Just flog him to Doncaster instead

Anyone know more about Nsemba? Seems to have come from a bit left field. Loads of talk about Nicholson and KPP etc, but I can't recall much talk on the lad.

Started playing the game from around 11 at St Judes, a team that dominated from U7 right through to U16, in fact only lost 2-3 matches throughout that time. From when he signed he was always a foot taller than the next tallest lad and had speed and strength to carve his way through defences. Not seen much of him over the last couple of years but he's a special kid.

Thank you.

Sounds promising indeed

Yeah, I think 12 months in the reserves and another 12 months with a Championship team on loan will see him really come through and shine.

Wigan love their second rowers don't they? Not surprised they're looking at KPP as a potential centre option given all of our options and prospects in the back row.

We've got real pedigree when it comes to producing backrow talents. You can probably reel off 10 - 20 'gooduns' produced in the last 20 years.

Compare it to our production of props and centres and it seems crazily lobbsided.

Smithies at prop and KPP at centre might be a pointer towards them looking at ways of getting more of these young backrowers some opportunities. The competition for places in that first 17 will be intense in the early rounds. It’s a given that Isa, Farrell and Bateman have a spot and you’re probably looking at 2 places between Smithies, Shorrocks, Pearce-Paul, McDonnell and Partington. If they go with 2 props and a hooker/utility back on the bench, it may only be 1 spot between those 5 (although Partington could be one of the props). You probably can’t totally rule out Nsemba based on today either but I doubt he’ll be in the mix in the first couple of months.

Just seen that first try back, that cut out pass from Fields was a pearl and half

I thought the Smithies move to prop was particularly interesting.
His game at the moment for a quality back rower is very limited and maybe longer term the front row is his best option.

Early days but interesting to see Peet’s changes albeit in a friendly game.

KPP isn’t the fastest of players but love it that every time he has the ball he is looking for the offload.
With the right level of application and luck this lad could be a future star.

Plenty to talk about and mull over. Still lots to sort out but little chinks of light are on the horizon.
The last 3 seasons are hopefully going to become a distant memory pretty quickly.

I was with a couple of Saints fans yesterday and they think we maybe a serious challenger this year. Hope that they are right.

Was quality, having a fullback who can pass adds so much more to a teams attack.

I hope he gets a go at fullback at the start of the season!

Why is that? Is it because you can get away without having any special physical attributes at second row? Don’t need to be huge nor scary pace? The who of Superleague looks to lack top talent at prop and centre currently but over the last 20 years it’s quite striking the lack of talent at prop and centre that have come through at Wigan.

I don't know if that's true r.e special attributes - Joel, Faz, Hock, Lockers all different players but had something special about them. I think we just know what good looks like i.e toughness over size and apply that across the board.

Personally and I've said this a few times, the prop thing runs deeper and is a blind spot for the club. We don't seem to produce, or at least not in the same numbers as other positions, top prop talent. We also don't seem to recruit well for it either. Again when you compare it second row, we rarely seem to get it wrong there, with names like Bateman, Isa, Hoffman & KPP. How can the guys who spotted KPP, also pick out Mitch Clarke?

I liked Mago, not only was he a handful but if you watched how he rolled to one side after being tackled and playing the ball you can tell his pedigree as a forward, I think quick PTBs will come from Mago so need to jump on the back of them.

O'Neil playing Powell out of the side already and I think this season might be Powells last as 1st choice.

Nsemba a big strong runner in the backrow, something we need as a team.

Powell deserves the chance to put a poor season behind him just like nearly every other player in the squad. He was superb in 2020 and has been an excellent player for us over a number of years. In saying that I hope O’Neill does push him and make him improve and if he takes his place over the next couple of years, that’ll be good for the side as he’ll need to play very well to do so.

He’ll always be a target for some will Sam Powell because he isn’t a dynamic runner but some of the criticism he gets, particularly on the other board, is well OTT. You always need to look to improve your side but Sam Powell has played a big part in the sides success over a number of years.

I just hope that Peet let’s Powell off the leash.
His work rate is top drawer but in today’s game for a nine that just isn’t good enough.

As an ex HB I cling to the hope that Powell will be given more freedom as a play maker as well as a great defender.

O’Neil looks capable of pushing Powell which could be a win win all round. I’ve got to agree that Powell does probably deserve to be the starting 9.

Big shout out to Josh Eaves of Newcastle, his grandad died on Saturday so for him to play yesterday must have took a lot of courage.

Did Field get the chance to stretch his legs ?
Hoping he's still got the pace we all saw in his highlights reel

I watched the majority of the game and there were no electrifying breaks however, he gave a peach of a pass to put Halsall in for the first try.
Like a number of fans I’m hoping that he could be the surprise package in the early part of the season.

I hope that he plays FB on Saturday with Cust in the halves.

It looked like he could have a few rimes up the middle but seemed to pass, maybe hes a tad worried about properly stretching his legs fully yet

Yeah I think said something similar to my brother whilst we were watching the game.
A pretty understandable reaction to be fair to the lad.

The pass though made me understand the potential difference between Field and French.
I’m a big French fan but if Field still has electric pace, can read a game and pass then we could have a real alternative to French who could be even better.
Obviously it could all go wrong for French or anywhere in between I just hope we see him scooting down the pitch a few times this season.
Fingers crossed.

absolutely

I just hope we don’t go back to Hardaker at fullback. I really think you need a guy who can bring the centres and wingers in to play from fullback and for all his strengths, Hardaker is poor in that regard.

French is decent enough at it but Field does look like he could be an upgrade (solely in terms of that particular skill).

The big concern I have with Field is that he does look very lightweight and doesn't appear to have the ability to beat a man the way that French does. As others have said I do hope we see him stretch his legs in a full on sprint.

He'll make plenty of breaks through pure pace if the halves can create the space for him. He can definitely pick a pass as well. Might not have the same stepping ability as Bevan but I don't think there's many in RL that do - either over here or in the NRL.

I think he has to be given a go at fullback - Zak playing there has never worked for us and Umlya Hanley isn't ready (I personally don't think he will make it at Wigan).