Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 12:10 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Looks a huge lad does Nsemba and scary to think he’s probably still growing. Like lads before him though, you need more than just size. Hopefully that lad has it.

Great point on Hanley. We see him in the first team making errors and go ‘he’s not up to it’ but he’s very young and he may not be ready for a couple of years yet. The club has been great at succession planning and bringing though youngsters in the positions we need as other players move on but realistically they’ve not nailed it with the outside backs these past couple of years. Hanley and Halsall aren’t ready IMO and there is a gap in the squad for an outside back.

Nsemba is only 17 years old and a product of a very good St Judes team of which quite a few are now at Wigan. He's a big lad and like Roguesy said he's still growing.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 6:07 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Looks a huge lad does Nsemba and scary to think he’s probably still growing. Like lads before him though, you need more than just size. Hopefully that lad has it.

Great point on Hanley. We see him in the first team making errors and go ‘he’s not up to it’ but he’s very young and he may not be ready for a couple of years yet. The club has been great at succession planning and bringing though youngsters in the positions we need as other players move on but realistically they’ve not nailed it with the outside backs these past couple of years. Hanley and Halsall aren’t ready IMO and there is a gap in the squad for an outside back.

Agreed regarding Hanley but I think Halsall deserves a closer look. Played well v York then not had a look in since.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 7:10 am  

MattyB wrote:

Nsemba is only 17 years old and a product of a very good St Judes team of which quite a few are now at Wigan. He's a big lad and like Roguesy said he's still growing.

Would rather feed him for a week than a fortnight. Looks like he's gonna be a monster. Hope he's got a bit of nast in his game and not another Kibula.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 11:33 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Looks a huge lad does Nsemba and scary to think he’s probably still growing. Like lads before him though, you need more than just size. Hopefully that lad has it.

Great point on Hanley. We see him in the first team making errors and go ‘he’s not up to it’ but he’s very young and he may not be ready for a couple of years yet. The club has been great at succession planning and bringing though youngsters in the positions we need as other players move on but realistically they’ve not nailed it with the outside backs these past couple of years. Hanley and Halsall aren’t ready IMO and there is a gap in the squad for an outside back.

I agree but they are going to need more exposure at a higher level to improve. I think Hanley will make it to the top level (international).

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 11:37 am  

JonnyBroad wrote:

Would rather feed him for a week than a fortnight. Looks like he's gonna be a monster. Hope he's got a bit of nast in his game and not another Kibula.

Yeah will be interesting to see him develop, he definitely has the skills to go far in the game. He does get stuck in and makes hard yards which makes him difficult to put down, 'Junior' (as he's known) could be a fans favourite in a few years.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Sun May 16, 2021 1:56 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

I agree but they are going to need more exposure at a higher level to improve. I think Hanley will make it to the top level (international).

They’re good young players for sure and they’ve been hampered by the reserves being pulled as much as anyone. I’d like to see the pair go out on loan once Gildart and Marshall are back and I think they probably will, a bit like McDonnell has.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Mon May 17, 2021 9:39 am  

The game is available on Wigan tv now.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Mon May 17, 2021 10:27 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

The game is available on Wigan tv now.

Just been watching it back now some of our young forwards look massive.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Mon May 17, 2021 10:41 am  

Hope we can actually develop them into decent players this time.

I can't even remember the last sizeable Wigan academy player that came through. Maybe Iain Thornley, kind of.

Re: Bradford v Wigan academy game : Mon May 17, 2021 12:16 pm  

Wigg'n wrote:

Hope we can actually develop them into decent players this time.

I can't even remember the last sizeable Wigan academy player that came through. Maybe Iain Thornley, kind of.

Kibula is massive, just didn't make it here.