Mcilorum could play 80 mins IMO

Heard that somewhere this week about Micky playing 80. Also Logan may get his chance at hooker.

He probably could but I think he would be burned out after about 10 games of it, plus changing hookers can stop the opposition defence from relaxing as the new hooker will have different tendencies.

Must have been shot from somewhere near me that then cos someone said that (not me, I'm actually in the pro KP club)

It works for Cam Smith.

Now I'm not saying Mcilorum is anywhere near that level but he does have a good engine.

Personally I'd play;

FB-Sam
WG-Amos
WG-Goulding

HB- Deacon
HB-Tommy

HK-Mcilorum

BENCH-Mellor

If Mellor is good enough for the first team squad then I'd pick him.

Like we said before Mcilorum can play 80 mins if needed.

Finch will be back, way before we are 10 games into the season.

Did Charnley play??
When U 'lending' him to us then??

It's only really this country and the scooter hooker style of play that pushes you to having two hookers in the team...

Yeah he played, speak to Madge.

Mellor, who is coming off the back of a serious injury and didn't get picked for his debut today despite a first choice half back and his back up (Finch and Sam) being injured and us having seven subs, ahead of Pryce who has played lots of SL, scores a try a game and seldom lets anything past him. I'm not having a go at Mellor, but I think Maguire opting to use Lockers at stand off when McIllorum went off today rather than giving either Mellor or Powell a bench spot must be an indication that they aren't ready for any game time this season.

Karl Pyce didn't let anyone down when he played last season and was very close to getting that right wing spot ahead of Goulding. I think if we play him on the left wing while Richards and Finch are out Maguire will have a real headache when they return.

He did the basics well, Charnley is higher up the pecking order and a far better player IMO.

In the press conference after the game, Madge said Charnley is staying with Wigan this season, he is going nowhere.

It's not a me knocking Pryce I just like to see injured players being replaced by guys who play that position. I.e if Finch is injured then we being a #6 in and not play Lockers there.

Either way I think there are plenty of options before we get to Lockers at HB including playing Pryce on the wing with Amos at FB at Sam at 6. Alternatively we could put Logan on the bench.

Good.

He'd be my first reserve before Marsh or Pryce tbh in both centre and wing positions because going forward I think he's going to be the best of the 3 and we need to give him a shot here.

i dont think marsh was anything to shout about today

Does that lad ever pass?

Should see him for the reserves. Constantly runs away from his winger.

Only problem I have with his game tbh

I don't think Marsh is a centre, more a winger.

I was about to post that it may have been better with Charnley at centre and Marsh on the wing.

Possibly, though he can be a bit greedy too. I think it stems from how easily they could both beat players in the Academy, so they rarely needed support.

Agree.

lol

Didn't we have Carmont on the wing and Marsh at centre at one point too? Suppose it's hard to keep track with the subs going on and off as much as they were.

Whilst I would guess that moving O'Loughlin to stand off mid-game is the preferred option, I would have thought it had more to do with the fact that Powell and Mellor are likely to be the preferred halfback pairing for the Barrow game, giving them both a full 80 minutes to impress and see where each player is at this early stage. If one of them plays well against Barrow they might make the squad against Wire. Meanwhile it allows Madge to focus on the forwards, where there is most competition, and assess their progress in one go.
I don't think it was a sign that neither Powell or Mellor would get first team rugby this year, although that's just guesswork.

It was bewildering with all the subs coming and going - I lost track a few times of who was playing where. Can understand Madge trying out all the combinations, but it didn't help the flow of the game at all.