Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 9:22 am  

NSW wrote:

2 games in 3 days.

As tempting as it would be to play Field and French vs Saints I don’t think it’s wise to play either in both games.

I’d probably play start each of them at full back in each game, resting the other.

Having them fit for the playoffs is key.

Saints

French
Miski
Bibby
KPP
Marshall
Cust
Smith
Cooper
O’Neill
Singleton
Farrell
Bateman
Partington

Mago
Ellis
Byrne
Shorrocks

Hull KR

Field
Bibby
Halsall
KPP
Miski
Cust
Smith
Ellis
O’Neill
Bryne
Isa
McDonnell
Smithies

Shorrocks
Mago
Singleton
Partington

Only one game in the weekend for our speedsters (French, Field, Marshall) and for our high work rate back row (Farrell, Bateman, Smithies).

Just an idea. Think both teams would be capabale of winning.

Getting Tommy, Powell or Havard back would be handy.

No way will Peet rest Field against Saints.

He will want to put a marker down with a win. That would make it 2 wins each for the season and put some doubt in Saints particularly if they win well.

As strange as this sounds given how often he has played I think Hopoate is key on Friday. He is a classy player when he plays, chimes into the line well and allows Welsby to play at 6. Hopoate was superb for 40 mins on Friday. If he misses out then it will likely be Welsby at 1 with Roby in the halves which does not work at all. My worry also is with Bennison and Davies together on the left edge up against French. Two inexperienced lads so I wonder if Woolf will split Makinson and Hurrell up and put Makinson against French.

The way to beat Saints is on the edges with pace. Salford did it comprehensively and Wigan certainly have the players to do likewise. We may well come unstuck on Friday but I'd still back us in a Grand Final with the way that those games are played.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:57 am  

Stu M wrote:

No way will Peet rest Field against Saints.

He will want to put a marker down with a win. That would make it 2 wins each for the season and put some doubt in Saints particularly if they win well.

As strange as this sounds given how often he has played I think Hopoate is key on Friday. He is a classy player when he plays, chimes into the line well and allows Welsby to play at 6. Hopoate was superb for 40 mins on Friday. If he misses out then it will likely be Welsby at 1 with Roby in the halves which does not work at all. My worry also is with Bennison and Davies together on the left edge up against French. Two inexperienced lads so I wonder if Woolf will split Makinson and Hurrell up and put Makinson against French.

The way to beat Saints is on the edges with pace. Salford did it comprehensively and Wigan certainly have the players to do likewise. We may well come unstuck on Friday but I'd still back us in a Grand Final with the way that those games are played.

I was puzzled by the Hopoate signing, thought he was well past it. But he was superb at magic.

I don’t see Friday as too important, obviously would love to win but it’s all about that potential grand final meeting.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:56 pm  

NSW wrote:

I was puzzled by the Hopoate signing, thought he was well past it. But he was superb at magic.

I don’t see Friday as too important, obviously would love to win but it’s all about that potential grand final meeting.

Firstly, it's Wigan Saints so obviously I want to win the game and win well.

However, as NSW says it's all about the GF meeting (possible) so if we lose this one and Saints win 3-2 for the season but we take the cup semi and the GF then who will really care? They can have the shield. So what? You don't win the league. It's called the League Leaders Shield, not the Winners Shield. The GF is what counts and what will be remembered.

We are a lot closer to them than we were 12 months ago, of course we are, but we still have plenty to fix up to be seen as favourites against them so I'm more interested in seeing if we have fixed those and what Cooper brings to the pack against them. Fix up the errors and the cheap penalties and let's see where we end up.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:58 pm  

I think Peet will play the strongest squad with a view to putting a marker down for our next meet (if we win of course).

Then rest some players for HKR.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 1:00 pm  

Jason65 wrote:

I think Peet will play the strongest squad with a view to putting a marker down for our next meet (if we win of course).

Then rest some players for HKR.

If Leeds beat Hudds and we win Friday then we can shuffle the deck ahead of the playoff and try to get players as fresh as we can.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Mon Aug 22, 2022 1:19 pm  

Like the Magic game I still think the most important thing when looking forward to a potential GF is to make sure its close and competitive. We wouldn't want to be going into a playoff game against Saints off the back of a comprehensive defeat against them.

Other than that the biggest reward is the 2 points, the possibility of nailing down 2nd and being able to rest some players. Whether we do that this week or against Hull KR it doesn't really matter.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Tue Aug 23, 2022 11:37 am  

MadDogg wrote:

Like the Magic game I still think the most important thing when looking forward to a potential GF is to make sure its close and competitive. We wouldn't want to be going into a playoff game against Saints off the back of a comprehensive defeat against them.

Other than that the biggest reward is the 2 points, the possibility of nailing down 2nd and being able to rest some players. Whether we do that this week or against Hull KR it doesn't really matter.

We need to win full stop.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:26 pm  

We have to show we need it more than they do. No excuses for them out working us in this one.

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Tue Aug 23, 2022 3:34 pm  

So Will "made of biscuits" Hopoate is out for Friday. Could be a long night for us.

Will either be Welsby at 1 with Roby at 7 which hasn't worked every game we've tried it, or Bennison at 1 with Simm on the wing. That's my least favourite option. Either way its another patched up backline up against a good team with genuine pace.

That's 3 out of the first choice back 5 injured, 4 if you include Matautia and 4 out of the first choice 1-7 if you include Dodd.

I know teams get injuries but ours are all in the backs up against 2 of the best players in the competition in the backs

Re: Wigan v Saints (h) (match talk not general chat) : Tue Aug 23, 2022 3:59 pm  

Excuses in early Stu