Why did Wigan not give one of their British youngsters a game in place of the injured Richards.

Reasonable point, yes.
But it would have been more reasoned if they had also mentioned that Wigan had eleven players in the team last night that had come through their academy.

The fact Wigan have so many youngsters always seems to get glossed over here by pundits. Saints get praised to the nines over their use of youth yet it barely gets mentioned here. That's though because ours are already winners (two trophies in two years) and at times its been an excuse at Saints.

I don't think the point was that wrong from Phil Clarke about Russell and to be fair he is entitled to be disappointed. I am in a way but I look at it that Russell is still only 18 (turns 19 next month) whilst Gelling is 21 and I can see the thinking. Russell struggled in defence at Salford and thats perhaps the tiny difference between the two.

It was very disapointing to hear clarke say that during the game even more so when gelling was having a very good game. It is as if they was searching for something negative to say. I understand it when a team signs a past it aussies but not young talent.

At the end of the day, neither Clarke nor the Wigfinder General have Wigan's interests at heart. Shaun Wane does. That's all there is to it.

The commentators know bugger all about the situations at the clubs, how players are performing and who might be injured or out of form.

It shows when they big up any youngster who happens to play a game on Sky and make them sound like a world beater when they've probably never even seen them play.

Gelling played ahead of Russell because Russell was poor in his one game on the wing, missed tackles for fun and coped awfully with a cross field kick. He is only 18 so has plenty of time and has been able to secure a move on loan to Hull which will be beneficial and allow him to play in his best position. To just throw him in regardless would be bad coaching.

Gelling played ahead of King because he performed better when they were both given a chance to impress which puts him ahead in the pecking order. It's also an opportunity to keep Gelling involved with the first team when opportunities aren't available to play in the centres, where he'd still be a liability defensively.
King will get his chance, but Gelling, as one of a few potential replacements for Carmont, needs to get up to speed quickly.

Simple explanations, but the commentators don't think before they speak.

Just seen that this morning. Wane answered the question excellently when Eddie asked him, saying that he has already given 9 debuts and he'll play whoever is currently in the best form. Really disappointed in Phil Clarke having a go at 4 of our backs not being English, with no mention of the fact that most of the forwards are and have come through our own system.

also failed to mention if prescott had been fit our starting pack would have been players who have come through our youth system.

Indeed. Jack Hughes was the only academy debutant in the whole of last season. This year we've seen Joe Mellor, Matty Russell, Logan Tomkins, Ryan King, Tom Spencer and Dom Crosby debut from the academy. Whilst Hughes who played 2 last year has played 10 of 15 this year.

In fact of the 32 man squad only Amos Roberts (obvious reasons), Sam Powell, Greg Burke and Liam Carberry haven't had a game. Powell and Burke have both made 19 man squads once though.

You can track a players season involvement here: [url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=1676=#FF0000wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=1676[/url

I'm not one to get caught up In all this crap "we've got better youth than you" as it's about winning and not how many homegrown players you have is what matters.

Don't get me wrong, it's great if you could have 17 homegrown players but it's all about winning rugby games.

I think Wigan have got some very good young lads in tomkins. Charnley (I'm massive fan), jack Hughes, farrall etc but maybe it was brought up by Clarke last night because Wigan fans seem to bang on constantly about youth. It makes pundits and fans look more at the youth and maybe puts pressure on wane to pick youth.

That's not me having a dig as IMO i don't think the is anything wrong with gelling getting picked over a young player and I think wane was spot on with his post match comments.

One simple reason why Gelling gets picked ahead of Russell on the Wing, and that is because he does a better job on the Wing. Im 100% sure that if the spot available was fullback then Russell would get picked over Gelling there. Russell on the wing at Salford was woeful, woudlnt want to see him put there defending against a good team, it looked like Ainscough mk2. In the fullback position he showed touches of class and bags of potential, so keep him there.

If you're good enough then you're good enough no matter where you were born. And I supposed it kills that theory that Wane just wants a team full of Wiganers also.

....or we could just buy them in from Salford like Wire do.

Clarke really does talk rubbish and should be replaced asap. The points he makes are often wrong or atre just plain pointless as are the stats he uses. Also for years he seemed, coincidentally I am sure, to big up players that his brother was agent for which for me was wrong. He was a good player at Wigan but these days I have little respect for the man.

I actually wondered last night if Matty Russell is on Andy Clarkes books?

I wouldnt be surprised and I hadnt even thought of that, it certainly would explain his tirade. I know of players that left Andy Clarke for other agents and now Phil never seems to mention them no matter how well they play.

Exactly right. Waney is doing things exactly right regarding the youngsters, IMO...much more so than Madge did, in fact. Competition for places should, and now does, mean exactly that, irrespective of where they come from.

Not heard the comments but they don't suprise me.

Any comments on Hull KR's 10 overseas players that would have been 11 had Webster been fit?

Any Comments on us having about 8 players in the England and England Knights set up and numerous in the academy teams?

Nope, just that we'd had the cheek to fly in a Kiwi when we have Russell and King who are more than capable of playing the role.

Clarke lost it when he went stats mad. It's time to go and make a cup of tea when he comes on at half time. It's ridiculous.

Famous, Being able to talk rubbish is a prerequsite for being able to get a job as an understudy Wiggy and Baldy .

They should all just stick to the rugby. Clarke, Hemmings and Stevo are entitled to air their opinions but surely we are as entitled not to be subjected to them, at least when they are match commentating. Wonder if Phil held the same view about using home grown players when he transferred down under??? Doubt it very much.

To be honest, it's all getting a bit irksome.

Every time Wigan are on Sky these days, regardless of whether they win or lose, the Muppet Show seems to have reason to criticise us - and yet no context is ever offered.

The BBC aren't too far behind them, if we're honest. Jonathan Davies's petulance because we had the nerve to win at Wembley last year was utterly pathetic.

But Sky are far and away the worst offenders. The commentary on the Featherstone game was the least professional I've ever heard - it was the sort of thing you'd expect at a schoolboy match from one of the parents. Baldy and Wigfinder's record goes way back beyond that.

Now that IL's won his bout with Big Dave, I wonder if he fancies his chances with the s who run Sky Sport.

Always liked Jonathan Davies until the cup final last year when he was an absolute disgrace.

He was nearly in tears because he felt Leeds were robbed.

Probably because he lost money on them.

Hope so!

What was the point in signing gelling if we are not going to play him or put younger lads in before him?

He was my m.o.m last night never took a step back running that ball in

This is the point. I'm sure the Wigfinder General would love us to play lots of kids who are not quite ready instead of lads who are old enough, big enough and good enough.

We need to get real about these Sky muppets. They really do NOT like Wigan, and this is clearly reflected in their attitude towards us. None of the 'advice' they offer us from the comfort of their commentary box should be taken on board - they have a totally different agenda to us.