role, like many other props for many other teams. What he is there to do is get through a lot of graft, which this season especially he's been doing pretty damn well at.

None of what I am saying should be taken as any detriment to Feka, just feel I have to dispel the myth held by a small number that Stu is always making mistakes. Quite clearly both the stats show that he isn't, and a coach who dropped Mossop for "dropping off tackles" when the majority of fans were singing Mossop's praises, can't feel that he does either - or Stu would be dropped week after week.

When it comes to Rugby League, perception doesn't actually mold reality.

ok as you are picking selected stats try these.
penalties given away fielden 16 feka 5
errors 18 14
missed tackles 51 33
busts 78 97
offloads 14 42
yards made 2557 2678
these are from last year.
the only thing fielden is better at is tackling, these stats are from last season if they played the same this season feka would be shown to be the better again.
i like fielden he is a top forward he just needs to cut out the errors get on with the game and stop whineing when he mucks up, and then he will be back to his best.

He is playing better this year than last, so the stats are rather irrelevant

Yeah.. let's go off last years form. You really aren't helping yourself.

Last season we finished 6th and got only 15 wins. This season we are top and already have 10 wins. You compare Fielden's stats to Feka's this season and Fielden's are better. I much prefer the current situation than any from last season or the last god knows how many seasons.

Sorry, to respond like this cause you've been really nice about the way you posted it

but you've not actually looked into what those stats tell you.

Looking further into the numbers you posted:
[code
Category SF IP Delta(SF-IP)
% of missed tackles 7.11 9.85 -2.74
% Penalties (if all defence) per tackle 2.23 1.21 1.02
% Penalties (if all attack) per carry 4.54 1.49 3.05
% Errors (if all defence) per tackle 2.51 3.39 -0.88
% Errors (if all attack) per carry 5.11 4.18 0.93
[/code

So Stu actually:
Misses 2.74% less tackles
gives out 1.02% more penalties (if all penalties came when defending)
gives out 3.05% more penalties (if all penalties came when attacking)
makes =#FF00400.93% more errors per carry (assuming all 'errors' happen during a carry)

It's even more interesting if you do the same analysis on some other players, you'll unsuprisingly find the same trend, i.e. the players who do more work often concede a higher % of penatlies and make a higher % of errors.

The numbers don't seem to back up perceptions, and neither do the coaches selections.

You did make my chuckle by saying =#FF0040all he does is tackle better though (it's a pretty significant part of the game

)

you may as well print in latin.
all i know is feka entertains me fielden frustrates me.

Go and watch the reserves only then.

why?

A lot of this is argument is irrelevant.


They are 2 completely different players doing different jobs for the TEAM

Both have their strengths and weaknesses, even though on here and Warriors fans forums Fielden is very often not fit to burn but fans favourite Feka is the best thing since sliced bread

I posted about these 2 last year on the warriors fans defending Fielden v Feka

Both this year have made significant improvements from last year. Fielden looks more like the player we signed. He is getting through a lot of the hard work that is required from a prop forward. Defensively he is sound and is taking up the ball far better than he has done since he 1st joined us (or that is the perception). Feka has done the hard work in shifting the excess weight and must be applauded as this was one of my main criticisms, how can a professional player be so out of shape. The challenge it appears has been getting used to his new size / shape, which he now appears to be getting. His game time has improved on last year, his defence has improved (but couldn't really get any worse) and he is now back to making good metres with the ball in hand.

all in all we should be glad that we have got them both in the side as it gives us options. We have the prop willing to do the hard graft, and we have another one with something different that can change a game in attack.

I dont know what the 2 earn but would expect them both to be extending their contracts, but feel that Fielden is the most likely as he appears to be more the MM type of player, but can we afford to lose the impact / attacking option that Feka gives us

I suppose it depends who we replace him with. I wouldn't expect any of them to be released unless we can find adequate replacements.

dont watch the NRL so have no idea about top aussie / kiwi props playing over there

from over here there are some good props but are there many outstanding ones. I would say Graham at Saints (but would be move), Morley and Peacock (not long term options), but outside of that there really isn't anyone who stands out and thats not saying there aren't any good props out there

We have some good young ones with Prescott and O Carroll, Davies is also well talked about, and Mossop is likely to move their longer term I feel.

Is Hock an option at prop if he is given a new contract? Can he bulk up ala Andy Platt? Do we need another back row forward at the club given all the talent / youth that we have coming through

MM will obviously have his ideas on how he wants to shape the squad moving forward and based on what i've seen so far I would trust his judgement

I think Andy Lynch has been excellent this season, would do a good job for us IMO

You'll get more out of Davies is one for next season and beyond. Wane rates him highly, he'll probably get his shot next season so I wouldn't be surprised to see Feka leave.

with Fielden Feka and Coley off contract I think were likely to bring in two new props to replace Feka and Coley. I just dont think Feka is Madges type of prop.