The Centre Spot : Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:56 pm  

Now that Mr Gelling is unavailable for the foreseeable future.
Who would be our best option for centre? Here’s a few options available to Price...


Ratchford, now what Widdop is back & the emergence of Ashton at FB, do we select Mr Utility at centre, we know he has past experience and played a lot there in his Salford days.

Mamo, did okay and was solid in a few games last year, has some strike about him and likely to outpace our first choice wingers in Charnley/Lineham!

Charnley, do we move him inside one? Play Ashton or Mamo outside of him - again has a couple games experience out of position at FB with Wigan, could be an option but do we then lose him as a try scoring threat...

Brand, a good young prospect has already scored for the reserves and is naturally a right centre. Should we give the youngster a chance it’s clicked for Matty Ashton, will the same happen to him!

Hughes/Currie, or do we go with a solid back rower that defensively can do the job but unlikely to unlock the opposition with pace/step - although we are unlikely to see Hughes for at least another month.

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:04 am  

The dumbest option is your first to put our best player at centre.

Any of the following will do...but I'd go Charnley inside Ashton with a preference.

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:09 am  

Charnley is absolutely not a centre, same idea was proposed years ago at Wigan and rightfully laughed at. Stick Ratchford or Brand there.

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:25 am  

Why not put Hastings or French at centre for Wigan?

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:50 am  

Brand at centre, Widdop on the bench he will not be match fit and can slot in the halves or full back at some point with various option who to move where when he comes on.

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:20 am  

Sandwich Wire wrote:

Brand at centre, Widdop on the bench he will not be match fit and can slot in the halves or full back at some point with various option who to move where when he comes on.

Sensible...plus it will still give Widdop the opportunity of making his first full home debut at the HJ

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:25 am  

Brand. Giving a young player a chance (Ashton) has already worked very well this year.

I like the idea of having Widdop on the bench, for now.

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:16 am  

If we had a settled team eg we had played 7-8 games then I would certainly hope we would give Brand a run at the job. He started off slowly in the reserves game the other week but then settled down and was looking promising, so yes, it would be good to see if he could make the jump to SL.

As far as the next match is concerned though it's a bit more complicated because Price will almost certainly introduce Widdop and yes, I agree with the above posts, he will probably not play a full match. So that sounds like Ratchford will cover the halves and FB, unless you used Currie instead ? If you have Widdop, Ashton and Brand all playing then that is a lot of change for one game, plus it means we have two inexperienced youngsters out on the pitch together. An intriguing puzzle for Pricey.

As it looks like being a heavy pitch, even assuming the game is played, I think I might go with Currie to cover for Widdop in the halves, Ratchford at FB and Brand in the centres.

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:26 am  

Winslade's Offload wrote:

If we had a settled team eg we had played 7-8 games then I would certainly hope we would give Brand a run at the job. He started off slowly in the reserves game the other week but then settled down and was looking promising, so yes, it would be good to see if he could make the jump to SL.

As far as the next match is concerned though it's a bit more complicated because Price will almost certainly introduce Widdop and yes, I agree with the above posts, he will probably not play a full match. So that sounds like Ratchford will cover the halves and FB, unless you used Currie instead ? If you have Widdop, Ashton and Brand all playing then that is a lot of change for one game, plus it means we have two inexperienced youngsters out on the pitch together. An intriguing puzzle for Pricey.

As it looks like being a heavy pitch, even assuming the game is played, I think I might go with Currie to cover for Widdop in the halves, Ratchford at FB and Brand in the centres.

So from your last comment ... basically you are saying that you would leave out Ashton? Is that what you mean?

Re: The Centre Spot : Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:35 am  

Winslade's Offload wrote:

If we had a settled team eg we had played 7-8 games then I would certainly hope we would give Brand a run at the job. He started off slowly in the reserves game the other week but then settled down and was looking promising, so yes, it would be good to see if he could make the jump to SL.

As far as the next match is concerned though it's a bit more complicated because Price will almost certainly introduce Widdop and yes, I agree with the above posts, he will probably not play a full match. So that sounds like Ratchford will cover the halves and FB, unless you used Currie instead ? If you have Widdop, Ashton and Brand all playing then that is a lot of change for one game, plus it means we have two inexperienced youngsters out on the pitch together. An intriguing puzzle for Pricey.

As it looks like being a heavy pitch, even assuming the game is played, I think I might go with Currie to cover for Widdop in the halves, Ratchford at FB and Brand in the centres.

Interesting point about a heavy pitch. That would make me cautious about Widdop following the ankle roll...a bench start might suffice for me.