Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:17 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I remember watching Shillington on a few occasions for the Aussies and to the naked eye he seems bigger then Mossop or Crosby.

I still think out props will see us right this year though tbh but a player like that would add a lot.

Dom Crosby's form before his injury is still my biggest let down of the year. I rate him massively and expected him to really lay a market down this year.

Our pack isn't that far away as Lockers and Flower will toughen us up.

Tbf I think we've always been lite when it comes to props. Under Madge we had steddy and reliable guys like Fielden, Coley, Prescott, Lima etc. Who was the last prop we could argue was the best in the League Faz, Smith? Fielden for half a season?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:00 pm  

Shillington yes, he has good size and would be a good addition to our pack. Rapira no thanks, I watched every NZW game last year and he was nothing but average and doesn't have any great size to him.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:02 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

On Wiki it says Shillington is 194cm and 111kg. He's 31 which gives him experience.

Crosby is 194cm and 110kg. Mossop is 195cm and 110 kg not much difference there in size.
Where we are small is in the 2nd row with Farrell and Bateman, Joel is around 6.3".
If Gelling were to be shifted to 2nd row to give the pack size then it would transform matters.
Our starting pack then would be -
Crosby 6'4"
McIlorum 5'9"
Mossop 6'4"
Gelling 6'6"
Tomkins 6'3"
O'Loughlin 6'2"

That is a fair sized starting pack equal to most in SL. Where some teams have height is in the 2nd row which is the case with Saints (Greenwood & Vea) and Wire .
We are relatively small in the interchange props with Clubb, Patrick & Tautai being approx 6'1"

If Shaun wanted to go "big" once all his troops are back then this would be my Wigan 17.

Hampshire,
Charnley, Thornley, Sarginson, Burgess,
Williams, Smith,
Crosby, McIlorum, Mossop,
Gelling, Tomkins,
O'Loughlin.
bench - Clubb, Tautai, Sutton, Powell,

With that 17 we'd have one of the biggest packs in the League as well as the fastest backs.
A back three of Hampshire, Charnley & Burgess would be very fast, Sarginson and Thornley are no slouches either. On firm fast grounds that 17 would take some stopping.

Surely you wouldn't drop Bateman he's our best player so far this season!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:49 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Surely you wouldn't drop Bateman he's our best player so far this season!

On last nights performance he was poor like everyone else in the pack.
We can't afford Farrell (either of them) and Bateman in the back row at the same time because it makes us too lightweight.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:43 pm  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

On last nights performance he was poor like everyone else in the pack.
We can't afford Farrell (either of them) and Bateman in the back row at the same time because it makes us too lightweight.

He's our top tackler and top line breaker. First name on the team sheet right now for me

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:09 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

He's our top tackler and top line breaker. First name on the team sheet right now for me

Absolutely. Time after time in recent matches it's been Bateman who's pulled off the try-stopping tackle. Not to mention sparking many of our attacks with his tackle breaks. One of the few in the squad who can hold their heads up so far this season.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:25 am  

moto748 wrote:

Absolutely. Time after time in recent matches it's been Bateman who's pulled off the try-stopping tackle. Not to mention sparking many of our attacks with his tackle breaks. One of the few in the squad who can hold their heads up so far this season.

Agreed, but you can't get away with even as good a little un as Bateman if he is accompanied by others of a similar stature over an extended period imo, at least not until the firmer pitches arrive and even then I'm not convinced. Size wise, Mossop, SOL, Flower (compact but heavy) and Joel fit the bill backed up by Crosby, Sutton, Tautai (just big enough, no more than that) plus I'd move Gelling up if I could. The other, smaller, options like Liam and Patrick come next.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:02 am  

Size is a factor but not the only factor, otherwise we'd be doing what we can to size Crabtree. No thanks.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:40 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Size is a factor but not the only factor, otherwise we'd be doing what we can to size Crabtree. No thanks.

On Friday the best prop on the field by far was Adam Cuthbertson of Leeds, he continually took the ball into the Wigan pack making good ground and releasing the ball at will.

I have just looked up his history in the NRL expecting to find lots of representative honours and all I found was 1 Country Origin match (junior).
He played for about 6 NRL teams and was released on a regular basis. I thought Wigan had good contacts with the NRL and would be up to speed when anybody decent became available, either this is not the case or Wigan are just not interested.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:53 am  

stillinthepast wrote:

On Friday the best prop on the field by far was Adam Cuthbertson of Leeds, he continually took the ball into the Wigan pack making good ground and releasing the ball at will.

I have just looked up his history in the NRL expecting to find lots of representative honours and all I found was 1 Country Origin match (junior).
He played for about 6 NRL teams and was released on a regular basis. I thought Wigan had good contacts with the NRL and would be up to speed when anybody decent became available, either this is not the case or Wigan are just not interested.

Or maybe Leeds took a punt on a player who has not made it big in the NRL and it paid off this time. Well done to them and the player. It wasn't that long ago that they signed Joe Vickery from Australia and it didn't work. Some signings work, some don't.