In your opinion, I would play Riddell.

It's a bit like those who all wanted Ainscough in Every game yet when he is included for the Warrington Game (Albeit through inury to Carmont etc)and does nothing and is exposed You don't hear diddly Squat!

Yet it seems to be the ones who Hate (And I know that's a strong term but TBH it appears from many posters that's what they feel) Noble are also the ones who criticise EVERY decision more as a way of it being Another chance to get at Noble rather than what is best for the team/individual/club over the season.

MM had 2 x great games against Saints/Wakey in CC.
He was pretty good againsy HKR at home and then OK/Average at Wire & Salford last week.

Maybe a break would do him good for a week or so as he would almost certainly play next week with ST being away???

End of the day BN IMO should pick the team He thinks will win games.

I for one think we stand a better chance in most games with a "Starting" trio of Roberts/Smith/Riddell than Ainscough/Tomkins/MM.

That leaves 1 place on the bench & I would go for ST over Ainscough & MM.
The other 2 x will get their chance at some point and in time no doubt will get starting places if their form warrants it.

Other thing is we have 1/2 dozen people so far on this thread (And another Thousand or so experts inc me) Who if asked to pick a Team when the squad is fully fit would Pick different teams.

Noble picks His and 90% of them are unhappy for one reason or another!

The easier option for Noble though (from a fans backlash point of view) would be to drop McIllorum rather than Sam, leaving Piggy and Tommy in the hooker positions and Sam & Tim at halfback, as Sam is obviously a fans favourite.

McIllorum is also a homegrown 'kid' and Noble seems to be picking him on form (as at the start of the season it looked like he probably wouldn't get a look in).

At then end of the day Noble has to make a decision based upon what he feels is best for the team overall and not on individuals or fans favourites.

It's easy to criticise riddell but IMO he hasn't performed that badly to earn the sort of criticism he's getting. People quickly come up with a scapegoat (and now Mathers has gone Piggy now is the No.1 target) rather than view actual contribution on the field.

I'd like Sam to be in the 17 and think he offers great individual attacking options especially from the bench, but IMO I don't feel he's really stood out in organisation and control of the game - and that possibly why Noble will go for other options.

Can't remember the exact details, was probably in a drunken stooper trying to forget it!!!!

But Goulding was shocking and O'Carroll wasn't far behind!

Didn't know you were that way inclined Andy !!!!!!!!!!

My God!

At last, someone with a bit of Rational sense!

Personally, I not a Noble critic.

The thing is with Riddell and McIlroum is that they're very similar players and McIlorum has been involved with the squad (not to mention WC experience) long enough to be treated as a first team regular, and not as a ''fragile'' academy/reserve grade player just entering the first team.

To me, McIlorum is playing better and is fitter. I've no doubt Riddell's form will improve and when it does, he'll get his opportunity.

I agree bringing Riddell back against HKR was a touch to early and in Hindsight (Although I don't know what goes on in training day in day out) could have been left a week or two longer???

What I would say though is a bit like early season He has got slightly better with each game since.

I actually thought we were a better team last week with Riddell on the field than MM (And I do remember you give him a decent Rap in your Post Match Critique!) and some of MM's organisation & Passing was average.
I thought our forwards looked better around Riddell than with MM.

It's a bit like the Bailey Argument.

I would have him in my starting 17 as I think we are a better team with him in it although Individually he may not do some of the things that say Tomkins may do he does a lot of the unheralded & Non headline Grabbing stuff that all teams need.

Well personally i have criticized McIlorum for being to slow at decision making at the POTB.
But when he came back into the team i think it was against Saints he had a blinder and the same the next game against Wakefield i then said i thought he had improved and taken on board that he needed to speed up his decision making.
Next game against Hull K.R. he was not as good but still ok put it down to a off day next one against Warrington he was back to his slow self and last week when Riddell came on we looked a better side.
Maybe Mike needs a week off as i dont think he cant cut it week after week he has shown what he is capable of but cannot keep up the constancy yet.
I personally would drop him tonight and put Sam in so Tommy can move to the Hooking roll but that would be my choice and i have not been with the team all week i trust Noble to pick the team he thinks can win.

Just about spot on for me!

And me.

The key weakness with Riddell is simply his fitness.

His fitness is the reason why he's rarely taking on the defence but when he does, he has shown how effective he can be. Where as McIlorum has this season started to develop a running game that we have rarely seen since his arrival within the first team. In the main, I think it's this attribute that is keeping him in the squad. I agree Riddell's distribution is better, but I suppose it's which you decide which ability outweighs the other.

I'd like to think there is a focus and personal training on Riddell's fitness. Once he does get that fitness, his distribution and running game will come together and join an already good, defensive technique to create a very good hooker.

Riddell and Feka both need a rocket up their s in regards to fitness. Who at the club is going to do that though?

I believe at Quins McDermott has made Danny Ward and Haggerty shape up or they'd be shipped out and they've done just that.

We need something like that done here.

I agree about Riddells fitness and personally dont think he will be here next year from what i hear he will be going back home which is a shame as he could be a great player for us.

I think our future is with 3 halves and one Hooker and then mixing it up during the game puts the opposition off there stride.

But earlier Alex you said that Mickey Mac and Riddell were similar. I don't think they are for the reasons you just outlined.

I would argue that Tommy and Mickey Mac are more similar and that is one of the reasons why I would have Riddell in the team.

I particularly noticed it against KR. So so slow. Otherwise he had a good game he put some storming hits in defence but he really needs to work on this part of his game and keep it up to a good level.

I've been saying this week and for a while i'd like to see MM given a crack in the second row.

Good runner, tough tackling and a great engine.

If people think his distribution isn't that crash hot yet he has all these skills it would seem perfectly suited to me.

I'd say Riddell and McIlorum are starting, organizational no9's and Tommy is an impact hooker. I certainly wouldnt class McIlorum as an impact hooker.

When I say running game, I also mean taking the markers out, popping an inside ball up to confuse defenders and taking steps away from the markers for wide running angles for forwards, opposed to a running game from the likes of Thomas Leuluai who will chase quick plays and spot gaps in the defence and lagging markers using quick feet.

Or Bailey.

That's a bigger loss.
I presume he's carrying an injury.

Yes.

We'll need him next week with Hock and Lockers out.

He seems to be have been carrying a couple of knocks for a while now and that would seem a good decision considering we need him for next week with our best 2 back rowers on interntional duty.

Nobby's made a good call

Yes, a good call but it was an easy one to make. When we are boasting about the talent we have available in the back row there should be no reason at all to play someone who is not fit, particulalry after seeing what happened with an unfit Carmont against Wakefiled and Hull KR.

I am talking about being unfit with injuries here, but surely the same thing applies to players who don't have the required level of basic fitness to play the game i.e. Feka, Piggy and Pryce, although Pryce now seems to be totally out of favour. I think taking the same approach as that at Quins, as mentioned previously in this thread, will pay huge dividends. Think of the effect Feka had at the back end of last season when he finally decided to work on his fitness. I believe both Riddell and Pryce would also be as awesome if they could only get themselves fit

Good Call to Start With Piggy last Night I think?

We lost Shape when he went off and our forwards Werent utilised as well.

We struggled for the last 10 of the 1st half and the 1st 20 of the 2nd half to get field position.
Piggy came back on and 1st set of 6 We get to half way and put a great kick in and get Salford coming away from their own line and turned the "Mini" revivial around!

Well played Piggy!

Wigan look a much better team without him in it. I cant understand why some Wigan fans like him. Out of the squad that you have he shouldnt even be in the 17.