Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 4:50 am  

TheWarringtonWolve69 wrote:

Attendances would suggest otherwise. As would the fact that SL teams only need to win 4 games. It’s a tin pot trophy these days.

Get the excuses in early,are you that scared of Leigh ?

Win 4 games,you couldnt do that last year !

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:21 am  

Is it my Wigan bias but Harry Smith is twice the player Lewis Dodd is ?

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:32 am  

NSW wrote:

Is it my Wigan bias but Harry Smith is twice the player Lewis Dodd is ?

He's certainly been a better player this season.

When Dodd first came through he was set for huge things, there were a lot of SL clubs after him and he was described as the next big thing. Rogues Gallery will confirm the talent and potential he had. I do feel that the Achilles injury has massively put him back. Up to that injury he was outstanding at times and a lot of our attack came from him.

This season he seems to be playing within himself, rarely taking the line on with the good step that he has and his last tackle kicks have been awful. There are parallels to Luke Walsh and how he played before and after his bad injury. Conversely Smith's all round kicking game has been superb.

That being said he did have the nerve to kick the winning DG in the WCC and there does seem to be some genuine interest in him from Australia. Joey Johns has been reported this morning as encouraging the Dragons to sign him if and when Hunt leaves. He has been very complimentary about him.

Dodd has shown glimpses this season of his previous form but overall he has been poor and a lot of fans have even suggested he should be dropped with Lomax/Welsby in the halves.

I still feel Welsby is a way better 6 than 1 but that's a conversation for another day.

Smith has been very good this season to be fair

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:33 am  

NSW wrote:

Is it my Wigan bias but Harry Smith is twice the player Lewis Dodd is ?

No you speak the truth.

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:01 am  

Very different players Smith and Dodd IMO. He’s well off his best Dodd and I don’t think he’s got confidence or his zip back after that achilles injury. He’s more of an individual talent, compared to Smith, who is a game manager. They’d probably make a well balanced pairing actually (if Dodd found form because currently he wouldn’t bring the running threat Smith doesn’t bring either).

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:04 am  

Stu M wrote:

He's certainly been a better player this season.

When Dodd first came through he was set for huge things, there were a lot of SL clubs after him and he was described as the next big thing. Rogues Gallery will confirm the talent and potential he had. I do feel that the Achilles injury has massively put him back. Up to that injury he was outstanding at times and a lot of our attack came from him.

This season he seems to be playing within himself, rarely taking the line on with the good step that he has and his last tackle kicks have been awful. There are parallels to Luke Walsh and how he played before and after his bad injury. Conversely Smith's all round kicking game has been superb.

That being said he did have the nerve to kick the winning DG in the WCC and there does seem to be some genuine interest in him from Australia. Joey Johns has been reported this morning as encouraging the Dragons to sign him if and when Hunt leaves. He has been very complimentary about him.

Dodd has shown glimpses this season of his previous form but overall he has been poor and a lot of fans have even suggested he should be dropped with Lomax/Welsby in the halves.

I still feel Welsby is a way better 6 than 1 but that's a conversation for another day.

Smith has been very good this season to be fair

The more I watch Welsby, the more I’m sure he’s a six. He offers little threat running the ball but is absolutely superb at getting in to the line and picking a pass. If Saints at Welsby at 6 and a player like Field at 1, it would be pretty devastating.

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:16 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

The more I watch Welsby, the more I’m sure he’s a six. He offers little threat running the ball but is absolutely superb at getting in to the line and picking a pass. If Saints at Welsby at 6 and a player like Field at 1, it would be pretty devastating.

Agreed. He's actually quite poor defensively at times. Granted we had the luxury of Coote for 3 years who was coolness personified but Welsby doesn't always get it right in terms of numbers and I'm never all that confident with him under the high ball.

It was good coaching from Wigan in the game a couple of weeks ago to recognise his poor positional play with the try that Field scored from that kick. That wasn't eyes up as such, it was recognised pre-game. I know French got lucky with the fact that Welsby slipped but he put himself in that position by not being positioned where he should've been.

I think Welsby would take it to another level at 6 without the pressures of being the defensive organiser at 1. His short kicking game is decent too. The beauty of him is the fact he is a goldfish as Ted Lasso would say.

His mentality and resilience is outstanding. He can make a mistake and then minutes later either score a try or produce a piece of genuis to make one. He is one hell of a competitor but still has flaws in his game.

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:24 am  

Surprised the NRL are interested in Dodd and not much chat on Welsby.

Different types of players and positions but Welsby is the one of the best players in superleague and still so young.

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:26 am  

NSW wrote:

Surprised the NRL are interested in Dodd and not much chat on Welsby.

Different types of players and positions but Welsby is the one of the best players in superleague and still so young.

Oh there's definite interest. Canberra for one are sniffing as a potential replacement for Wighton. They love their Poms as Wigan fans already know!

Re: Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE : Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:35 am  

Stu M wrote:

Oh there's definite interest. Canberra for one are sniffing as a potential replacement for Wighton. They love their Poms as Wigan fans already know!

He’s not too dissimilar to Wighton, strong running game, cut out passes and can play centres too.

I’m an avid NRL watcher and Welsby would walk into any team in the comp (full back or 6 for most teams/ centre for the better teams).

Maybe he doesn’t fancy the NRL and saints can pay him well.

Hopefully he stays as he’s a player I love to hate!