Didn't Joel play most of the 2011 season at centre after gleeson left? The backrow was Hansen/Hoffman/O'Loughlin.
He certainly played centre in the challenge cup final, scoring one of the cup's finest tries in the process.
Isa was predominantly a centre/winger before we signed him and he's always been the first choice to cover centre.

Not Wigan but Kallum Watkins has arguably revived his career by moving in to second row for Salford.

Not sure but didnt Jack Hughes start at centre (or at least played there) then move to SR

John Bateman & Ben Currie both covered centre for club and were selected to play centre for England.

Was certainly signed as a centre

He went to centre from SR and unsurprisingly it didn’t work.
A hard working but limited player.

Yes he did play centre. He was never the same player after coming back from union.
Watkins is a good one. Not sure that he’s truly international class but a very decent player.

The year he played centre most for us was the year before he went to Union.

Quote ="Itchy Arsenal"Tony Iro was 30 odd years ago. Bailey 20 odd years ago. Tomkins played centre at union because he would never get a game in the forwards in union. Isa not a very centre or forward. Isa for emergency centre is fine but for permanent role there………. Tony Carroll??? The skill sets are similar in my opinion due to playing at centre with traditional skill sets is exceptionally difficult and is perhaps the most difficult position to coach. By the way how many ball handling backrow forwards have we got or had this millennium? Burrell should be in the forwards but just isn’t fit enough to play there. Name me a Wigan centre who has converted to the backrow this millennium?'" You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.

Quote ="Itchy Arsenal"Tony Iro was 30 odd years ago. Bailey 20 odd years ago. Tomkins played centre at union because he would never get a game in the forwards in union. Isa not a very centre or forward. Isa for emergency centre is fine but for permanent role there………. Tony Carroll??? The skill sets are similar in my opinion due to playing at centre with traditional skill sets is exceptionally difficult and is perhaps the most difficult position to coach. By the way how many ball handling backrow forwards have we got or had this millennium? Burrell should be in the forwards but just isn’t fit enough to play there. Name me a Wigan centre who has converted to the backrow this millennium?'" You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.

Quote ="Egg Chasing"You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.'" In 23 years 4 players have “transitioned”. With the possible exception of Wild non of them were better than average at best. If I remember correctly Aspinwall played in the backrow at the very end of his career? For me it’s the exception not the rule that centres can and do convert successfully to the SR. Historically quite a few centres as they got older had a go in the forwards but very few made a success of it. Must admit I didn’t know that Hughes was a centre. When he was the number 3 shirt that season he looked like a fish out of water.

Quote ="Egg Chasing"You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.'" In 23 years 4 players have “transitioned”. With the possible exception of Wild non of them were better than average at best. If I remember correctly Aspinwall played in the backrow at the very end of his career? For me it’s the exception not the rule that centres can and do convert successfully to the SR. Historically quite a few centres as they got older had a go in the forwards but very few made a success of it. Must admit I didn’t know that Hughes was a centre. When he was the number 3 shirt that season he looked like a fish out of water.

Quote ="Egg Chasing"You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.'" I'm not really bothered about the time frame, so I'll throw in Gilmour. Not 100% sure if he started in the backs tho?

Quote ="Egg Chasing"You've named one - Phil Bailey. Jack Hughes was signed as a centre and played most of his early games there and flirts between the two - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Stephen Wild played a few there but seemed to be introduced as a SR - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Martin Aspinwall later transitioned to the backrow - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Willie Isa was definitely a wing/centre to begin with - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/play ... games.html Andy Johnson flirted between wing/centre and SR/LF as did Paul Johnson, although they made their debuts last millennium.'" I'm not really bothered about the time frame, so I'll throw in Gilmour. Not 100% sure if he started in the backs tho?

Gilmour started on the wing here but I think was seen as a centre in the main when pushing through to the first team. It was much the same with Paul Johnson around that time as well.

Jeez I’d love one of those two in the back row now.

Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies and Owen Farrell as a back three would be ok.


Runner, tackler and ball player.

It's always worked in all my time of watching Rugby League.

I’m not sure if you are being a pedant or deliberately just trying to argue.

You have to put it in context that players generally do not move position that regularly however when they have the centre second row switch has been consistently more successful and regular than when other players have shifted position.

You could argue 1 and half have but that is more recent as you point out kind of proving the point it was regularly happening (in relation to how often players do change position) over 30 years ago where the trend to move halves to full back is a bit more of something that became a trend in the last decade or so.

We have plenty of examples (again relative to how often players generally change position) in SL at the moment and can within our own team currently in Isa (who was more a centre at Widnes) Bateman (international centre) and players like Hurrell who plays both these days, Watkins all running round currently.

The positions are very similar and have been for a long time, today coaches tend to talk about middles and edges.

Centres and secondrows are grouped as edges.

Looking back over the thread people have comfortably without putting too much thought into it named plenty of players who have successfully transitioned between the 2 positions very well.

It’s all relative of course to how often players change position which as mentioned tends not to be that often but when they do consistently over the years the centre/secondrow switch has been one of the more often instances and more successful.

Feels like no conincidence to me that the SR usually ends up being the one to cover in the centres.

I don’t know what a pendant is ??

People haven’t given “loads” of examples. If you consider half dozen examples over 20 odd years as loads then I’m glad you don’t serve in our local chippy. For Wigan very very few have accomplished it.
Bateman is never a centre in the memory of man. The only reason he played there for Wigan was to cover injuries and internationally because we have so few decent centres. KPP will never be a centre. He never carries the ball with two hands and wouldn’t know where start in how to draw a man in. Isa is a fit athlete but isn’t a decent centre and is a SR who never makes a break or make decent yardage. Name me another centre at Wigan who transitioned permanently into the SR?
How many times has Hurrell played SR for Saints? It’s got nothing to do with injuries or suspensions has it? He couldn’t do it permanently because he hasn’t got the fitness and I suspect he wouldn’t want the intensity of playing SR permanently.

Currently there is one player that’s been named as moving from centre to SR ie Watkins. One. I think possibly Griffin at Hull also made the permanent change. There you go two. As I keep saying very few and far between.

If centres and SR are interchangeable why did we sign King and Wardle? Why not make do with Isa and KPP?
I’ll have Carmont and Gleason as centres you take your pick of any the names put forward who have “transitioned”. I know who I will pick.

By the way my original post was centres to SR and you name Bateman??

I’m not being argumentative I’m just stating an opinion that broadly I feel stand’s up.

Wingers can and have done it. Bibby at Wigan and currently Handley at Leeds.
How many centres cover the backrow?

Centres are just out of vogue. Once a really good natural centre comes through

griffin has only transitioned to the back row as he's crap at centre.

Totally agree but just trying to be honest.
Historically many many backs tried moving to the forwards but very few successfully did it. Generally backs and forwards are just “animals”

Different animals

How many players move positions regularly? Of course there are not loads because players rarely move positions but when they do it tends to be secondrow to centres and more recently 6’s to 1’s.

You can’t change history…Isa was predominantly a centre at the start of his career. Saying he wasn’t a good one (he actually was pretty good) doesn’t make you right.

He has also been a great secondrow for Wigan.

Hurrell was signed as an impact secondrow injuries have meant it hasn’t happened as much as the club planned.

Bateman and KPP both played big minutes at centre.

There is a long list of players that have moved just read the thread. Loads of names on here.

It’s not often players move position so obviously it’s not going yo be full of examples what is being said over the years many (more than any others who tend to move positions) have done it and done it well.

Denying that is inaccurate.

Jon I can read and “loads” of names just have not been mentioned. The vast majority were over 20 years ago. Your definition of loads is questionable at the very least.
Playing “big” minutes?? What does that mean? Both Bateman and KPP at centre are ok in an emergency but never ever in a month of Sundays are they a centre.

Isa a great second row? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. He’s been a decent squad player. Full stop.

My post was about centres to SR. You keep on about two Wigan players who have played centre occasionally.
The “loads” of centres to SR at Wigan was I think 4 this millennium and included Martin Aspinwall for god’s sake.

I will ask again if “edges” are interchangeable why did we King and Wardle and not make do with Isa and KPP?
You can have your “edges” and I will stick with centres and SRs.

Sticking my pedantic head on, surely a centre should be classed as a middle

You are taking Wigan in isolation, totally ignoring other teams.

You can stick with it but the game is and has changed.

I actually prefer to see the more skilled centres you crave however we are as a sport increasingly going for athletes over skill.

You are failing to miss the point that players don’t generally change positions, however if they do then they tend to be centres to secondrow and more recently fullbacks and halves.

Isa has been a great secondrow for Wigan. If you don’t recognise that I have to question your player judgement.

Why do teams bring in any players? To improve the team.

Wardle isn’t the type of centre that could transition to secondrow but King certainly is due to his style of play (where this all started I believe).

I’m guessing that goes back to the Union terms where most of the original names would have come from where the centres generally were in the middle of the field working together as inside and outside centres rather than split like they do in league ie left and right centre.

Kind of the same with the term scrum half and stand off, since we split them to the left and right the term now seems to be more “half back” for both positions rather that scrum half and stand off.

https://viewtopic.php?f=28&t=588798

https://viewtopic.php?f=28&t=588798