Re: All that and without Sol : Tue May 22, 2018 11:48 am  

Phuzzy wrote:

I should have perhaps mentioned Tommy too. He's had a new lease of life this year and is pretty much back to his best. Often long minutes too. The pack was dominant again. No bad for 'powderpuff' (sorry Itchy... couldn't resist! ) Tautai in particular seems to have grown an extra leg!

The pack played well Phuzzy no denying that.
If they play well I will say that. If they play like shoite I will say that too. Last year the pack was appalling this year so far they are very much improved I am very pleased to say.
The true test will be Wire in the CC when you would expect them to come out really fired up. The QF should be cracker as long as the referee isn't Childs.

I appear to have struck a nerve with the powderpuff statement old boy so sorry about that

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 10:02 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Sam Tomkins and Bateman the stand outs for me. I thought Williams and Marshall were also excellent.

It was another game where the props dominated with all of them putting in a shift and Tommy Leuluai is controlling them perfectly. I really hope he’s playing in next year.

Marshall was very hit and miss. Great try set up, managed to hold off Charnley before being closed down buying enough time for the pass. But he also had an unforced knock on in our own half putting us under great pressure, gave way a silly penalty in own half trying to drop Charnley on his head.

I know I'm probably gonna face the usual backlash posting this, but I'm realistic, if his positives are to be recognised, so should his errors, it's all part of his performance.

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 10:19 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Marshall was very hit and miss. Great try set up, managed to hold off Charnley before being closed down buying enough time for the pass. But he also had an unforced knock on in our own half putting us under great pressure, gave way a silly penalty in own half trying to drop Charnley on his head.

I know I'm probably gonna face the usual backlash posting this, but I'm realistic, if his positives are to be recognised, so should his errors, it's all part of his performance.

To be fair I think most Wigan fans recognise that he has some improving to do in the defensive side of his game if he wants to be a Wigan starter long term. There's a good reason why Davies is ahead of him in the pecking order.

I could be wrong, but I get the impression that Marshall has generally been a bit more reliable this year, it doesn't seem like there have been too many examples of dropped ball like there was at the weekend.

Wembley last year still sticks in the mind, so I suppose we'll have a better idea once he gets targeted in knock out football later in the year.

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 10:24 am  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

The pack played well Phuzzy no denying that.
If they play well I will say that. If they play like shoite I will say that too. Last year the pack was appalling this year so far they are very much improved I am very pleased to say.
The true test will be Wire in the CC when you would expect them to come out really fired up. The QF should be cracker as long as the referee isn't Childs.

I appear to have struck a nerve with the powderpuff statement old boy so sorry about that

Just joking Itchy. I've noticed your posts have been far more positive this season to match the performances of the team. That's fair enough.

I said during the last debate that take out the constant injuries of last season and we'd see a true reflection of our pack and I think it's fair to say that's what we're getting this time around. I've read on numerous opposition fans forums how their packs have been bullied by ours. Saturday was yet another example.

The QF will be a good test as Wire should have Cooper and Crosby back which will undoubtedly strengthen them and we'll have O'Loughlin which should do the same for us. Looking forward to it!

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 10:27 am  

Cherry_&_White wrote:

To be fair I think most Wigan fans recognise that he has some improving to do in the defensive side of his game if he wants to be a Wigan starter long term. There's a good reason why Davies is ahead of him in the pecking order.

I could be wrong, but I get the impression that Marshall has generally been a bit more reliable this year, it doesn't seem like there have been too many examples of dropped ball like there was at the weekend.

Wembley last year still sticks in the mind, so I suppose we'll have a better idea once he gets targeted in knock out football later in the year.

Fair post. I also think (this isn't directly about Marshall) but the right side attack really needs to improve. Marshall highlighted this will his spell as a right winger during Davies' absence to injury. On the left Marshall has time and space to use his pace to cause defenders real problems, on the right, his try tally was zero, he had little room to work or be effective in attack. Shifted back to the left he once again is impressive in attack.

I feel for Davies, he's only ever featured on a lifeless right edge.

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 11:32 am  

Phuzzy wrote:

Just joking Itchy. I've noticed your posts have been far more positive this season to match the performances of the team. That's fair enough.

I said during the last debate that take out the constant injuries of last season and we'd see a true reflection of our pack and I think it's fair to say that's what we're getting this time around. I've read on numerous opposition fans forums how their packs have been bullied by ours. Saturday was yet another example.

The QF will be a good test as Wire should have Cooper and Crosby back which will undoubtedly strengthen them and we'll have O'Loughlin which should do the same for us. Looking forward to it!

I took your comment in the spirit that it was intended.
Yes we are significantly better this year due to reduced number of long term injuries and for me the players seem more committed and we play on the whole with more urgency. Not perfect but a definite step in the right direction and if we can eliminate performances like when we played HKR and to a lesser degree Salford then so much the better.
I actually wanted Saints or Wire at home in the QF. Performances have improved but gates have declined dramatically due primarily to poor play for 2 or 3 years so a 15k or 20k crowd would have been good for the old bank balance and for starting to regain lost supporters and more importantly gaining some new younger species.

Wouldn't surprise me if Wire turned us over but isn't that how a cup QF should be? I always think that home advantage in a cup tie is pretty vital. Charnley in particular will be chomping at the bit for a rematch with Marshall and their pack should bust a gut to try and get revenge for a bit of a walloping.

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 12:12 pm  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

I took your comment in the spirit that it was intended.
Yes we are significantly better this year due to reduced number of long term injuries and for me the players seem more committed and we play on the whole with more urgency. Not perfect but a definite step in the right direction and if we can eliminate performances like when we played HKR and to a lesser degree Salford then so much the better.
I actually wanted Saints or Wire at home in the QF. Performances have improved but gates have declined dramatically due primarily to poor play for 2 or 3 years so a 15k or 20k crowd would have been good for the old bank balance and for starting to regain lost supporters and more importantly gaining some new younger species.

Wouldn't surprise me if Wire turned us over but isn't that how a cup QF should be? I always think that home advantage in a cup tie is pretty vital. Charnley in particular will be chomping at the bit for a rematch with Marshall and their pack should bust a gut to try and get revenge for a bit of a walloping.

Even though there was a clear gulf in class on Saturday (22-0 in the second half shows that), a one off cup game is a law unto itself as we've seen in the past. Add to that, home advantage and, as you suggest, this could go either way. I do fancy us to win though. There is definitely an added steel about us this season and SW has spoke on several occasions about putting the disappointment of last year's final to rights. Game on!

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 12:18 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

Even though there was a clear gulf in class on Saturday (22-0 in the second half shows that), a one off cup game is a law unto itself as we've seen in the past. Add to that, home advantage and, as you suggest, this could go either way. I do fancy us to win though. There is definitely an added steel about us this season and SW has spoke on several occasions about putting the disappointment of last year's final to rights. Game on!

So many variables could effect either team before the game, namely key players missing. Saying that you have to be confident after watching us without Lockers. If Sam Tomkins and Lockers plays I fancy us v anyone in SL on the day.

Re: All that and without Sol : Wed May 23, 2018 11:51 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

So many variables could effect either team before the game, namely key players missing. Saying that you have to be confident after watching us without Lockers. If Sam Tomkins and Lockers plays I fancy us v anyone in SL on the day.

I think that's one of the real positives from the season so far. Whilst we aren't over our 'Lockers block' entirely (see Catalans for details! ) we have managed to put in several good performances without him. Something we singularly failed to do last year. Whether that's down to injuries or just that we've finally worked out how to play without the extra pivot, it's hard to say. Most likely a combination of the two. Whatever the reason it's been great to see.

Re: All that and without Sol : Thu May 24, 2018 8:03 am  

Phuzzy wrote:

I think that's one of the real positives from the season so far. Whilst we aren't over our 'Lockers block' entirely (see Catalans for details! ) we have managed to put in several good performances without him. Something we singularly failed to do last year. Whether that's down to injuries or just that we've finally worked out how to play without the extra pivot, it's hard to say. Most likely a combination of the two. Whatever the reason it's been great to see.

Definitely. I would never suggest we're a one man team, but when I saw Lockers' name missing from the team sheet I did worry. It's an interesting factor, I wonder if other teams feel a sudden confidence v Wigan when he see he isn't playing? Do our players feel slightly less confident when he's not alongside them.

We played very well without him, dare I say didn't really miss him. It will be interesting to see how we play and who is our long term replacement for when he finally retires.