Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:14 pm  

Bibby on the wing is fine by me if we're using some money to replace Gildart. The backline below doesn't exactly get the juices flowing.

Bibby
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:22 pm  

jonh wrote:

Completely agree.

It’s all well and good someone like Bibby shouldn’t be in the team, but I do wonder what people want.

Big go forward near the top of the try scoring chart played in 2 Grand Finals with different teams not worthy of a starting shirt day.

Gone are the days where we have Offiah and Robinson on the wings.

Bibby could easily be part of a 13 that becomes champions. Plenty worse wingers have SL winners rings, add to this he’s still a young player which is often forgotten and doesn’t miss many, i’d be comfortable with him on the wing for Wigan for a good few years.

Would you choose Bibby over Marshall, Manfredi, Gildart or Hardaker? I deffo wouldn’t have him as centre and I’m not sure I’d have him as first choice on the wing. That’s not bagging him, I think he’s a great back up three quarter probably on a decent cap friendly wage.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:26 pm  

The back line of Bibby, Hardaker, Thornley, Marshall might not look the best but if you then put Field at 6, Smith 7 and maybe French at 1 then we have pace all over the place. Not sure how many clubs have faster men than Field, French and Marshall.
That's not including Williams, if he arrives.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:22 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

Bibby on the wing is fine by me if we're using some money to replace Gildart. The backline below doesn't exactly get the juices flowing.

Bibby
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall

That backline is not good enough for a team like Wigan.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:21 am  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

That backline is not good enough for a team like Wigan.

If I look at it another way and we spend big on some props and Williams, then that backline has some strong runners bringing the ball back off our line and of the props do their job we have finishers out wide. Add some pace from fullback and it probably isn't as bad as it looks.

It's what happens in a salary cap I guess when you look to build a squad as opposed to a strong 17 and bugger all else like some clubs.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:35 am  

Egg Chasing wrote:

Bibby on the wing is fine by me if we're using some money to replace Gildart. The backline below doesn't exactly get the juices flowing.

Bibby
Hardaker
Thornley
Marshall

Yeah Thornley is more the problem there though IMO. We should be able to attract better than him as a starting centre.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:55 am  

Egg Chasing wrote:

If I look at it another way and we spend big on some props and Williams, then that backline has some strong runners bringing the ball back off our line and of the props do their job we have finishers out wide. Add some pace from fullback and it probably isn't as bad as it looks.

It's what happens in a salary cap I guess when you look to build a squad as opposed to a strong 17 and bugger all else like some clubs.

Sorry, I disagree. If that is the best we can put together, even if we recruit two high profile props, then it's time to pack up.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:21 am  

We can’t strip that back line back any further than it is already. We’re playing second rowers at centre on a consistent basis already or throwing a kid on the wing who clearly isn’t ready physically for first team rugby. I’ve said many times that I won’t bag the club for cutting it’s cloth and not bringing anymore players in for this season but from a squad depth perspective we cannot squeeze anymore out of the back line.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:49 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

We can’t strip that back line back any further than it is already. We’re playing second rowers at centre on a consistent basis already or throwing a kid on the wing who clearly isn’t ready physically for first team rugby. I’ve said many times that I won’t bag the club for cutting it’s cloth and not bringing anymore players in for this season but from a squad depth perspective we cannot squeeze anymore out of the back line.

Unless we improve the quality of the backline then sadly the trophy cabinet will be bare.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:53 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

Unless we improve the quality of the backline then sadly the trophy cabinet will be bare.

I really don’t think that is the case.

If we could maintain the quality but add some depth I think there would be no reason why we couldn’t win trophies.

The priority and the biggest factor in winning trophies or not is the ongoing issue upfront.