Never have a better chance - didn't we say the same when we played them after the world club challenge.

No!

I didn't read it that you were saying that you would win. Neither am I saying that Wigan will win. I am merely pointing out that the young players are better than people might assume. This fixture is usually quite competitive and see this being no different.

I don't know where the club has said Sammutt has a calf strain. He is fit but hasn't been selected. The twitter account and facebook official Wildcats page has stated he hasn't been selected.

This is a brave move by Webster and not without his own justification. For years people have said so called marquee / seasoned players never get dropped and complained about this. Sammutt wasn't at his best against Bradford and Webster has taken action. (I know others wasn't too). Sammutt knew himself Bradford wasn't his best game and payed the price. Whether the decision to drop him is the right one remains to be seen.

That aside it has happened and I would like to see this happen. I would like Him to force his way back in with great attitude and work ethic. He might believe the decision to leave him out is harsh (I honestly don't know) but life is harsh. He is a great bloke and fantastic player. But calm waters don't make good sailors!! By knuckling down and taking it on the chin and coming back with a point to prove means Sammutt has the ability and attitude to do this and ultimately Wakefield will benefit. Coaches should want to be proven wrong. Again as I mentioned about Walshaw when he went on loan. Sammutt prove Webster wrong 'So to speak' that he is good enough to command a place and knock Smith, Sykes or Mathers out of the team.

Fans have taken this as a negative as Jaz has many fine qualities. I'm hoping it turns out positive. I'm hoping that attitude and work ethic prevail and that when others get dropped they do the same. It's easy to sulk and have self pity. It might not be the right decision but crack on Jaz and show us you have the attitude as well as the obvious ability...

Quote ="Mick Amos 9 WTW"I don't know where the club has said Sammutt has a calf strain. He is fit but hasn't been selected. The twitter account and facebook official Wildcats page has stated he hasn't been selected. This is a brave move by Webster and not without his own justification. For years people have said so called marquee / seasoned players never get dropped and complained about this. Sammutt wasn't at his best against Bradford and Webster has taken action. (I know others wasn't too). Sammutt knew himself Bradford wasn't his best game and payed the price. Whether the decision to drop him is the right one remains to be seen. That aside it has happened and I would like to see this happen. I would like Him to force his way back in with great attitude and work ethic. He might believe the decision to leave him out is harsh (I honestly don't know) but life is harsh. He is a great bloke and fantastic player. But calm waters don't make good sailors!! By knuckling down and taking it on the chin and coming back with a point to prove means Sammutt has the ability and attitude to do this and ultimately Wakefield will benefit. Coaches should want to be proven wrong. Again as I mentioned about Walshaw when he went on loan. Sammutt prove Webster wrong 'So to speak' that he is good enough to command a place and knock Smith, Sykes or Mathers out of the team. Fans have taken this as a negative as Jaz has many fine qualities. I'm hoping it turns out positive. I'm hoping that attitude and work ethic prevail and that when others get dropped they do the same. It's easy to sulk and have self pity. It might not be the right decision but crack on Jaz and show us you have the attitude as well as the obvious ability...'" False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater

Quote ="Mick Amos 9 WTW"I don't know where the club has said Sammutt has a calf strain. He is fit but hasn't been selected. The twitter account and facebook official Wildcats page has stated he hasn't been selected. This is a brave move by Webster and not without his own justification. For years people have said so called marquee / seasoned players never get dropped and complained about this. Sammutt wasn't at his best against Bradford and Webster has taken action. (I know others wasn't too). Sammutt knew himself Bradford wasn't his best game and payed the price. Whether the decision to drop him is the right one remains to be seen. That aside it has happened and I would like to see this happen. I would like Him to force his way back in with great attitude and work ethic. He might believe the decision to leave him out is harsh (I honestly don't know) but life is harsh. He is a great bloke and fantastic player. But calm waters don't make good sailors!! By knuckling down and taking it on the chin and coming back with a point to prove means Sammutt has the ability and attitude to do this and ultimately Wakefield will benefit. Coaches should want to be proven wrong. Again as I mentioned about Walshaw when he went on loan. Sammutt prove Webster wrong 'So to speak' that he is good enough to command a place and knock Smith, Sykes or Mathers out of the team. Fans have taken this as a negative as Jaz has many fine qualities. I'm hoping it turns out positive. I'm hoping that attitude and work ethic prevail and that when others get dropped they do the same. It's easy to sulk and have self pity. It might not be the right decision but crack on Jaz and show us you have the attitude as well as the obvious ability...'" False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater

Need to put the younger Wigan players under pressure and not stand off them admiring what a fine crop of juniors they have.
Put more burden on the senior players.

Quote ="Adam_Harrison9"False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater'" Fair enough on mentioning the calf strain but the over riding reason is he was not selected in the starting 17.

Quote ="Adam_Harrison9"False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater'" Fair enough on mentioning the calf strain but the over riding reason is he was not selected in the starting 17.

Quote ="Adam_Harrison9"False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater'" Fair enough on mentioning the calf strain but the over riding reason is he was not selected in the starting 17.

Quote ="Adam_Harrison9"False. https://www.facebook.com/wakefieldwildc ... =1&theater'" Fair enough on mentioning the calf strain but the over riding reason is he was not selected in the starting 17.

Yet he himself on twitter maintained he was fully fit and had been dropped. Whilst i don't agree with the decision myself that is the coaches prerogative and so be it. So why did the club feel the need to lie about the reason? What's the point?

He may have a slight calf strain but not enough to keep him out of playing. Webster obviously feels with Jarrod not in his 17 that another forward ie Raleigh might be in contention for a forward role. I don't know but there is enough out there from the club to say he hasn't been selected. That is the primary reason. Not Calf strain but not selected.
Ambiguous maybe but not sure they have lied.

Bold brave move by the new coach & some are thinking crazy move. My points still stands on the other front. Love to see Jarrod work his way back into the team. Shows everyone at the club the right attitude. Again even if Jarrod thinks its unjust or unfair, crack on & rip it up when back in contention. Character building!!

Club says he has a calf strain, Sammut says he hasn't. It isn't ambiguous at all. One of them isn't telling the truth and i'm pretty sure that Sammut wouldn't say he had been dropped if he hadn't been. But yes he needs to force his way back in and prove the coach wrong.

Can't see the problem. He's dropped either way.

I have no idea of the thinking behind this decision. From a fans perspective it would seem obvious to try and get a player of Jarrods talent out on the field as he does things most humans cannot. However, we are not party to the training sessions, the conversations with the coaches, the interaction with the other players, the gameplan and just the mindset generally. Any of those things would be legitimate reasons for leaving a player out if the 19.

MC has made it very clear that there is nothing else going on here, just a player not making the 17, and I can live with that - it is Webster who has to make the tough calls and no doubt some will be good and others not so.

I will cite an example here - and we may see it this afternoon unfortunately - Josh Charnley. The lad went from England winger to Workington, he's then come back and is now showing how hungry he is, with any lapse in attitude seemingly cured. Perhaps this is Websters intention - if so, then he must do what he has and stick to it.

I'll miss watching Jarrod, but we haven't seen the player I thought we would, not that he's been bad, just not that good either. Maybe that's as a result of his position, but then that's a whole other thread!

Either way, let's hope the players we have picked will go out and give Wigan a bloody nose this afternoon!

To site a few official tweets.

@WTWildcatsRL: @Scudley1 JS is one of a number of players not selected who are fit and available. JW can only select 19.

@WTWildcatsRL: @Scudley1 @WTWChairman MC owns and runs the club but doesn't pick the squad. Simply not selected. Lots of players are not selected each week

@chrisbromley46: @WTWildcatsRL no Sammut again! Not even in the 19 man squad! Injured, not injured. What's going on, Does anybody know? --- @WTWildcatsRL: @chrisbromley46 Not selected.
@chrisbromley46: ----- @WTWildcatsRL thank you for quick and straight reply

This is what I mean about not hiding the fact he simply wasn't selected.

Anyway let's look forward to the game and Jarrod forcing his way back into contention!

11 of the 19 in the squad are actually from Wigan amatuer clubs.

And picking up from the comparison with Charnley, when he was left out for the first time, ironically when they played us at the DW, there was much speculation about whether he was injured or not until Shaun Wayne came out in the media and quite bluntly said "he's not injured he's dropped, he has things in his game he needs to work on".

No place for the player to hide after such a statement, it's either shape up or ship out depending on what strength of character the player has. It sends a tough double sided message out to other players.
Play poorly you'll be dropped no matter who you are.
Play well and you'll get an opportunity

I'm all for dropping players who aren't performing. For too long under Agar players retained places when obviously not performing. Hopefully Webster is consistent with this and Sammut isn't the only one.

Not the case last week though was it. I'm sure you could search back if you wish. Maybe they have now learnt their lesson about telling porkies.

Richmonds Mobile abattoir visited last week collared Peppa and now business as usual...

Team is

Mathers
Owen
Ryan
Lyne
Riley

Sykes
Smith

Anderson
McShane
Scruton
Gilmour
Kirmond
Washbrook

Godinet
Moore
Tautai
D Smith

Wigan will be out of sight within the first 20

Maybe Sammutt was dropped and the calf strain story was to spare his blushes; he contradicted that on social media, which is a bit silly, so now the truth is out there. That's his fault, and he has to deal with the consequences.

If our new coach will drop players for under-performing, I'm fine with that, providing he does it consistently.

rThe Wigan walk does start early these days.

don't you feel a fool