what a load of rubbish so what if we beat saints last week ainscough has earned his place in the quad by a mile he keep s saying he needs work on some areas so does half the so called senior players

Dropping Ainscough for the first Wakefield game was a shocking call from Noble in my opinion at the time but due to circumstance he played.

Noble picked the right team last week despite the raised eyebrow from myself and others and he should stick with the same players in the backs as nobody deserves to be dropped. I would though bring Ridell back into the team at the expense of MM, its a tough call but Wakefield are very good around the ruck and i think his experience and delivery in that department tip the balance his way.

I do hope though that if/when Roberts, Phelps, and Richards (although because of his kicking less so) have a poor to average game they are dealt with in the same way as Ainscough has been and are dropped untill they get there chance again due to poor form of injury.

Careful. That sort of tone links you with the 'Ainscough should be in at any cost because he's a Wiganer' brigade.

Personally, I think he should be in too. But I can see why he isn't.

In recent years, we really have been lulled into thinking that Wigan born players should come first, even at the expense of a carefully thought-out game plan (as was shown against Saints). Perhaps we - and I include myself in this - ought to look at the bigger picture. Having a large squad, with everyone keen to get selected is always a good thing - but it produces casualties too. Harsh, but it's a fact of life in professional team sport.

Jonh,
I agree. I would bring Riddell back in. On your last point, I think Noble has been pretty fair this year in that Smith, Coley and Roberts have all been left out at certain stages. We're fortunate in that we do have strength in depth at the moment, so players should be dropped if they don't perform or rested if necessary.

How was your head on Saturday morning.

Spot on - I like the ruthlessness of what's happening recently with team selection and I do respect Noble enormously for having the guts to go with his own instincts instead of following what almost everybody else wants and expects.

As I said previously, I don't think the team should be changed.

However, Noble got it right last week after suprisingly leaving Ainscough out and many anti-Noble supporters will probably struggle to acknowledge that.

What I can't understand, is that last week we played some fantastic Rugby League and performances like that won't happen happen every week, so why change the squad?

If it's to adapt to new opposition then fair enough, but this obviously isn't the case as if it was, we'd surely play a winger who scored four tries against the same opposition just two weeks ago?

I suppose on paper, the starting squad can still stay exactly the same but it's unlikely.

I agree i think it is testamant to the squad we have built my only problem is I think we are an outside back heavy and a Prop light from having just about perfect balance in the squad, but that is down to Roberts becoming available a year early, although i do still feel it was a strange signing for 2010 regardless.

Regards my head on Saturday i was fine up for 7 and a walk down to Leath while the rest of my group recovered then just continued drinking through till mid day sunday.

The head on Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday though when the delayed hangover did kick in was not good!



Actually started to think i imagined meeting you and your good lady up there for a bit! The entire Edinburgh experience is more than a little blurred truth be told.

Do you remember seeing me at half time?

You didn't seem to smashed at that point to be fair.

Agreed

Mate i was plastered when i met you!



Cannot believe i recognised you given i could hardly see by that point of the day!

Do not remember the conversation but i am sure it was less than coherent!



Its what weekends away with the lads are all about though!

Did Winterstein ever play first grade NRL?

Dipping Ainscough in and out of the squad is savy tactics by Noble. Shaun is an outstanding talent, but we are lucky that we can break him into the team slowly at a rate that we develop him into a better player. No doubt he'll be a future Wigan star.

As long as Noble allows Ainscough to get some games under his belt it will be a positive move, but for next season, if Ainscough continues to progress, I wanna see him feature, I believe he has the potential to be world class.

There is another issue, I was speaking to a family member of a Wigan reserve player, and supposedly if a player plays x amount of games in the 1st team their contract has to be reviewed. Could this also be a factor?

May be wrong but i do not think so, he was on the books at the Bulldogs played a trial game this year, and played for the Aussie Schoolboys. He is the kind of player Trinity seem to dig out from below the surface but who have a cracking pedigree and go very well for them.

Heard similar, as soon as Ainscough plays over certain amount of games, Wigan have to start paying him more, and we cannot afford to under the cap.

Maybe wrong, but what i heard.

I have seen this happen in the past at clubs i have played at, ie play 10 games and get a bonus, which ensured some very good young players only played 9 games and then were held back and eventually dropped down the leagues. Its a really bad practice if it is still going on.

I would hope the current management would not follow this practice, it basically holds back "bolters" like Sam Tomkins and Ainscough. A player should be paid what they are worth and Stevie Wonder could see these 2 lads were going to get significant game time this year.

Heard exactly the same on Tuesday night at Pats.

Ainscough as played 9 SL games. So that makes perfect sense.

Looking at the problems Trinity have on the Wing were I Noble i would have been very tempted to play Ainscough as he could have another field day.

Of there front line wingmen, Blanch, Murphy, George and Gleeson are all missing, Grix has been very poor on the wing but is there only option and they are maybe looking at Pieterson who has been out for an age, and is only just back.

Taking nothing away from Roberts display last week, if we have one player who is going to expose a ring rusty or inexperienced wing playing out of position it is Ainscough, with his agility and pace.

Would have been a big call but thinking about it maybe it would have been justified.

Yes 5 games last season.

I stand corrected.

No probs mate.

Now wait for some Rhinos fan to come chucking abuse -- because we signed a reserve grader from the NRL.

It'll be interesteing to see what happens if say Richards or Roberts picks up an injury then. K Pryce is out so we'd probably have to stick Bailey back in the centre and put Carmont onto the wing.

If something along those lines happens then there would have to be some truth in it.

Sean A should at least get a place on the bench but than who would you leave it, i think SA will be back for the HKR game which is nearly as important as sats game, the lad needs a break we cant afford to burn him out at such a early age.

Noble knows what he is doing. If Ainscough makes a mistake and gives a try away in a league game it could cost us 2points ( and he has made them if we are honest), but if he makes a mistake in a cup tie it could be the end of our cup run. Noble is playing the safer centre/wing partnership for this one but I am sure Ainscough will be back into the side soon.

have you heard your selfs noble picks a team he thinks can win blah blah blah was nt that couple of weeks ago when 99% wanted his head on a stick was nt that when you was all crying ainscough s name on the team sheet an for the idiot who said ainscough might make a mistake an cost us 2 points there s plenty other s in the team who can the that for us , lets see what happens if we lose some more what will it be noble sacked ainscough in ,