Deserves his own thread.
I know Sam was outstanding yesterday, but Hansen was superb. His aggressive defence and hard running epitomised the way the game should be played.

If IL is reading this, get Hansen signed now on a two or three year deal before it's too late. He's still only 27 years of age and IMO could make an even better prop in a couple of years time.

Hansen, Lauaki and Sam won us that game yesterday.

I thought Lauaki had his best game in a Wigan shirt.

Great to hear about Lauaki (missed the game due to work), how did Sam Powell get on?

Three years for me. He is so important as he adds experience to a young pack and is inspiring in his play.

Sam did alright, had to step up when Blake went off. Tomkins went to stand off 2nd half and began to control the game, Powell did nothing wrong and did his job perfectly well.

Correct

Also thought Flower played well once again & Thornley got himself involved in the Hard stuff yesterday driving the ball out.
Agree about Lauaki as well.

who was playing where after green went off?

Sam T went to stand off when we were going forward but was at Fb when we were defending. Apart from that everything was normal.

I noticed on the highlights that Richards scored from FB so I assume Thornley to LW and Hughes to LC

yep......liked the switch play with Sam and Pat in attack and defence, they seemed to take a bit of time to re-organise after Blake went off but the last 10 minutes of 1st half and all 2nd half they looked a totally different side to the first 30 minutes

H has got his match fitness back after injury, we were on the side , you are really close to the play some of his hits were awesome, he came over after the game with a huge smile , sign him up IL.

H had easily his best game since his return. I thought Faz was excellent too apart from a sloppy pass to Lockers in the first half. Lockers himself had one of his poorer games especially in that first half, but we can firgive him that after his outstanding season so far.

I wouldn't worry about IL signing H up. He will be offered good terms, if he wants to stay he'll stay if not then we have Hughes, Tuson and Burke to step in just like early season. Burke is a future captain in the making (as is Faz so there'll be a queue!) and Tuson is underrated by most fans. I also think that apart from the Cas away game, when Webster got at him, Hughes rarely lets you down wherever he plays.

That is far too dismissive of Hansen IMO.

The other players are simply not as good and while we managed it is the business end of the season where we are most likely to have to beat the likes of Hudds, Leeds and Wire if we want any silverware where Hansen's quality will be required over and above what those players have to offer.



Burke looks to have a great future but he isn't there yet. Neither is Hughes and while Tuson may be underrated so in fact is Hansen! In any case he is simply better than Tuson and by a fair margin.

IL needs to recognise Hansen's value and get him signed up not just offer good terms whatever that actually means. Too much quality gone with Mossop and Hock gone and if Hansen wants to stay and needs a three year deal to do so as Rouges mentioned earlier I can't think why the club would not offer it.

You are right about H. I didn't mean to sound dismissive of him, he IS underrated. I would also agree that he warrants a 3 year deal. 'Good terms' means 'more money!'. But if he wants to go abroad then IL won't stand in his way, after all, he's put in a good stint for Wigan.

However, I think that in time Burke will be a better player and needs to be in the team (before Warrington or Leeds get any ideas- if memory serves me right we couldn't keep Bobbie Goulding because he was offered first team rugby at Leeds at a similar age).

Yes it is also undeniable that quality is leaving, but some people only want big name signings and won't trust our own youth system. We haven't missed Hock. Would anybody seriously prefer him to Faz? And yes Mossop is also quality but we have more props than we can give games to, and that's without Andy Powell (reserving judgement on him)

I get the impression from what Rogues posted H wants to stay here and that he isn't looking to fleece the club to do so but just wants the security of the three year deal. If he leaves I don't think it will be because he has ambitions elsewhere but simply because Wigan won't be offering a good enough deal and I don't mean Wigan didn't win a bidding war by that. I think H is our player to lose if you see what I mean.



You can't play players who aren't as good as the incumbent if you want to win stuff just in case that means they might look elsewhere. I don't know if lack of opportunity led to Goulding leaving but if it did the same argument applies to him as does to Hock - we didn't miss him did we? Not that I want to see Burke leave (far from it) but if he did the same argument applies, we'd survive.

Burke has just signed a three year deal which is what Hansen wants and I don't think he will lack opportunities. Burke is IMO in competition against other young players for a place not Hansen. In the future I think Burke could be a great 13 when Lockers retires and time-wise that seems a good fit contractually as well.



You always want to keep your best players and H is one of those who seems amenable to staying and not following Mossop so I don't think it should be about coping if he left. Sooner or later we will lose some of our young players and will just have to wish them well. There isn't room for them all and sometimes their way will be blocked by a player like H but that doesn't mean the right thing to do is let the experienced player leave. Not when they are as good as H.

Hansen is one of those players who block the middle like Ian Potter and Mick Cassidy did in the past.

H isn't as good as those 2 were , but he does the job.

If you are correct and H wants to stay then I agree with you, let's offer him a 3 year deal. It would be a good deal for a great servant who tries his heart out every game.

I think you make a good point about picking the best players and if the youngsters are good enough then they should get in the team on merit. However whilst H is the best forward, next to Lockers defensively, his attack isn't the best. He came on in leaps and bounds under Madge. But I think in the not too distant future (maybe even this year) others may offer more in attack.

But don't get the impression I'm anti H. I'd love him to stay.

I'm too young to remember Potter but I'd put him ahead of Cassidy (unless Cassidy was markedly better pre-2001)

Hansen is better going forward than either of those two.

I agree regarding Mick. H is more imposing in the tackle than Mick. Also later on Mick got a little reckless with the high tackles as well. However, there are certainly made out of the same stuff.

Ian Potter, best tackler I have ever seen.

Agreed.

I had a long - if drunken - chat with H last year about where he sees his future, and he said he'd love to stay at Wigan given half a chance and be paid the going rate which I think is fair

He also said he'd stay at Wigan on less money than offered elsewhere because he loves the club. For a player of his quality, if we were to let him go then there's some poor management gone on for sure. Top notch player who should be snapped up, let alone having to think about it

Should be due a testimonial next year, shouldn't he?

Cassidy was better