Agreed and when you factor in that, A - one of French or Field will probably start on the bench, that further slows down the development of guys like O'Neil or Smith. B- French will be one of our top earners.

Unluckily for French, but if Field keeps up this form, then Field will become the more attractive option for NRL sides. It's a comp that's awash with quality FB's anyway, so spots are limited.

French on the wing outside KPP for me. I don’t buy in to people who worry about him as a winger, it’s the position he’s played most of his career in and he started here on the wing and terrorised a couple of teams early doors (Catalans at home I recall). You could switch them round if you wanted at points in the game and keep the opposition guessing.

One thing we may have to weigh up in all this is which of them is a realistic chance of being here in 2023. Ideally we keep both but that would seem unlikely. You have to play for the here and now and win games this year and not focus too much on next year but say the club knows French will not extend and Field is open to it, then that would come in to my thinking if both want to play at fullback. We can’t keep ripping the side up each off season. In an ideal world next season we lose Hardaker, Leuluai and that’s about it.

The problem with him going to the wing is we use our wingers as battering rams early in the set. They are expected to carry hard and get us in the front foot.

I’m not sure French is robust enough for that.

Beyond this season I don’t think we can accommodate both in a balanced team. Cap and quota space are too valuable. I’m sure we will be having conversations now regarding 2023 with them and who wants to remain.

It seems ridiculous to say it as he is a quality player but for me we lose French either now if we can use the quota and cap space to improve the team elsewhere or at the end of the year.

I’m comfortable with the thought of losing French, Hardaker and Tommy at the end of the year and bringing in 1 or possibly 2 top quality players to replace them.

That's my thinking too. Small, but meaningful changes to a squad that I still feel is a bit heavy in certain positions and player types

Overall, I'm positive about the players we've got tho. There's great potential there. We just need to maximise cap space better.

Maybe it’s just something inside me that says ‘let teams worry about us’ and ‘let’s entertain after these last few seasons’. I’m sitting thinking what an opposition team would rather face, Thornley/Hardaker on the wing, because their carries are more robust from our end or French and the fact he could burn them at any second. Maybe it’s horses for courses and we shuffle it around as and when we need. It’s fantastic to have the options anyway.

As for next season I think realistically we will lose at least one of Field/French on top of Hardaker and Leuluai. If we managed to keep one and lose one and those other 2 go, I’d be looking at another starting prop to come in and depending on how his season goes with injury, I’d hope we’d be in the mix for Tom Johnstone. He’s off contract isn’t he? Maybe it’s too risky that one but he’s a special player.

How great it is to have options. I would go with the below:

Bevan French to 1
Field to 6
Cust to 7

Leuluai to dovetail with Powell off the bench.

French must play fullback for me. Cust is an organiser and can link the play between French/Field, which will cause defences a nightmare.

Leuluai to spell with Powell at 9. It is a long season and it gives both players the chance to rest in games (Powell no longer having to do 80 mins every week and we protect a 37 year old Leuluai).

Forget the wing. French/Field need to be in the centre of the field feeding of offloads and capitalising on broken play. With Cust/Powell/Leuluai steering us around.

French
Hardaker
KPP
Bibby
Marshall
Field
Cust
Singleton
Powell
Ellis
Faz
Bateman
Isa

--------
Leuluai
Mago
+ 2 forwards whoever is on form.

It would be great to see Smith kick on and cause further headaches. Hopefully a stint in the reserves will build some confidence

I think Byrne is currently showing up better than Singleton. In fact, I'd say he's the second most effective prop after Mago, although I like what I'm seeing from Ellis too. For me Byrne is a definite in the 17 and there's an argument for him starting alongside Ellis.

As for the French/Field debate I really do think it comes down to a conversation as to who (if any) is likely to stay then play them in their preferred position. As people have said elsewhere; we can't keep ripping up the blueprint every season especially from the starting point we seem to have this season. Good squad management next season could see us at the very top again.

To fit them both in for this season it's a straight choice between French fullback/Field 6 or Field fullback/French wing. Give them both a try in the lesser games I say and see which has the best balance. Great problem to have though. When you think we have Havard, Thornley and French to come back into last night's side and the likes of Miski, Hallsall, Shorrocks, Smith, O'Neil, Nsemba, Partington etc having to fight to get a chance, we're looking stronger than we have in quite some time!

I’d start Byrne and Smithies Thursday alongside Ellis and put Isa and Singleton down to the bench. It wouldn’t be a dropping as such but a reward for those two lads and just a hint to Isa and Singleton that they’ll need to start a bit quicker the next time they’re in the 13. I thought Smithies stats would look better tbh but I just thought to the naked eye he was really strong.

I think that's a decent shout. Smithies seems to have more focus on his rugby this season instead of playing the hard man. Coupled with a bit of bulking up and stronger leg drive he seems to be more effective. As I've said previously, stats don't always tell the full story. He, along with Byrne, Mago and Ellis, are taking the fight into the teeth of the opposition defence and winning the battle. It might not result in Walmsley style metres but it's opening up play for the likes of Farrell and Bateman to make the big yards.

3 try’s for Sam Halsall so far today on dual reg at Newcastle. He’s another option we can call on at some point.

I am really liking Halsall think he has a big future.

Definitely. He's done well every time he's come into the team. Newcastle is good for him atm with the competition for places being as they are here, but I'd like to see him given some first team game time if possible this season too as I think we'll need him next year.

Agree with all of that,especially abut Byrne, who seems to have really come on, after looking 'least likely' last year. As for French/Field, as I've said before, I'm not sure where these NRL first-team berths for them are coming from. Look down the list of NRL full-backs: are Field and French better than any of them? Canberra maybe, although they have a talented youngster too. But there will be injuries down the line, and hopefully opportunities for those fringe players. Although some of us were talking about Shorrocks being the club's long-term 13 not long back, and that might still be the case, but right now, through no particular fault of his own, he's not even making people's proposed 17!

The turnaround from last season has been crazy, and credit to both the coaching staff and IL/KR for that. Those last two in particular have been much maligned in recent seasons and you could also say this year prior to the season start too. But they seem to have got it absolutely right from the appointment of Matty Peet, even though many were underwhelmed initially, bringing in Lee Briers and including the recruitment. Mago, Ellis and Cust wouldn't have been on most people's radar...they certainly weren't on mine... but they're looking to be shrewd acquisitions. Credit where it's due.

I think back to that comment by Shaun Wane that Byrne was a player who had plenty of improvement in him.

He knows a thing or two, does Waney!

Not according to LeBron/Wolves69/etc and if anyone knows best, it's definitely him/her/it!



I think Smithies has had a change of attitude too. There were a few niggles in the Leeds game that he would have responded to last season but on Friday he just got on with his rugby. Really good to see these younger players moving up a level in this way. It all shows what a change in culture can do and, again, that starts from the top down.

I’m really pleased so far with Byrne and Smithies.
Field quite rightly is getting all the accolades at the moment but those 2 young guys are also like having 2 new recruits because their starts to the season are light years ahead of the previous season.

Quoting my own post, but the Canberra talented youngster is Xavier Savage, and I'm watching him right now as they are playing the Roosters in a pre-season game. Harry Rushden is playing, and he just set up a lovely try.

It's a real bumper time for FB's in the NRL. You look up and down the team lists and there's some superstars and hugely talented kids knocking about. French and Field might want to go back there to play, but there's no guarantee that teams will be looking to pick them up. Out of the two however, I think Field is the more rounded player and stands more of a chance.

One thing we have to factor in with the NRL is there will be a brand new team in there in 12 months time and they’re going to need 25 players. That doesn’t automatically mean Superleague teams losing players to them but they could feel a knock on effect of spots opening up at other clubs down under.

Anyway, I'm going into Wests v Manly now, to see how Ollie Gildart performs!

Pretty sure Fields partner didn’t settle and is back in Aus.

Think he’s grinning and bearing it until he can head home and pick up an NRL deal.

Pretty convinced Field will be off at the end of the year if he gets offers. He said on a podcast just after his injury his plan was to come for 2 years and then go back. Plus he doesn't exactly look thrilled to be here though that may just be his personality. In contrast Ellis, Cust and Mago all look enthused and happy to be at Wigan which is good to see.

Pretty sure it’s his manner. I’ve seen old interviews on YouTube from his St George and Parra days and he’s exactly the same. He seems extremely shy/awkward to me but there’s something refreshing about that. He looks like a lad that needs to do his talking on the field and by crikey, he’s doing that and some.