Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:52 pm  

Wow, one of the smallest teams i have ever seen at Wigan, looks like it will be a MASSIVE problem this season..

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:01 pm  

Been saying for a while we seem to have a team full of utility players. It was a bad day at the office tonight but despite the 2 early wins I think there are still some major issues.

I’m a massive fan of Gildart but he needs to go back to basics he suddenly seeems to think he can do the fancy stuff without doing the tough stuff.

Size is an issue without question.

Sacrificing specialist players for the utility mentality I’m not convinced is the right way to go. Jack of all trades, master of none.


Meters after contact or lack of a massive issue.

Escaré for me needs to start. Powell offers nothing at 7.

Bad night at the office and the positive so far is the seeming more expansive style we are aiming for but for me despite the 2 out of 3 wins we still have more issues than I had expected going into the season.

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:06 pm  

jonh wrote:

Been saying for a while we seem to have a team full of utility players. It was a bad day at the office tonight but despite the 2 early wins I think there are still some major issues.

I’m a massive fan of Gildart but he needs to go back to basics he suddenly seeems to think he can do the fancy stuff without doing the tough stuff.

Size is an issue without question.

Sacrificing specialist players for the utility mentality I’m not convinced is the right way to go. Jack of all trades, master of none.


Meters after contact or lack of a massive issue.

Escaré for me needs to start. Powell offers nothing at 7.

Bad night at the office and the positive so far is the seeming more expansive style we are aiming for but for me despite the 2 out of 3 wins we still have more issues than I had expected going into the season.

The players in each position for Wire were bigger than any of our players, just as was the same when we played Aus teams.

I do also agree, we look like a team of utility players..

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:18 pm  

Ziggy Stardust wrote:

The players in each position for Wire were bigger than any of our players, just as was the same when we played Aus teams.

I do also agree, we look like a team of utility players..

It seems to be our policy.

Hamlin and Sarg kind of back up that thought.

To be fair Hamlin to me looks like a bloke who looks for meters after contact, and probably needs to be in the 17 next week.

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:41 pm  

Jonh I know exactly where you are coming from. When BBM went on that charge towards our line I thought to myself we don’t have a player capeable of that.

We have a side with a lot of very good players but definitely lack size. I’m coming to the conclusion it may be better for us if we end up loosing players to the NRL such as Bateman (as good as he is) if we can pick up a few beasts instead.


I don’t think we should over react to tonight though. I know the club don’t want to use it as an excuse but the trip to Australia must have had an affect on the performance. I wouldn’t put us as favourites but I think we’ll make the top 4.

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:04 am  

We’ve not learnt anything we didn’t know already tonight. Our pack lacks size and when it’s down on energy as well, as it was tonight, it’s a recipe for disaster. Warringtons big pack blitzed us but on another night and without 20,000 plus air miles taking there toll you’d hope we can rectify that.

Two big home games coming up for us now. You’d like to think they’re exactly what we need right now to get that attacking flow back. We’ll certainly need more energy then tonight in a couple of weeks against Wakefield.

[DaveO]

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Sat Feb 24, 2018 3:36 am  

jonh wrote:

To be fair Hamlin to me looks like a bloke who looks for meters after contact....

How long do you think that will last? Wane has the props going to ground ASAP in the tackle to look for a quick PTB. If looking for meters is what Hamlin does and is a natural part of his game it won't last under Wane. Look at FPN last season for the guide.

[DaveO]

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Sat Feb 24, 2018 3:39 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

We’ve not learnt anything we didn’t know already tonight. Our pack lacks size and when it’s down on energy as well, as it was tonight, it’s a recipe for disaster. Warringtons big pack blitzed us but on another night and without 20,000 plus air miles taking there toll you’d hope we can rectify that.

Two big home games coming up for us now. You’d like to think they’re exactly what we need right now to get that attacking flow back. We’ll certainly need more energy then tonight in a couple of weeks against Wakefield.

Last season it was injuries, this week it was jet lag. The excuses have now run out. The next few games will show us if the issues of last season and beyond have been addressed.

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:16 am  

DaveO wrote:

Last season it was injuries, this week it was jet lag. The excuses have now run out. The next few games will show us if the issues of last season and beyond have been addressed.

In fairness all I’ve heard from the club is that the travel had nothing to do with last night so they’ve not used that excuse.

The Wakey home game followed by Cas away will tell us an awful lot. We struggled with the pair of them last year and they have massive packs.

[DaveO]

Re: Do the Team Train in Lilliput : Sat Feb 24, 2018 1:17 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

In fairness all I’ve heard from the club is that the travel had nothing to do with last night so they’ve not used that excuse.

No they haven't but they really could not dare to could thay? Say a controversial trip to Oz was partly to blame for a loss due to fatigue was never going to happen even if the whole team fell asleep at half time.

Then again clubs rarely blame the obvious be it injuries or whatever. Personally I think the trip and the short turnaround with the Wire game being on a Friday are bound to have affected the performance which was entirely predictable and reason to not play that pointless friendly in Oz.

The Wakey home game followed by Cas away will tell us an awful lot. We struggled with the pair of them last year and they have massive packs.

Yes they will and with the cobwebs blown away from the trip and, touch wood, no injury crisis in the meantime these two games will be the start of the season proper if you know what I mean. A few games under the belt and no distractions.