I am amongst those on here who have memories of the lack of impact that Gene Miles had in the early part of the season he played with Wigan.
So I had a look at Bilko's stats for that season and it really showed how the memory can play tricks years after.
Up to early December of that season Miles only played app 4 games, it was a case of play a match miss 3/4.
From the 15 of Dec he went on to play app 24 matches with him only missing 1 match in that run of 24 matches.

Not a bad suggestion FT. Bowen has actually played backup 9 in the past (even at Origin levelif I recall) possibly give the starting 9 a rest, bring on Hampshire, send him to 1 and Bowen to 9.
Otherwise I wouldnt wanna see a subsitute wasted on a fb interchange.

Sounds like a good idea but I would rather keep Bowen at full back and put Hampshire on as hooker.

I am not keen on making lots of positional changes and hampshires pace at acting half could give a real good attacking option against a tiring Wakey defence.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhahahahahahahahahahaha

Regards

King James

I remember that - there were a lot of rumours/concerns during the early part of the season whether he would ever play (if I remember rightly it was chronic injury that kept flaring up). I think the play one miss a few was due to him either being pushed/or pushing to play and breaking down and then missing a few.

Sooner see Hampshire get as much game time as poss at fb personally in prep for when he takes over the position FT.

Bowen wouldn't have played on Sunday even if he'd had a stormer in the WCC, IMO. SW has always said he'd rest players for the first game back. Sundays squad will be made up of one or two who played WCC, the ones who travelled and didn't play and probably a couple of younger squad players.

I think Rocky will be in the halves next year.

I also think Bowen will do 1 more season also.

Who knows. Personally I don't. Rocky seems to be marked out for the FB role similar to Sam. Has he even played at 6 in the first team?

To me, and I could be wrong, Wane has his eyes on Powell to replace Green in the halves with Williams also waiting.

I'd go with:

1. Hampshire
2. Charnley
3. Gelling
4. Thornley
5. Manfredi
6. Williams
7. Smith
8. Dudson
9. Tomkins
10. Crosby
11. Bateman
12. Clubb
13. Burke

14. James (Assuming he's fit)
15. Hopkins
16. C.Farrel
17. Hughes

I'd like to see:

Bowen
Charnley
Thornley
Sarginson
Burgess
Hampshire
Smith
Taylor
McIlorum
Crosby
Farrell
Hughes
Bateman

Clubb
Tomkins
Dudson
Flower

But I think we will be weaker.

www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... -1-6468786 Looks like a few more first team players will play than Wane originally suggested.

www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-w ... -1-6468786 Looks like a few more first team players will play than Wane originally suggested.

The players I'm sure want to play and SW probably has realised how important a convincing win is this weekend.
Doesn't surprise me one bit!

Is Hampshire a 6 playing fullback or an out and out fullback? I would use the Saints Johnny Lomax situation under Royce as an example here. We moved our most promising fullback to half back where his confidence took a battering for 2 seasons just to move him back to full back again, therefore slowing his development down. Just a thought guys...

He's a 6 they're looking at converting to fullback in the way they did with Sam Tomkins.

Lomax was a halfback in his St Helen's academy days as well but did shift to fullback at that level before his move up to the first team. Once he got in the Saints first team he played as a utility really before getting his spot at 7. I think you can tell now fullback is his best position because it gives him freedom. He's not a great organiser, kicker or even passer of a ball but his skills are ideally suited to being an attacking fullback.

As for Hampshire I think he is suited more to the halfback role then fullback but circumstances will probably dictate where he ends up.

I think SW has his eyes on Powell as backup hooker to MM, ahead of Logan.

I see Williams as a #7 or #9. Along with Hampshire, Powell, Burgess and Manfredi I expect them to get some game time this year.

One more to keep an eye out for is Oliver Gildart, still only 17 but he may get a first team shot later in the year.

If Powell & Hampshire learned to kick goals they would make SWs selection a little harder, I'm surprised that none of the younger players don't go for that skillset because there players who get into the first teams on the strength of kicking 2 pointers.

Hampshire is a very good goal kicker isn't he?

Yes, and so are Williams and Tierney. I was at an England U16 International game at Bradford a few year back and they all kicked goals.

btw Jake Shorrocks kicked 10 from 12 today in the U19's game v Wakefield.

Heavy rain and blowing a gale forecast for 3pm, could be real arm wrestle tomorrow.

Looks to be 2nd half when the heavy rain starts, cant see the gale force winds at all

in 2012-2013 he played 33 games at under 19/20 and kicked 201 goals, think he knows where the sticks are

Can you not play with your legs tied together, we need a win.

Those stats flatter Hampshire a bit. The U19's have scored plenty of tries under the sticks. I don't recall him kicking many from the touchline so I doubt his goalkicking will keep him in the side. Still good to have kicking options though. Shorrocks seems a better goalkicker.