Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 3:21 pm Posts: 17202 Location: educating League Freak on all things rugby league
Just watched the interview Isa did at the end of the game.
Sums the lad up perfectly.
No personal credit, even said he didn’t care about MOTM award and just talked about the team, how important the team is, and how he was just happy to do his job and contribute to the team effort.
He is never going to go down as an all time great Wigan second row, but without doubt he is one of those players that has the toughness and mental conditioning that the others in the team respect and who they know they can rely on when it gets tough.
Unofficially the most boring poster on Cherry and White.
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:38 am Posts: 23855 Location: WIGAN
I said last night watching his interview that he’s in to his fourth season at the club and he’s probably never been seen by anyone as being in the first choice 13, yet he just keeps racking up starting appearances. He does that because he’s durable and has a great engine and whilst he keeps banging out these 80 minute performances, his fellow forwards drop around him.
He’ll not be considered a starting 13 player in 2020 but no doubt he’ll rack up another 25+ starts.
When Byrne came into the side I wasn't convinced he looked up to the pace (unlike Smithies, who looked at home from Day 1), but he has really grown up the last few weeks, and another great effort today. And yeah, Willie Isa was immense in a solid defensive performance all round.
We have got to remember that he is only 19. I will nail my colours to the mast, he will become an international player.
Navarette has played really well recently and I thought he was aggressive again tonight. I doubt we’ll have enough bodies to think about dropping him anyway but he’d be well down my list. That’s not to say I’ve not been impressed by Byrne, Partington or Smithies. They’ve all done really well for us and I thought Byrne especially did well tonight. It was a real statement by him and he looks like his confidence is building.
Possibly NickyKiss. He keeps getting picked so Lam likes him. I confess to having only seen Wigan on Sky recently.
Agreed with Byrne. Partington too. When I saw the baby face warm up I thought he would struggle against Hull's pack but fair play he really give it to them.
Smithies plays above his weight. Carries, metres, tackles - I'd love to know how stats for yesterday
Rugby Union: When entertainment just isn't your thing.
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:38 am Posts: 23855 Location: WIGAN
cadoo wrote:
Possibly NickyKiss. He keeps getting picked so Lam likes him. I confess to having only seen Wigan on Sky recently.
He’s been really good recently mate and probably even more so in the none televised games, so that makes sense. He’s really stepped it up in the absence of Flower and Clubb (for a couple of games).
Nobody has mentioned Farrell but once again he was machine like and just did his job quietly but brilliantly. This guy is so underated and does high quality work every week in attack and defence.
Farrell can often go unmentioned because he's pretty much expected to play well every week. I've been impressed with Isa recently but I was really surprised he was given man of the match last night. I thought Farrell was far more involved. A quick comparison between the two:
Willie Isa: 24 metres from 5 carries - 39 tackles and 5 missed Liam Farrell: 138 metres from 17 carries - 32 tackles and 1 missed
However, it would get a bit repetitive giving Farrell man of the match every week.
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:38 am Posts: 23855 Location: WIGAN
Faz is our best player IMO and it’s no coincidence that our season turned round when he came back. He’s a victim of his own consistent excellence, as he has to be 9 or 10 out of 10 to get a load of praise rather than his usual 7 or 8.
Faz is our best player IMO and it’s no coincidence that our season turned round when he came back. He’s a victim of his own consistent excellence, as he has to be 9 or 10 out of 10 to get a load of praise rather than his usual 7 or 8.
Have to agree Faz is very much back to his bests for Isa,he does what he does and ive always said it sides need players like him, they all can't be the flashy eye catcher of a player, you need workhorses and that's what he is a fine workhorse.
Farrell can often go unmentioned because he's pretty much expected to play well every week. I've been impressed with Isa recently but I was really surprised he was given man of the match last night. I thought Farrell was far more involved. A quick comparison between the two:
Willie Isa: 24 metres from 5 carries - 39 tackles and 5 missed Liam Farrell: 138 metres from 17 carries - 32 tackles and 1 missed
However, it would get a bit repetitive giving Farrell man of the match every week.
I thought Faz was excellent again against Hull but the extra aggression shown by Isa made him stand out. Sneyd wasn’t given an inch and his kicking game suffered because of it. Isa was on him from the first whistle to the last and it was those contributions that made a difference. Stats don’t always tell the full story and I thought Isa’s extra efforts, particularly on Snead were the difference between the two sides.
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