Re: Wigan H : Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:49 pm  

Smooth Stu wrote:

FWIW, I've got you down to win this week

Opera man is performing so it's a nail on 2 points for us.

Re: Wigan H : Thu Jul 14, 2016 10:36 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

What I am struggling with is how come a team with so many injuries throughout the season can be top of the table?

We've had a lot of very narrow wins this year and could just as easily be 6th or 7th. Although we've really struggled with injuries (and still are) the team in a number of games have somehow found a way to win.

I think having a reserve team helps a little and with hopefully more games for the reserves next year it will help more with the development of youngsters.

The other factor which several have mentioned is we are a structured side and the first team, reserves and youngsters all play to the same structure which makes it easier to step up. We are as much reliant on the structure as the better players consequently don't miss them as much as some other teams would when they are injured.

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:19 am  

The Black and Whites will be cheering you on tonight. Good luck!!

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:31 am  

Old Feller wrote:

Plus Matty Smith whom so many on here deride but who guides them round the park has not missed any or very few games..

I don't know if the stats back it up but his goal kicking seems to have improved. A number of times this year he seems to land ones at crucial points in games (to stretch the lead from 6 to 8 points and a two score game for example) and he's landed several DG's.

Also think at the start of the year when they were missing players and Tomkins had yet to return that Bateman was massive for Wigan. Without him they would've lost 2/3 more games in the first half of the year imo.

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 12:38 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

I don't know if the stats back it up but his goal kicking seems to have improved. A number of times this year he seems to land ones at crucial points in games (to stretch the lead from 6 to 8 points and a two score game for example) and he's landed several DG's.

Also think at the start of the year when they were missing players and Tomkins had yet to return that Bateman was massive for Wigan. Without him they would've lost 2/3 more games in the first half of the year imo.

He was. And then 'that' incident happened and we put him on a disciplinary. We could have suspended him for any number of weeks: 2, 4, whatever, but shot ourselves in our own feet. How many clubs would do that to arguably their best player?

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 1:46 pm  

I think most clubs would have sacked him , or transfer listed him at least

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 1:48 pm  

Smooth Stu wrote:

He was. And then 'that' incident happened and we put him on a disciplinary. We could have suspended him for any number of weeks: 2, 4, whatever, but shot ourselves in our own feet. How many clubs would do that to arguably their best player?

I guess it depends on the severity of the incident.
But yes I doubt many clubs Leeds included would have banned him for that amount of games.
Also how will the rest of the team respond to him when he is back remains to be seen.

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 1:50 pm  

ploinerrhino wrote:

I think most clubs would have sacked him , or transfer listed him at least

Or stood by them after serving a custodial sentence!

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 1:56 pm  

chapylad wrote:

Or stood by them after serving a custodial sentence!

Entirely different circumstances though. I think Bateman is very lucky indeed to still be at Wigan.

Though of course the real problem is that if a club sacks a player then they're the ones that lose out.
As a sport we need to come up with some kind of system so that when a player is sacked the club receives some form of compensation if they go to another club.

Re: Wigan H : Fri Jul 15, 2016 2:07 pm  

Him wrote:

Entirely different circumstances though. I think Bateman is very lucky indeed to still be at Wigan.

Though of course the real problem is that if a club sacks a player then they're the ones that lose out.
As a sport we need to come up with some kind of system so that when a player is sacked the club receives some form of compensation if they go to another club.

A club can, I think, deregister the player for salary cap purposes so he can't play but continue to hold the rights over his playing registration for as long as his contract is still valid.

Problem with that is you're still lumbered with paying their salary until the contract runs out, even though it doesn't appear on your cap.