I think Sam will start at FB to begin the season, but if Amos is able to recover his early 2010 form then he'd be my number 1. Sam's been great at FB but when compared with Amos and the form he was in there's only one winner for me.

With Richards being out I imagine Sam would start the season at FB. However I still think that when Richards is back Roberts should go to 1 with Sam moving back to 6. I think Gouldings deserved his place in the side.

Absolutely, Goulding showed all last year he's worthy of his spot. I think it get's overlooked just how safe Darrel is under the highball. He did go through a shaky patch midway through the season where he'd position himself wrong in the defensive line, or come out when he shouldn't. But thankfully he's rectified those weaknesses in his game and he's a much improved player for it.

I completely agree. If everyone is fit and on form then Roberts has to be at 1 in my opinion.

I think the pre season friendlys will determine alot of these 'problems' (what great problems to have!)

Who will play fullback? Who will play in the halves? Who will play in the back row? Who will cover Pats wing whilst he's injured?

Go back 4 or 5 years and we were asking similar questions, but more so because the players we had were rubbish. 'Is there ANYONE else who can play fullback instead of Mathers/Vaeliki/Moran

Now we have a dilemma of choosing between Sam Tomkins and Amos Roberts.





Its great to have such healthy competition in the squad, and I would go as far as saying no-ones place is safe, we could put out two completely different starting 13's and each one would still give Super League a good go:

1. Sam - Roberts
2. Goulding - Charnley
3. Gleeson - Carmont
4. Marsh - Pryce
5. King - Richards
6. Deacon - O'Loughlin
7. Mellor - Finch
8. Fielden - Coley
9. Leuluai - McIlorum
10. Prescott - Lima
11. Hoffman - Hansen
12. Tuson - Joel
13. Farrell - Mossop

Amos to full back with Sam to 6.
Finch will be playing 7 as a playmaker so Sam could really prosper from playing alongside Finch.
Amos at 1, Goulding 2, Charnley 5 (Until Pat returns) Sam 6, Finch 7.

This really does highlight Wigan's frightening strength in depth - frightening, that is, for all the other SL clubs.

One of the reasons we finished top of the league and then won SL was our strength in depth, brought about by the emergence of players like Farrell and Tuson. The squad should be even stronger than last year with 3 better imports and the continued development of players like Charnley and Marsh. When you think we can add Davies, O'Caroll, and the new lads promoted from the Academy to the list of 26, the future really does seem bright - if not totally cherry and white!

Please say we havent give Pryce a new contract



What does anyone know about this Ryan King?? Is he really ready for the 1st team straight away?? I've never seen him play before.

I happen to agree with this assessment, I think you could make a very good case for him being the form fullback in the world for the 6 weeks prior to his injury. Some of the things he did were simply incredible and he seemed to make something happen every time he got the ball. What he did prior to that in his career is of no consequence, his time in the NRl etc is totally irrelevant, if you take the 6 weeks window prior to his injury the lad was on fire.

To be the best player in the world you have to do it over a longer period, but for those few weeks I think there is a great case to state he was not only the form fullback in the game but potentially even the form player in the game.

if we wanna bring roberts time in the NRL into him being the best full back also bring Pats time in the NRL with him being the best winger... he maybe an ireland international now but i doubt back in his NRL days if australia had offered a call up he would of said no?? and also he could of still played in origin without being a kangaroo!! i agree with you we put to much on what player do in the NRL! Amos was the best full back in the world at start of season and IMO would of been man of steel if he never got his injury

I would hope and expect it will be a clean slate, what has happened in the last season will have an influence possibly but I think MM will return to the ethos that has brought us this success, ie clean slate and regardless of performance reputation gets you a shot.

All the players will have to perform in pre season and in the friendlies and that is what will define who gets a shirt. 2010 is gone to move forward we must keep looking forward not back.

If we are making predictions I expect personally, Tomkins to start at 1 and remain there, if he does not the whole experiment last year and its success would be for nothing. I think Deacon will start at 7, with Finch at 6.

Although I think Goulding has come on, the way I judge a player is would they be a success in a team that is struggling, take Goulding out of the Wigan team and put him in at Cas for example would he have the same impact and for me the answer is no. Goulding has benefited from our style of play and the service he has received. He is a hard working winger, perhaps not the most naturally gifted but he is in the right place at the right time, which is a skill in itself and also shows great determination, for me though he does not make enough happen off his own back, unlike Roberts.

With Richards out I fully expect both Roberts and Goulding will have a fair crack at getting the Wing spot, and although I doubt it, it could be a case of Richards having to work to get his shirt back, although his kicking is clearly a great advantage over the other 2 which you would assume see him come back once he is fully fit.

Over the course of the year I expect our most settled backline will be -

1. Tomkins
2.Roberts
3.Gleeson
4.Carmont
5 Richards
6. Finch
7. Deacon (although i think we will see Tommy and Mellor in that slot throughout the year.)

Amos was good at FB because with his electric pace & quality step he found it easy to break the game line, BUT, the style of RL we play with the FB as an extra pivot is one Sam does better.

All the good things Amos can do at FB Sam can also do them as well. Sam is more of a danger with ball in hand as well so for me it's no contest who should be our FB next season.

My main worry is at HB as I don't think Deacs will be fit for the majority of the season.

I do not think Roberts got the credit for his assists last year. Ok he was not throwing the eye catching passes that Phelps was early season but whilst they may not have been long cut out balls etc he still came up with a boat load of assists.

I agree Tomkins does act as the extra pivot but so did Roberts only in a slightly different way.

For all the good things Roberts did at the start of last season for me he just wasn't a link man in the same way Phelps was or Sam turned out to be.

I keep thinking back to the Wire away game where Amos scorred a classic try but he also messed a few try opps up with poor passes. One I'm sure landed in the stands instead of in Gouldings waiting arms for a walk in.

Like I said earlier everything Amos can do im more than confident Sam can do that and more.

Like I said Roberts may not have provided the "link" in the same way as Phelps or Sam but he still provided the link. I would expect we scored significant tries directly off his passes as "assist", but even more off the back of his line busts.

Sam potentially can go on to be anything he wants in the game but at the moment of the 2 if you are looking at a direct comparison for me Roberts has shown superior form to Tomkins in there respective tenure at fullback.

Its a no brainer for me..We start with Roberts at full back and sam at 6.

If he doesnt show the form we drop him and move sam to full back..But a team with a fully on form Roberts and Sam on the same pitch is a frightening thought.We need to give Roberts a chance.

I think Deacon also deserves a shot which is where things become complicated.

Perhaps - although at this stage Deacon has not been confirmed as a player for next year (but I don't think it would be a huge surprise if he was). But given Deacon's fitness and injury issues last season when he did miss a lot of games I don't think it will be much of a complication - it may even be a case of having Deacon as reserve/cover for the halves and maybe even no 9 (especially if McIllorum has injury problems like previous seasons). Nice problem to have though.

Slightly O/T, but this is a worry. Who will kick for touch / goals? It was evident in the GF that we had no plan B. I expect Deacon to kick goals if fit, but how many games will he play due to selection / fitness?. Do any of the new signings kick?

So no place for Hoffman or Finch then? (And Lima only to get a game because Feka has left?).

It's a new season and a new team and Madge will want to make the best use of his squad given the new arrivals. With Finch arriving that will influence how we line up at h/b and also f/b given Sam's ability to play either position.

Finch 7, Sam 6 and Roberts 1 sounds pretty OK to me.

If Sam plays 1 (as he might with Richards out) the alternative half back combos don't appeal much as it would be Finch and Deacon and it can't be Finch and TL can it given we expect TL to be playing 9?

Dave

Agreed.

Had a good end to the season for me.

Sam at full back every time for me.

Roberts needs to find his confidence and form and he can do that on the wing like he did this season gone. To be honest in the form he was in I did not think it really mattered where he was whether at full back or on the wing. He was simply brilliant.


Once we have Roberts back to his best on the wing and full of confidence that is when we should look at him playing full back until then it has to be Sam with Deacon and Finch in the halves.

Completely disagree. A half back combination of Finch and Sam is a mouthwatering prospect whereas the alternatives in the halves are not. Deacon also can't be relied on to play a full season at 6 or 7. He was brought in for cover and what an astute move that proved to be but there is no way IMO he can be considered a regular 1st choice starting half back which ought to mean Sam in the no 6 slot.

I also don't see why not playing Sam at f/b would mean last year was for nothing. We won the GF so it worked when it needed to but if we are a better side with him back in the half backs which I think we will be, then that is all there is too it IMO. Especially if Roberts can recapture his early season form. If he does then Finch 7, Sam 6 and Roberts 1 will scare the living daylights out of most sides. I can't see why seeing Sam play alongside Finch does not appeal.

Dave

For me, to start with Tomkins stays at fullback in his best position with Deacon and Finch in the halves.

No-one has a clue what Roberts will be like next season. Who's to say he won't continue to struggle as he did in the 2nd part of this season?

He has to prove from the wing that he's got his confidence back, only then can you consider moving him to fullback. I think its inevitable this will be the lineup to start with anyway due to the Richards injury.

I love all this speculation as to where the players will line up but what satisfies me most is the fact that I have every confidence that Madge will pick the right players in the right places for the right reasons at the right time. This confidence and satisfaction in team selection has been lacking for some years.