Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 4:03 pm  

On the best player thread a couple of weeks ago, I think most people had Wilkin as one of, if not our best player this year. Where do we see him next season? LMS has been a bit of a revelation at 13, in the second row we have had Manu, Sia and Jones all performing well. Some people are saying with a strong bunch of props lafranchi will return to the second row. So not much room for Wilkin. I'd like him at 13, as an extra pivot building on his half back work of this year, I always feel he is wasted as a grafting second rower. Or keep on in the halfs beside Walsh? Thoughts?

Re: Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 4:24 pm  

Salford.

Re: Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 4:39 pm  

I should imagine Wilkin will operate at 13 with Manu second row linking with the left side backs, Soliola second row linking with the right side backs.
Perhaps we might see LMS back at prop starting with Amour as we will have 2 quality impact props at last to give us momentum after the usual early battle.
Can,t really see much game time for Wellens next season.

Re: Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 4:49 pm  

LMS will go back to play in my opinion with Wilkin at 13.

Re: Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:04 pm  

With no 6 being brought in I would imagine he will be a shoe in at 6.

We must remember as some have pointed out that some of the props next year are impact props, so will not contribute long minutes.

So a prop at 13 will help boost the props and keep us strong for the full 80 minutes.

To be honest the position most in question next year for me is Wello. I'd imagine our best line up dependant on players form is.

FB: Lomax
Wingers : Makinson/Swift
Centres: Turner/Percival (although I would expect Percival to get some rest weeks with Jones stepping in.
Halves: Walsh/ Wilkin

I can see Wheeler getting some game time, but quite frankly if he does come back it's an extra bonus, given the rumours he is going on loan and his injury record. Also Lance can't kick for toffee and it's not Lomax's strength either. So putting Lance, Lomax in the pivots. Means we will devalue Walsh as a kicker as teams will know that 90% of the kicking is going to him and so will target him.
Put Wilkin next to him, Lomax can do all the running from FB and it gives us 2 options on the kick.

Also I'm fed up of the Roby experiement of a full 80 mins. It must be killing his body and for me it brings down his impact over the full 80. I don't see why we are continuing this experiment. No other team does it and Cunningham himself had extremely good 2nd place hookers to cover his stints.

Currently we have a compromise with Lance starting at half, then switching to 9 when Roby goes for a rest. It then pushes Wellens into the halves. Several moves when only 1 is needed. Also because Lance has been playing, he does not inject into the game when going to 9. Coming on as a fresh pair of legs to run none stop during roby's rest period would be far more effective.

Starting pack

Amor Roby Walmsley (gives us impact and a long minute player)
Jones Manu
LMS

Bench
Lance (as a 2nd 9)
Masoe
Laffranchi
Sia

With Laffranchi not being a huge prop and Masoe an impact prop there is the danger that putting them both on, or putting Masoe and Walmsley on as impact props together, will leave the pack vulnerable to running out of gas. With LMS at loose, he should keep the props bolstered and Sia will add some punch too.

That would be my top team and the reasons why.

Obviously others may play there way in, or out and competition should be rewarded and week to week I would expect one of the props to get a rest with Walker/Clough/Flanagan and Thompson et al stepping in.

But for key games and cup games all things being equal that would be my starting 13. Although I may alternate with Manu and Sia.
Manu's need to pass so early in games does leave us vulnerable to turning over early ball. Where as Sia would be more secure early in a key match.

Re: Wilkin : Fri Sep 13, 2013 10:14 pm  

Think he'll go where required.

If we don't get a 6, he'll probably fill that gap. If we do, then he'll go back to 13 and LMS will move up to 10

Re: Wilkin : Sat Sep 14, 2013 11:22 am  

Lms is playing 13 but he's still playing prop so if Wilkin moves to 13 it shouldn't really effect Lms. It's not like Lms is playing like a ball playing loose.

Re: Wilkin : Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:05 am  

There's no space for Wilkin in the pack, IMO.
Brown has had a go at playing with 3 pivots + fullback, but its never really worked, so I don't see him wanting a ballplayer at 13.
We've got Manu, Sia, Jones and Flash to play back row, backed up by Thompson and Greenwood. All of these are bigger, stronger forwards than Wilkin.
He's turned into an OK half. He'll play 6 until some one better comes along.

Re: Wilkin : Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:46 pm  

Isn't the problem with Wilkin at 6 that we wouldn't have a running game from the halves? I thought Walsh was mainly a kicker and didn't have much of a running game?

Re: Wilkin : Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:43 pm  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

Isn't the problem with Wilkin at 6 that we wouldn't have a running game from the halves? I thought Walsh was mainly a kicker and didn't have much of a running game?

Yes, so we'll choose our 6 from Hohaia (some running, but generally poor), Wilkin (no real running, but generally ok) and Wheeler (no real knees or legs and generally injured).