Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:28 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I have a sneaky feeling most people doubting the French signing (if it happens) haven't seen him play at all or especially not as a FB or 6.
I've heard people commenting on 'why do we need another winger' to 'my friend says he's a Aussie Escare' which is hilarious.

In French you have a ball player, not just a fast outside back. He's more of a Matty Bowen than Escare, quick, agile and has passing skills to pick out the right man. At 23 he's young and still developing his game and his physicality. He's also bigger than what people think.

I'm one of those who bang on about how we split the halves, and we still clearly do under Lam. I'd love to see Hastings operating closer to the ruck as an 'old school' 7 controlling the game at either side ruck with French running off him in the 5/8 with Hardaker operating both out wide and as a support player down the middle (think more Chris Rads than Sam T).

I'll praise Lam for letting Powell play more 'off the cuff' rugby. I know from speaking to ex players, the old philosophy for the 9 at Wigan was getting quick accurate ball as fast as possible to the 6 and 7 to clear the ruck and play with pace, that's also why props were encourages to 'find their front' after contact to ensure we controlled the ruck with pace in attack, and slowed it down in D to let our line reset before the opposition played the ball.

Powell was just doing his job, tackling all day long and doing what he can to clear the ruck with pace, would have been discouraged to scoot.

Now, it would appear, Powell is being allowed to play what's in front of him, if he sees space; take the yards etc.

If all this is true, French would be a great signing and fit into our team, with his pace, off-the-cuff attacking ability, he'd fit nicely into what I think Lam is trying to achieve.

Absolutely agree.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 2:23 pm  

I’m getting worried about what our front row is going to look like next season, it’s all quiet on that front now. Other than Flower, Clarke, Clubb and Bullock I’d say we are another prop short, and a first choice prop at that, not another project.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 2:56 pm  

post wrote:

I’m getting worried about what our front row is going to look like next season, it’s all quiet on that front now. Other than Flower, Clarke, Clubb and Bullock I’d say we are another prop short, and a first choice prop at that, not another project.

There has been rumours of Welch and Jensen but both seem to have gone quiet. We definitely need some forwards but Lam clearly knows that based on recent interviews.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 3:36 pm  

We’ll get at least one more forward I reckon but I wouldn’t expect anything earth shattering. I think the club value having 6 or so decent options more than having a couple of excellent ones and by the sounds of Lams interviews we’re looking to bring more in.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:34 pm  

Until we get shut of the French we have already got then nothing will move.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 5:11 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

We’ll get at least one more forward I reckon but I wouldn’t expect anything earth shattering. I think the club value having 6 or so decent options more than having a couple of excellent ones and by the sounds of Lams interviews we’re looking to bring more in.

I'd love to see a world class prop come in - I think it would make an enormous difference. But in fairness the importance of squad depth really shows up in the mid to latter part of the year. Probably a factor towards Wigan tending to have better results as the year goes on in most seasons. The likes of Wakefield storm out of the gates early doors before crashing and burning.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 5:32 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

I'd love to see a world class prop come in - I think it would make an enormous difference. But in fairness the importance of squad depth really shows up in the mid to latter part of the year. Probably a factor towards Wigan tending to have better results as the year goes on in most seasons. The likes of Wakefield storm out of the gates early doors before crashing and burning.

Clubs do it differently don’t they. We’ve usually had 6 or 7 options in the front row, ranging from a couple of good ones and the rest workmanlike (in the main) but a team like Saints currently have two exceptional props and a couple of workmanlike ones and then not much. They’re riding the crest of a wave, steering clear of injuries and it’s working perfectly for them. If they lose Walmsley and/or Thompson in the week before the play offs then suddenly they’re a massively different proposition.

There’s been links with Chris Green and Corey Jensen and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see one or both come in. That would leave us with Flower, Clubb, Clark, Bullock, Navarette, Jensen/Green, Partington, Byrne and Havard to fight it out for front row/back up loose forward spots. Lose two or three and you don’t lose much as the depth is so strong.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:11 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Clubs do it differently don’t they. We’ve usually had 6 or 7 options in the front row, ranging from a couple of good ones and the rest workmanlike (in the main) but a team like Saints currently have two exceptional props and a couple of workmanlike ones and then not much. They’re riding the crest of a wave, steering clear of injuries and it’s working perfectly for them. If they lose Walmsley and/or Thompson in the week before the play offs then suddenly they’re a massively different proposition.

There’s been links with Chris Green and Corey Jensen and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see one or both come in. That would leave us with Flower, Clubb, Clark, Bullock, Navarette, Jensen/Green, Partington, Byrne and Havard to fight it out for front row/back up loose forward spots. Lose two or three and you don’t lose much as the depth is so strong.

I don’t think Navarette is a prop, he’s not big enough, he can play as an extra prop at 13 or off the bench but that’s it. If we signed Green and Jensen, then we would have the numbers that’s for sure.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:15 pm  

post wrote:

I don’t think Navarette is a prop, he’s not big enough, he can play as an extra prop at 13 or off the bench but that’s it. If we signed Green and Jensen, then we would have the numbers that’s for sure.

It’s one thing to have numbers but you also need quality.

For me we need 1 more quality Frontrow signing.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:17 pm  

post wrote:

I don’t think Navarette is a prop, he’s not big enough, he can play as an extra prop at 13 or off the bench but that’s it. If we signed Green and Jensen, then we would have the numbers that’s for sure.

The thing that frustrates with Navarette is why it’s only occasionally that he’s on and firing. He’s on at the minute and is playing out of his skin. When he’s playing like he is at the moment he’s a good prop/loose forward but he just has long spells of not doing much.