Hello cowbell in the stand,
Is this place at your command...

Hopefully it’s in Wigan tv

It's a shame it's on a Thursday when it's not on TV - I'm assuming it's due to a Latics game. We have three Thursday home games in a row - on the plus side that's it then for the rest of the year.

I especially don't like it, cos Thursday nights are my pub night!



But I'll be at the DW on Thursday, nevertheless.

Yes it is - they are at home on Saturday.

Well it seems someone wanted to make an example of gale, so they had to ping Levi for the same thing - but we all know by round 5 that wouldnt be a ban. AOB to do 80 minutes.
Cogger is injured - syndesmosis and will be a few weeks yet, so I expect the change to be at full back. The obvious choice would be Pryce who could play either in the halves or at FB but Watson sees him more as a fullback _ it very much depends if he's fit. Otherwise its how Watson wants to play it he could go with defensive Golding to fullback and Lolohea in the halves, but may even throw a curve ball and put Ashall Bott in at full back who he really seems to like, he certainly has speed and guile but is very lightweight and i'm not convinced he has the team creativity.
The rest of the team should remain as was.
I wasn't expecting a win this week but with our two most creative players out this makes it tougher.,

your right, its a farce

I'm very confident of picking up the win to be honest.

I think we are improving week by week and after watching Giants v Toulouse and again last week I think they are too but are a little way behind us. I do however think come the end of the year they could well be in the mix but I think they need a little more time.

Same squad for us. I’d probably just shuffle the same 17 around a bit and then look to give guys like Smith, O’Neill and Shorrocks a go at Toulouse.

Field
Hardaker KPP Bibby Marshall
Cust Leuluai
Byrne Powell Ellis
Bateman Farrell Smithies

Subs
Singleton Mago
Isa Partington

As an aside, I see Gateshead (WIgan) Thunder had a good win at the weekend with Matty Nicholson getting a try and Sam Halsall three tries. Just for good measure former Wigan player Craig Mullen also got a couple.

2 well taken direct short distance tries and the 3rd was Robinsonesq all be it the result of some poor defence as he ran cross field.

The play I liked most though was his defensive effort in the second half where he jumps the line strips the ball one on one but rather than kill the play at that he looks for support and sets away the fullback in space who then puts the winger in. Great awareness from him. Developing nicely.

Isn't it nice when the team almost picks itself? Fingers crossed we actually keep players fit this season

On the prop rotation generally, Singleton as a sub doesn’t work - he should either start or not be in the squad.

Was fortunate to speak with ZH after the game on Friday, and specifically asked about the lift in intensity when we have our first lot of rotation and if there is a reason there isn’t that intensity from the off. His response was don’t underestimate the work that the starting forwards do to get us in a position where the rotation guys can come on and have a big impact, regardless of what you see from the stands.

I’m not a fan of Singleton at all, but it certainly made me see his input from a different perspective.

I'd love to know what kind of work that is that, then? Getting dominated by 34 year old Prior whilst returning the ball 3 times for 18 metres?

Why not?

For me he doesn't have the dynamic impact that would would like from someone coming on from the bench.

I am not saying it is inconceivable but I agree he is a better option as starting prop. Ideally Havard joins Mago on the bench and we should see a rea change in the game if we can get that rotation functioning and fit.

I think there's an element of if you want a quick start and early domination or a settled and controlled start with impact off the bench. We have opted for the latter and, so far at least, it seems to be working for us. It's interesting to note that Saints start with their most destructive prop and look to get dominance early. I think we could adopt the same style once a fit and firing Havard returns. I'm not sure we have enough big yardage or destructive props to do that at the moment.

Apologies for the stupid question but is Harry Smith unfit or down the pecking order?

Down the pecking order at the moment but I think it's safe to say Leuluai won't be playing every game this season so I'd imagine he'll be back in sooner rather than later

He is where he should have been last season in that he will play a handful of games that we should win and where he can just play his game.

Unfortunately he ended up playing all last season behind a pack that got stuffed.

The big one for him will be what we choose to do with a fit French and Field as one may move to the halves which would move him down the order again.

I’d probably just consider splitting what looks to be two more impactful props on the bench and go Ellis and Byrne and Singleton and Mago in pairs. One reason for that would be that I always think you should earn a start and look to push people by offering that carrot. I think Byrne did that last week and Singleton not so much. I also think Singleton playing off the bench with Mago could help him. If you’ve got that impact Mago is bringing, you’ve got good go forward and good attacking options and then just to have a steady player like Singleton at the side of him (low errors, good defender, good talker etc) makes sense to me.

I absolutely agree on Havard by the way, bar maybe he’s a man to start with Ellis if you want a couple of long spells and then Byrne takes a bench spot again with Mago. The long and short is that Singleton will need to produce more than these first two weeks to hold a spot in the 17.

Because he doesn’t work as an impact player.

What's the call if we go four forwards on the bench when Havards back?
Start with Ellis Havard, ..bench ..Mago Smithies, Byrne and Singleton.
Obviously when French is back and fully fit do we go Cust 7, Field at 6, and carry an extra 9 in Tommy off the bench? Also that does give the option of playing Powell Tommy Cust then run Field and French like two full backs. If you could do that with Mago Bateman and KPP off-load games it would be hard to defend.
Whatever they decide that leaves plenty lads pushing outside the 17 Miski Thornley Partington Shorrocks looks so much stronger now.

When was the last time Tommy played 9? 2019?

I don’t think he has the engine to defend in the middle anymore.

We’ve gone with Shorrocks and Hastings at 9 in the last few years rather than Tommy going there.

I personally wouldn't be moving Tommy anywhere at the moment. I think he has had an excellent start to the season and probably gets on the team sheet on merit at 7 regardless of who is fit and who isn't.

There may be a dip in form at some point but for now he has to start at 7 with Cust at 6. I'm comfortable with him having a rest and trying Field at 7 but only when the game is won.