I have been thinking about what is the difference between having a plan A (with structure) and nothing else and my answer is having a player preferably an halfback who is willing to try the unexpected. Even though you can incur the wrath of your fellow players and especially the coach when things don't come off.

Who have been the players who have crossed this line in the modern game, I can name Sean Long of Saints, Danny Brough of Hudds and most importantly Lee Briers. I mention Briers only because for years he was to much of a maverick but once he was reined in a bit he became a scourge of most teams with his play.
The reason I have posted this thread is I was watching Widnes v Cas when Mark Sneyd did the unexpected with a little chip on the half way line re gathered and the final pass resulted in a score.

Do Wigan have (or want ) this type of player or is our famed structure consuming us to the detriment of creative play.

I think our game would kick on a level with that type of player alongside a more structured halfback. We couldn't afford them to be a Jarrod Sammut/Dennis Moran style maverick who would try a chip over the top in their own ten on the 2nd tackle but a Danny Brough/Sean Long style inventor would give us something a bit different when plan A doesn't work.

We've got that player at the club already IMO in Ryan Hampshire. He'd be my choice to take the 6 shirt next year and he would form a really well balanced pairing with Matty Smith. Him playing alongside an attacking fullback in Bowan would put so much doubt in the minds of defenders and would allow Smith to do what he's best at.

Powell and Smith are a bit similar for me.

But then what do we do at fb when bowen leaves?

Depending on where he ends up playing, Ryan Hampshire could be that something special we need when he gets some more experience under his belt and secures his starting spot in the team.

As do this year, we don't seem to have a player with that X factor. Bowen is skill full and still a great player but he's not quite Sam Tomkins...

Hes a damn sight better under the high ball than st

Sarginson looks a potentially top class fullback to me although we need to see him tested in a big game. He'd be a shout or we possibly look to sign somebody. I'd certainly be looking to keep Bowen for next season anyway.

Agreed, I think Hampshire would be that player. Look at his break then chip over the top to nearly score the try of the season against Salford as a prime example

Our maverick player over the last few seasons was Sam Tomkins, and the "robotic" structures that some people seem to be critical of were implemented to give him as much time and space on the ball to play what was in front of him. It worked, we won 6 trophies in 4 seasons, at times played some excellent attacking rugby and scored a bagful of tries.

This is the main reason I think Hampshire should be used at fullback, he offers that "X-Factor" that is best utilised running from deep. With his speed and playmaking abilities, he could effectively be Sam Tomkins mkII anyway. It's the way modern RL is, look at the NRL, the majority of the "flair" players are fullbacks (Hayne, Inglis, Slater etc), there are very fe "maverick" style halfbacks in the game in either hemisphere IMO.