This could be the first time I have agreed with you.

Tautai, Clubb & Navarette all need replacing at season end along with Sarginson and one or two others

Wonder how Manfredi scored his first try in the GF without Gildart?
Wonder how Budgie scored 3 in a WCC match without any passes from Gildart
Nothing wrong with Gildarts distribution, he had a bit of shocker first 20/30 mins on Sunday
Suddenly he's the scapegoat instead of Sarginson

Luckily I'm pretty sure Gildart will play this week and it won't have anything to do with whether Sarginson is injured or not - It's because he's our best centre.

Whatever his past achievements he was unbelievably poor on Sunday. I literally couldn’t believe my eyes. I kick up the backside is required imo.

Or an arm around the shoulder? Players respond to different approaches.

As I said, imo.

It's quite possible that Gildart is just having a difficult start to the season following an international series - in the same way that countless other players have had over the last few years in similar circumstances. Players can often struggle early in the season and it can take a while for them to regain their top form. The same thing might apply to Tom Davies too. Lets not forget that he usually makes a huge number of carries during games. With that work rate for pretty much 2 years straight, followed by a short off-season having played for England Knights and it might just be that he's a little off the pace.

If Lam is going to make changes the players I'd expect to see drop out are Clubb and Navarrete who have both been poor. I'd stick Isa in there too but it seems that Farrell's injury means he's going to get an extended run in the side at second row. I tend to have a bit of a downer on Isa but have to admit that it's more a case of finding his inclusion pretty uninspiring as he's just a fairly average player. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. He's had some really good games for us but it just seems like those are the exception.

For Hull I'd go with:

Hardaker
Forsyth/Mullen
Gildart
Sarginson
Marshall
Williams
Sammut
Flower
Powell
Tautai
Paisley
Greenwood
O'Loughlin

Leuluai
Byrne
Bullock
Hamlin

I'd love to see Escare get a chance but it's hard to see where he would feature. If Sammut is going to be in the side he needs to be playing the full game if he's going to be someone who directs the team around the field. Taking off Hardaker just seems pointless so I don't see what the point is of having him on the bench. Besides, it would be good to see whether Leuluai could be useful off the bench at hooker. When he was playing there last season he'd start at 9 and be steady but was generally very dangerous coming off the bench for his second stint.

I'd put Tautai back in the side to see if he could play himself into contention. He has always had the potential to be our best prop but aside from a brilliant couple of months in the past he's been poor. I'd love to see if Lam can actually get something decent out of him. He's got a very dangerous offloading game which could be an outlet for Hardaker to get involved down the middle.

I watched the Roosters game back and was far happier then on the night. That first ten minutes killed us but after that we were good and threw things at the Roosters that a lot if superleague teams would struggle with.

There’s a few lads we need more from (Davies, Gildart, Clubb and Navarette in particular) but I wouldn’t be hanging too much just yet.

I’d go-

Hardaker
Davies Gildart Sarginson Marshall
Williams Sammut
Flower Powell Clubb
Isa Greenwood Lockers

Hamlin Bullock Tautai Leuluai

Are we trying to put square pegs in round holes? Was it poor recruitment bringing in a left centre in Sarginson to replace a right centre in Gelling?

Obviously some players will be more versatile than others so its difficult to tell how much a change in side will affect a player's performance. But we do seem to be struggling with how our squad is lopsided with left sided players. Sarginson couldn't handle the switch, now it looks like Gildart is struggling. There may come a point where we have to acknowledge that Sarge and Gilly will have to compete for the one position and we either give Hankinson a proper shot, bring back Gelling or recruit elsewhere.

For Sunday I'd play Sammut at 7 and move Leuluai to the bench. Id start Hamlin in the 2nd row.

I think this will be pretty accurate to what will be picked. I can see Lam starting Sammut on the bench for Tommy. Then subbing either Powell or Tommy for Sammut.

To say Gilly is struggling is very harsh. He was superb on the right at the back end of last season and equally good for England V NZ.
He missed a one on one tackle against the Roosters and it was poor but the lad is the best centre we’ve got. Sarginson had for me what his best game in a Wigan shirt last week on the left and I’m happy with the balance. Farrell looked less comfortable with the switch to the right if we’re honest.

For Sunday it appears nailed on that Isa will take the right 2nd row spot. I’m fairly confident we’ll see Sammut start at 7 with TL at 9 and Powell on the bench. Looks like Clubb will be having a week off so possibly we’ll see Tautai make an appearance.

Because people pick teams on the players they like not the best players for the job. Its a big problem on here with people. Sarginson and Powell are this years scapegoats. We will forget there probly the 2 hardest workers in the side and just jump on the band wagon of slagging them off but sing tony clubbs name cos it fits into a song(forget the 5 minute spells he plays in).

Is Hamlin injured???

I agree for what it's worth. Sarge was strong at the back end of the season, and overall, minus a few errors, has been good this season, same for Powell who gets through a mountain of work per game. He's no 'razzle dazzle' but contributes massively in a game.

Hardaker
Davies
Gildart
Sarge
Marshall
Williams
Sammut
Flower
Powell
Clubb
Isa
Greenwood
SOL

Bullock
Bryne
Leaulai
Hamlin

Agree with most of what NSW has selected. I'd take out Clubb who has stitches in his mouth and a metal plate in his face, to be replaced by Tautai. I'd have Escare on the bench instead of Tommy. We desperately need his pace up the middle.

That facial injury Clubb sustained at Saints has probably been over looked a little when discussing his lack of form tbh. I’ve been somebody who’s called out his poor performances but when you think the biggest attribute he possesses is his ability to get off the line and smash people, you can understand why he looks a bit tentative at the minute.

He isn’t running or defending which much vigour and I guess that’s a mental thing as much as anything. I’d probably play him as it’s the only way he’s going to build confidence in it.

Is there any place in Wigan that I can get a good pie from on a Sunday afternoon?

"when in Rome" and all that.

Galloways is the best place. Meat and Potato from their are like heaven

I am a big admirer of Sam Powell and his commitment to the club. His workrate and enthusiasm should be the benchmark that all of the other squad members need to aspire to.

However, as everyone knows he has shortcomings to his game, which I feel as an attacking force is holding us back, and I feel the time has now arrived for AL to address this issue. We need more speed, accuracy and skill around the ruck and Sam is unfortunately not the man to deliver this.

I think it is time to try something different, we need Tommy to start at 9, with JS slotting in at half back to improve our kicking game and give us some element of control during games. Tommy should play for 50 minutes. then bring Morgan on for the last 30 minutes at hooker when the opposition big guys are getting gassed.

I have no fears re Morgan’s defence, I can’t recall ever seeing him miss a tackle when someone is running straight at him, and the benefits of his speed off the mark, eye for a gap, and ability to support the ball carrier need to be utilised more. He will not be getting a game at full back because of Zak, and he is not particularly effective as a half.

These two options give us a better running, kicking and support game from dummy half and I don’t feel there will be a lack of speed of service from the PTB. This will allow us to get the ball wider quicker.

I would also like to see Gabe given a fair crack at right Second Row in place of Faz, he has good basic speed, he is strong going forward and his defence is good. It will be interesting to see how much damage he could cause running on the edge of the ruck instead of straight up the middle.

Also sooner or later Sammy Kibula needs to be given a chance to see if he can hack it at SL level. If he can make the step up he would improve the teams skill level massively, and provide a different option through the middle that I don’t think any other team in SL possess, rather than a head down and barge prop. As our props other than Ben and Joe are not performing up to scratch at the moment, maybe if not now, it will soon be time to take a punt on him.

Finally I don’t think anyone should give up on Gilly yet, he has not had a great start to the season, but he is playing out of position. He is class, and possesses a lot of skill and pace, but if he continues to struggle, Hankinson needs to be given a chance on the right with Gilly and Sarge battling it out for the left centre spot.

I think overall we will go well this season, but with a few tweeks we could be a whole lot better.

Good points all round bp.

Agreed. It will be interesting to see if Kibula can hack it at SL level. If he can, we could have a powerful weapon in our hands.

-Just for factual reference, you say Powell's attack is holding us back, yet last season we went undefeated in the playoffs, won the gf and was the second highest scoring club?
-You want to replace Powell with Escare, when the las time Escare made half the tackles Powell makes? Surely having someone making 50 plus tackles per game offers a lot to our team? Don't you think that would be missed?

Be interesting to see the reaction on here on Sunday if Samutt isn’t outstanding. A lot of people are expecting the world from him??? I am a big fan and think we might have one of the signings of the season here valuewise, will take him time to settle in so lets give him the required time.

Genuinely interested in your last post. What makes you think we have of the signings of the season value wise? How much of the cap is he taking? What about his career makes you think that?

I know that post might sound like I'm picking, I'm genuinely not.