Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 12:35 pm  

No know why they have given Tommy another year because there were no room on the coaching system because of Briers.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:14 pm  

Ashton Bears wrote:

No know why they have given Tommy another year because there were no room on the coaching system because of Briers.

So he's going to be playing year after year until a space becomes available on the coaching staff?

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:43 pm  

Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy wrote:

So he's going to be playing year after year until a space becomes available on the coaching staff?

If one of our starting halves get a long term injury next year (presumably Field and a new player) I wouldn't want Harry Smith as the only back up option.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:51 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

If one of our starting halves get a long term injury next year (presumably Field and a new player) I wouldn't want Harry Smith as the only back up option.

For all his current issues, Smith is infinitely more creative - it goes back to my point earlier of a lack of planning that we still need to sign Leuluai for another year.

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:59 pm  

Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy wrote:

So he's going to be playing year after year until a space becomes available on the coaching staff?

I don't think it's anything to do with that. I do think that we have screwed up recruitment and left ourselves in a position where we either took him for another year or had no backup halfback.

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:02 pm  

Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy wrote:

For all his current issues, Smith is infinitely more creative

Not sure I would agree with that - at least Tommy takes it to the line and creates some space for the outside backs. Smith has a better short kicking game in fairness.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:04 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I don't think it's anything to do with that. I do think that we have screwed up recruitment and left ourselves in a position where we either took him for another year or had no backup halfback.

Neither do I. Agree it looks like a panic reaction to a lack of planning and/or application on the recruitment front.

[Pemps]

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:05 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Not sure I would agree with that - at least Tommy takes it to the line and creates some space for the outside backs. Smith has a better short kicking game in fairness.

Harry Smiths 14 try assists to Tommy's zero goes some way to saying he's more creative.

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:06 pm  

Peet was asked about recruitment in his interview on Wigan TV and said they get offered lots of players but they’re not the right characters a lot of the time. It sounds like they’re still looking for a player or two but aren’t holding their breath.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

Re: New Half Back.. : Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:07 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Not sure I would agree with that - at least Tommy takes it to the line and creates some space for the outside backs. Smith has a better short kicking game in fairness.

Smith has more direct involvement in tries compared to Leuluai - i.e. try assist - but I agree it is only one metric. Leuluai has never really been a halfback for me, he was always a better hooker.