Controversial opinion : Sat Aug 19, 2023 11:36 am  

I know a lot of people might think I've gone mental here but here goes.
Would it be a blessing in disguise is either bevan or jai decided they were going to call it a day and go back to aus at the end of the season. I completely understand that they're both amazing players and on paper would be silly to not have both on the field but 'on paper' and reality are two completely different things.
To me the team feels so disjointed with a lack of clear direction on the pitch. Harry Smith (personally I really like him but others seem to have a different opinion) is in effect having to play both 6 and 7 and it's stifling his game. If one of them went and we recruited another half to play alongside Harry then I think a lot of the problems would be solved.
What are your thoughts?

Re: Controversial opinion : Sat Aug 19, 2023 1:47 pm  

I get some of your point there - the effect on Smith I have already commented on the Hull game post. Both Field and French are predomnantly full backs and can't both play there which means shoe-horning one into another position, French played really well on the wing (but in some ways this goes against Wigan's preffered system of big meters from backs early in the tackle count).But personally think he links play better from full back than Field but Field is just, for me, a better open field runner and is really good on cover tackle.We have nominally two players who can play 6 in Cust and Hampshire who bring different skill sets (maybe Powell also at a push).

Trying to get them both into the team inevitably does cause issues and in some ways and does have a knock on effect elsewhere - it is a dilema I don't think we will ever truly solve as they are too similar and are competing for the same position. But both are game breakers and on their day amazing to watch.

For me I think Frnech on the wing is better for the team pattern if we can find someone to play 6 consistenly well (Cust is too hot/cold there recently) and in the end it may come down to one of the two speedsters leaving and us singing a good quality stand-off to really balance the team.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sat Aug 19, 2023 2:45 pm  

Exiled warriors, pretty much agree with everything you mention. Field is the better option for me also.
While I was sat there last night I was going over in my head who's going, who we've brought in and we look really strong next season, in my mind the only spot that needed someone different was the 6 spot, can't see that rocky would be a long term solution there and think he'll only get game time if we have a serious injury run. While miski and marshy are performing so well on the wing I can't see French going back there which is where the dilemma lies in my opinion.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sat Aug 19, 2023 6:40 pm  

exiled Warrior wrote:

I get some of your point there - the effect on Smith I have already commented on the Hull game post. Both Field and French are predomnantly full backs and can't both play there which means shoe-horning one into another position, French played really well on the wing (but in some ways this goes against Wigan's preffered system of big meters from backs early in the tackle count).But personally think he links play better from full back than Field but Field is just, for me, a better open field runner and is really good on cover tackle.We have nominally two players who can play 6 in Cust and Hampshire who bring different skill sets (maybe Powell also at a push).

Trying to get them both into the team inevitably does cause issues and in some ways and does have a knock on effect elsewhere - it is a dilema I don't think we will ever truly solve as they are too similar and are competing for the same position. But both are game breakers and on their day amazing to watch.

For me I think Frnech on the wing is better for the team pattern if we can find someone to play 6 consistenly well (Cust is too hot/cold there recently) and in the end it may come down to one of the two speedsters leaving and us singing a good quality stand-off to really balance the team.

french is a winger for me, played most of his NRL time there and is unplayable here at it, miski has done well but you need at least 3 good wingers in your squad as youll get injuries and suspensions, we have 2 x 6's in the squad and play none of them, send them both away and get in some quality, we even played shorrocks there before them

Re: Controversial opinion : Sat Aug 19, 2023 8:29 pm  

I really struggle with this one.

We've had some mediocre players over recent years (and still have some tbh) and now we've got two top drawer players who we don't know what to do with.

Nice dilemma for Matty Peet to try and resolve.

Personally I'd prefer to keep them both, and try and find a way to make it work rather than potentially gift another SL team one of them which could easily come back to haunt us.

An embarrassment of riches, as my dear departed dad would have said.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sun Aug 20, 2023 12:22 am  

If we can’t find a way to integrate French and Field, change the coach. We are blessed to see them in our shirt at the same time.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:17 am  

I’ve said this before on here.

If we could bring in a proven top quality 6 then I’d reluctantly sacrifice one of Field or French for them, I’d prefer to keep French of the 2 though to play fullback.

The reality is both are fullbacks and we are doing our best to accommodate them both in the team to the detriment of utilising French in his best position.

The way we play French isn’t a winger in our system either. He’s a wonderful attacking player but he lacks the physicality in his carries which means he gets dominated in the tackle when carrying against an organised set line.

Given the lack of quality halves about and the demand for the ones that are available I don’t think we will be seeing either go anywhere for the next couple of years and we will persist with this style, and hopefully French can develop into the 6 role as he gets more exposure to it, however it will be to the detriment of the team in my opinion whilst he does.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:02 am  

It potentially could work but not how French is playing the position. He is very rarely taking the line on, unless it’s in easy games, against busted/weakened teams, so if the opposition wanted a way of nullifying him, we and he have found it for them.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:43 am  

Still come back to the 60 minutes in the Leigh game just before Easter. By far our most fluid and incisive attacking performance and its not as if we'd had 8 weeks to practice that lineup like we have done with the current one.

I think we need to switch back to that lineup and have French defend in the line.

Re: Controversial opinion : Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:45 am  

Crazy suggestion. It's up to the coaching team to make the best out of both of them.

Quite often French is receiving the ball with a defender already on him because we're so slow out of the ruck. It was the same with Smith on Friday (Hull's line speed was superb, I thought). There is no one in the league better than French at running at a broken line but we never give him the opportunity.

Against Hull KR we made 20 offloads and made a ton of breaks from them, especially through French and KPP. I think we have the 2nd lowest offloads in the league despite us having Mago, KPP, King etc. who can offload at will. Clearly a coaching tactic but I don't know why we are so afraid to play off-the-cuff.