Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:03 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Yeah the game has moved on, they need to be fitter than they did 10.years ago but no need to be an 80 minute prop. I do think hooker is going back to being an 80 minute position though.

You are quite right the game has moved on.

Every team has at least one ball playing forward.

The game is awash with half backs who can read a move and doesn’t give a flying shoite what a coach pre prescribed 2 days before kickoff.

Every player can lift 100kgs but can’t think

Love my rugby in 2021

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:32 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

You've left out 50% of the game there though. It's when you don't have the ball that the really big boys can get exposed, especially when the ball has been in play for a long time and you've given up a set restart or too . I suppose there is still a role for impact prop but they're a risk.

I know and as you point out, is a risk. Your impact prop doesn’t have to be a Feka, for me an LMS type is the perfect impact prop. Comes on, ruffles a few feathers and does good hard minutes. There’s still room for the impact prop in modern RL IMO.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:44 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Nobody has said that.

Pretty sure they just said they would prefer Lino.

I said it, heard it Thursday night

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 4:24 pm  

There’s a lot of press linking us with Jacob Miller today. Looks like there may be something in that one.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:56 pm  

I quite like Miller, but unless we rejuvenate our entire attacking structure, any potential half back is up against it and more than likely will be be labelled not good enough.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 6:44 pm  

Whether we get Miller or anyone else their playing game will be determined by the success or otherwise of our pack and particularly our props. We have suffered as Lam is determined not to play our four senior props to give us that power up front.
His front row v Saints was pathetic, A 20 year old, plus a 21 year old then a 22 year old. Average age 21. Saints front row average age 30. What on earth was he thinking doing that to the team?

If our 2022 coaches play our best and most experienced props with a back row from Farrell, Bateman, Isa & KPP then we have a really good chance. Our halves of Smith, maybe Field and the new half back should have fast ptb and room to play.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:21 pm  

ChrisA wrote:

I quite like Miller, but unless we rejuvenate our entire attacking structure, any potential half back is up against it and more than likely will be be labelled not good enough.

I didn’t realise we had an attacking structure!?

Can only hope that whoever we sign has some protection in front of him unlike what we have seen this year.

A lot rides on the two new props.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:55 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

I didn’t realise we had an attacking structure!?

Can only hope that whoever we sign has some protection in front of him unlike what we have seen this year.

A lot rides on the two new props.

A lot does ride on the new props.

Our season rides on it realistically. I’m not confident it is enough of a turn around in one off seasons recruitment and retentions to correct issues which are probably 3 years old.

Miller plays his best rugby as an off the cuff runner who has a controlling half partnered with him.

Smith at the moment is massively struggling, he clearly has talent and new coaches and props may get the best out of him, and the partnership could work.

If Smith continues to perform like he has this year however, Miller will be a massive failure at Wigan should he sign.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:21 pm  

Any half would struggle playing for Wigan this year considering the amount of a handicap Lam has been with his squad and team selection and total lack of noticeable tactics apart from kick long and chase hard.
Lam's determination not to play his senior and experienced props has denied the team any go forward all season. The young forwards Lam prefers are dominated in the tackle and there are no quick play the balls for the halves to have room to create moves or plays.
As long as the new coach plays props who can get a quick ptb then our halves will thrive.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:09 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

Whether we get Miller or anyone else their playing game will be determined by the success or otherwise of our pack and particularly our props. We have suffered as Lam is determined not to play our four senior props to give us that power up front.
His front row v Saints was pathetic, A 20 year old, plus a 21 year old then a 22 year old. Average age 21. Saints front row average age 30. What on earth was he thinking doing that to the team?

If our 2022 coaches play our best and most experienced props with a back row from Farrell, Bateman, Isa & KPP then we have a really good chance. Our halves of Smith, maybe Field and the new half back should have fast ptb and room to play.

Not solely down to success of props.

It’s our attacking structure and inability to create space. We’ve had ample opportunities in a lot of games and never looked like scoring.