Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:11 pm  

Good to have lots of option for next year

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:24 pm  

I’d like to think that eventually Hampshire will partner Williams but I don’t see how he will ever get that opportunity unless an injury gives him a sustained chance, even then Wane would probably give Powell the opportunity. He is too good not to be playing Super League IMO so suspect he will go to one of the other big sides and we will carry on as we are until either Williams gets poached or Smith retires, with Shorrocks probably coming in by that time.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:05 pm  

you just get that gut feeling that Rocky will turn out to be another "Sean Long" he will go to another big club and become our nightmare and tormentor in the future

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:34 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

In the long run you'd love to think this will be the case but it's unlikely. Matty Smith might not have the running threat of either of these two but I think his kicking game (from deep) keeps him in the side and will continue to do so under Wane and our current style of play.

Wane can't win with Hampshire and it's become a stick to beat him with and has also heaped huge pressure on the lad himself. I'd love to think that next year Wane will be able to give more opportunities to Hampshire but in the halves and not at full back. Sadly I believe thats the position Wane sees him in and without an injury to Tomkins he'll play no more then 5 or 6 games which won't see him develop again. He'd have been better going out on loan this year and playing a full season somewhere.

I'm stumped with Hampshire who's fault it is that he's not played more or even if anyone is at fault at all tbh.

FWIW I agree about Smiths kicking game keeping him in the side but for me that's one part of Sam's game that's massively underrated.

Smith is a decent guy and a good pro who has offered us much needed stability but he's also a limited player.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:46 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

In the long run you'd love to think this will be the case but it's unlikely. Matty Smith might not have the running threat of either of these two but I think his kicking game (from deep) keeps him in the side and will continue to do so under Wane and our current style of play.

Wane can't win with Hampshire and it's become a stick to beat him with and has also heaped huge pressure on the lad himself. I'd love to think that next year Wane will be able to give more opportunities to Hampshire but in the halves and not at full back. Sadly I believe thats the position Wane sees him in and without an injury to Tomkins he'll play no more then 5 or 6 games which won't see him develop again. He'd have been better going out on loan this year and playing a full season somewhere.

I'm stumped with Hampshire who's fault it is that he's not played more or even if anyone is at fault at all tbh.

I think he should spend 2016 on loan at a SL club. For all the hype around him at junior level, he's never looked like a superstar when he's played in the first team. He was given a very good opportunity early in the season, he was first choice FB for around 10 games until his performances dropped and Bowen was put back in and hasn't really looked back apart from a couple of dodgy incidents. I've never bought into the criticism that he's being played "out of position" because from an attacking point of view he should relish the extra space from FB. 12 months at someone like Salford, HKR or Widnes should go a long way to telling us how good he really is and not how good he's been built up to be IMO.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 4:04 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I’d like to think that eventually Hampshire will partner Williams but I don’t see how he will ever get that opportunity unless an injury gives him a sustained chance, even then Wane would probably give Powell the opportunity. He is too good not to be playing Super League IMO so suspect he will go to one of the other big sides and we will carry on as we are until either Williams gets poached or Smith retires, with Shorrocks probably coming in by that time.

Rocky has played around 19/20 games this season, he has been promised more time in the halves next season and I think next year will be his breakout year, there is the option of another year on his deal in our favour after next season so I fully expect him to have cemented his place (If good enough) by the time we risk losing him

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:24 pm  

stillinthepast wrote:

Before anyone starts panicking, I am not talking about George leaving the Club I would just like fellow fans opinion on what will be his best position gong forward.

This question came to mind after reading an article in todays M,E,N, see below.

I copied the M,E,N link but it would not load, there are some interesting comments in the article, so I hope someone brighter than me (probably most of you ) can put it up.

I can see him being our captain in the next couple of years or so.
Once he becomes a senior player within the team I can see him kicking on again in terms of his ability. For me he is already the best all round half back in the competition and with him being a Wigan lad it makes it that much sweeter.
In terms of his best position it has to be at 7 with either Sam or Hampshire at 6.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 7:19 pm  

He did a Q&A on twitter this evening and said he prefers playing 6 over 7 and 9.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:37 pm  

As someone has posted earlier in this thread, at times George has seemed to be our most (or only) creative player which means that by playing mainly on the left when we go right the creativity isn't there. This is borne out by the fact that the most clean breaks have come down the left, either by George breaking himself or when he backs up a break created by others.
As my user name says at times I am still in the past (getting worse) I am thinking back to when the scrum half was the fulcrum of the team who would be the most creative player on the pitch.
As someone has said things may change when Sam is back, but I just hope that Sam being back does not stifle the blossoming creativity that George is starting to show.

Re: The future of George Williams?. : Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:50 pm  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

I can see him being our captain in the next couple of years or so.
Once he becomes a senior player within the team I can see him kicking on again in terms of his ability. For me he is already the best all round half back in the competition and with him being a Wigan lad it makes it that much sweeter.
In terms of his best position it has to be at 7 with either Sam or Hampshire at 6.

He'll grow and become a senior player and part of the leadership team IMO but I'd guess Sam Tomkins will be earmarked for Lockers captaincy as soon as he calls it quits.