I agree, on GMR on way home, he mentioned Lockers @ 6, i think he will go with that and another forward to the bench.

Good God, I hope not! Totally detracts from O'Loughlin's game and what he brings to the team. How many times do we have to try this before realising it doesn't do ANYTHING for the team. He isn't a 6. It's that simple.

Joel might be banned for kicking out like a big baby.

We can go with O'Loughlin at 6 as Sam effectively plays as a second 6 from full back anyway and play Feka on the bench.

Agree with the OP though, we are a much better team with Deacon in it.

I don't think Joel to centre is an option.

A back on the bench would usually be a waste of time due to the normal lack of injuries sustained and would just take up a valuable bench spot. Unfortunate the way injuries went last night but I would hope that we would put Sam to 6 and either Roberts, Richards or Phelps to fullback for HKR

Unfortunate, but surely to be considered in the selection policy?

Our bench last night ensured that an injury to ONE of our numbers 1,6 and 7 would completely screw our creativity and leave us with no direction. That is not a sensible bench.

As for choosing Lockers at 6 in the next game. If MM does that then he is an idiot.

But 9 times out of 10 we won't have an injury to a back so it's a waste of a bench spot. Look at the way other teams choose their bench. It's very rare that they'd have a back sitting there.

agree 100%

we just can't keep sam at 1 now. Yes he is impressive there but we have nobody controlling the game in the halves. Leuluai doesn't seem to be able to control the game and lockers is just a make shift 6. Personally I'd line up

1. Roberts
2. Goulding
3. Gleeson
4. Carmont
5. Richards
6. Sam
7. Leuluai
8. Fielden
9. Riddell
10. Coley
11. Farrell
12. Joel Tomkins if banned Hansen
13. O'Loughlin

14. Prescott who needs to significantly improve on last night
15. McIllorum as above
16. Feka
17. Hansen/Tuson if joel is banned.

I can see where you are coming from, but I do think the risk of not having some form of cover for an injury to 1,6 or 7 is too high.

Maybe one bench spot should always go to a second row/centre "hybrid"?

Surely this is preferable to gambling on no injury?

I think the problem is Wigan don't have that sort of player - Saints are very lucky with being able to play Roby pretty much anywhere other than prop if the need arises.

You didn't need a back on the bench - you needed to shift Sam up into the halves.

I agree with that and that is were Bailey was useful in his first year with us. The difficulty is finding someone who is good in both positions. At a push I suppose Tomkins could move to there but he was poor in the last game he was moved there and we also lost his threat in the pack.

We need a Sam Panapa

I'm not a big fan of Phelps, but in the last few reserve games he's looked better than Roberts (who still isn't fully recovered, IMO), and has been kicking 40-20's for fun (admittedly on a smaller pitch).

For a man who is desperately in need of a contract somewhere, bringing Phelps back could be very interesting...

I would go for Phelps too. Roberts' injury seems much more of a hampering one which although physically he might be back, mentally he will be nursing it for a while until he regains confidence in his body again. In a full blooded knockout rugby game we cant afford that in my opinion.

I also think Phelps is a better tackling FB than Sam currently is for the 1 on 1s. Sam got stepped twice yesterday, albeit because of Joel and Prescott falling off Eastwood to allow the offload to Buderus. I can't help but think, Radlinski would have still picked buderus up and dumped him on his .

Definitely an error in judgement from MM. That said I think we could have muddled through and won if it weren't for two or three stupid penalties, but yeah, he needs to pick his team with a little more foresight in future.

You bugger, was just gonna post exactly the same thing.



Was worth his weight in gold that guy, one of my all time favourite players.

Considering how much ball Goulding's wing saw last night; why not move Goulding onto Carmont's wing, Pat to Fullback and then Amos out to Gleeson's wing? Gleeson is good enough to carry Amos in defensive if he has too and Goulding has enough pace to be able to work off the space George creates. Pat could then chime into the line between them in attack, as well as being bigger and stronger in defense. Sam can then stay where he belongs - at number 6!

Phelps is a terrible defensive full back, never gets near the man. I agree that if Phelps is in better form than Roberts in the U20s then bring him in, but it has to be at stand off for my money. I'd go:

FB 6 Sam
RW 24 Goulding
RC 3 Gleeson
LC 4 Carmont
LW 5 Richards
SO 1 Phelps
SH 7 Leuluai
P 8 Fielden
H 9 Riddell
P 29 Tuson/31 Davies if Joel suspended
SR 11 Hansen
SR 25 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 10 Coley
S 12 Joel/29 Tuson if Joel suspended
S 15 McIllorum
S 17 Paleaaesina

I said Prescott was poor v Bradford when most said he was one of the men of the match and people agree he was poor v Leeds. Are O'Carroll and Bailey out for the season? Coley benched not because he's poor, just because I don't think we have enough impact off the bench at the minute

NO no no never put Joel in the centre again he's a second rower we've enough cover with Marsh and Charnley